I forgot to add that the East side of the house is our best view, with the kids playground, my garden, etc. I want a lot of windows and view to this side of the yard. Does that sitting room tacked onto the dining room take away from the ability to see out to the East?

I think you have good base there, but you could re-work the areas that have lots do dead space or under-utilized.

- sewing/bedroom. If you will use it eventually as a master bedroom, it would probably be nicer to have acces to the bathroom from the bedroom. Also, it could youse more closet space.

- Dining room: nice size. I take it it does not bother you not to have the family/living room near the kitchen. How big is your dining table? A 14-17 ft long room fits a long table large enough for 8 to 10 people. So there might be another way to use all the space.

Living room: nice size as well.

Kitchen/pantry/butler pantry: I suggest you run it by the kitchen gurus over in that forum. They are great over there. I think you have a lot of space there that can be better utilized. Measurements?

Powder room: love that you used the space under the stairs - hope you have a sink in there too ;) . Actually, love the fact you have a second staircase.

Mud room: measurements? I think the nice folks over in kitchens can help you there too.

See if you can minimize the dead areas. I think this will be an awesome home. How about the second floor?

What is the room that is unlabeled next to the pantry?

@houserookie - thanks for your observations and comments!

I would love a walk in closet in the sewing room bedroom. Just not sure where to take that space from without adding more width or depth to the whole house. I've never really liked bathrooms with a second access door because I don't like having to always check if the other one is locked when I'm using it.

I prefer the living room away from the kitchen, at least at this point. At this point I'm happy for any peace and quiet I can get:) And when we entertain, I prefer to have the less people watching me bustle around. Maybe when my kids are teenagers I'll feel differently though?

I most definitely want to post my kitchen/pantry in the kitchen forums. I just first wanted to see if my overall plan was even worth pursuing! Measurements are 1 graph square=1 foot.

Yes, I apologize for my unclear drawing. Just outside that powder toilet is a huge 'walk-in' sink. I'm thinking of a tiled basin with a shower head. Since this back laundry door is where my kids will come in from play, I'm thinking it will be where all the dirty stuff gets rinsed off. Also, I'm thinking I'll dedicate this toilet to my kids and husband so that the main bath stays clean for guests:)

@cpartist - Do you mean to the right of the pantry? Well, I'm thinking it's kind of a transitional pantry:) I think I'm maybe overcompensating on the whole pantry thing, because my current one is so terrible. I imagine it will be a place to paint the cabinets a daring color, like a dark gold. I've loosely thought of putting my dough mixer and bread machine on the counter so they can be out of plain sight in the main kitchen. Also some narrow shelves along the window wall to display some tinware, and overall just add to the farmhouse feel. Not super practical right? Maybe it could be my baking center? Obviously I need to fine tune this area.

I would like to comfortably seat 15 people in this dining room, but also not feel like a cavern when it's just the 5 of us. Is that possible?

Is that one square to 1 foot? If so, that's a ridiculously long mudroom with lots of wasted space. Overall I think you have a good basic start and I like the look of the outside of the house.

@cpartist - I hadn't thought about how long it was, but you're right it is! I mean, my husband wants a big mudroom, and I do too, but maybe this is overkill. Over half the year we are wearing boots, coats, etc, and we always come in from the garage, so I guess we're thinking that every time we come home there's a massive unloading of people and 'stuff'. We each want our own locker.

I'd love to steal a few feet for my laundry room because I'd like room for an ironing board in there, but not sure how to do it without changing the position of the doorway into the main house.

If I have some time tomorrow evening I could play a bit with it. Additionally I bet some others will come along with some suggestions.

I live in a northern climate. We hunted for a lot where our living area could have a large southern exposure. Our garage and foyer are north. Our kitchen, breakfast room and screened porch are east.

I wouldn't try to plan a house to work for your growing family NOW that you think will work as a 'forever' home MUCH LATER. As seniors, you won't want more than one level, but you will want a larger MBR. You won't want to heat/cool, pay tax on, or maintain that second floor.

I don't have any suggestions other than I see your BBQ is on the second deck farthest from the kitchen, that is a long way to walk to make a burger. Really just wanted to comment that I love the style of your house and what you are trying to accomplish, very similar to ours and our goals. Except I think your first stab at getting it right was better than our architect's! Good luck!

I really like your plan! :)

We also live on a farm and I think your pantry and storage are wonderful. That long work area by the pantry would be perfect for making freezer jam, drying herbs, well....almost anything. I would love to have that much space!

The only thing I would change is the entry. Smaller closet to make the living room a bit bigger and even up that bookcase area. This looks like it will be a lovely home. The sitting room would make a nice sunroom (southeast side) maybe with a few wicker chairs and comfy pillows? And even a few plants!

One other thing to think about....the stairs to the mudroom. They're nice and bring the house down to 'ground level' but they also can be a bit of an issue for aging in place or some family/friends. Since you have the other bathroom, it should be fine. Just something to consider.

@chisue - Do you think that the house will be too dark with a covered porch along the south side? Right now we have no south windows at all, so it's hard for me to know.

Also, I think you're right that maybe we can't plan a house that will be perfect for our entire life. Actually,. we could if we were completely practical, but that would be no fun either:) Our architect said to plan for the next 20 years and not so much beyond that. I guess I'm planning on that Sewing Room as being my sewing room and only a bedroom in an emergency, not fully planning that we would eventually sleep there. As an active 30 year old, it's just too hard to imagine not being able to climb stairs (although I know it could happen).

@farmdrmer - Thanks for your vote of confidence! I just plunked that bbq there, but your observation is a good one. It's a balance for me because my bbq tends to get looking a bit grungy and then I like it a little ways from where we're eating,

@lavenderlass - Thanks for chiming in! From reading the forums I've decided we have a similar style, so it's good to hear your positive thoughts.

With the front entry, again my husband wants a large entry because our visitors tend to arrive and leave all in a bunch and it makes for a bottle neck. I also thought that inset wall in the living room would make a nice built in bookshelf. Maybe though it would be more versatile to have a flat wall with the option to have a freestanding bookcase.

The mudroom and laundry are part of the garage slab which is why they're lower so I don't know if it's an option to raise it? If it was, I sure would. I don't know much about foundations, but in our area all houses I've been in have the garage area lower than the main house.

@houserookie or anyone else - I'm studying the plan to see where the dead spaces are. Is it possible for dead spaces to be a good thing? The places where I think are being mentioned are spaces that I've purposely included because it seems important to me. I love decorating and having small areas to work with, places to put a favorite piece of vintage furniture, that I can redecorate easily and have fun with. These spots seem like an old house to me, quirky spots that aren't highly efficient. I may be wrong though, maybe these are simply wasted space. Can anyone point out particular wasted spots to me?

Jolene - I really like what you have started. Cpartist recommended a book to me - The Not So Big House. I am really enjoying it so far. The book talks about how the quirky little spots you mentioned add to the character of the space and give people nooks/alcoves to feel cozy in (kind of like how children like to build forts). Of course you want those spaces to have some thought to them, but I think they will give your house character. I recommend you getting the book too. I think you would like it.

Jolene - as far as wasted spaces, I'd rather have a bigger laundry room than have unused space in the mud room. It seems that you could re-work that area, and end up with a big mud room AND a big laundry. In your "butler's pantry"/jam room, you might need a sink in there as well, you certainly have the space. I'm not sure about the measurements there, but I wonder if the layout of the cabinets there is the most efficient. Not that it is bad. And without knowing the measurements, it is hard to know for sure. I do think every home needs some "blank space" for your eyes to rest. But I also believe in having every space, including blank ones, to be deliberate. I'm a big fan of closet space and bedroom suites whenever possible. So my eyes go straight to those areas. But I understand other people think and live differently. Whichever way you decide, that sewing room of yours will be amazing!

Thanks so much for input so far! I made a very crude drawing in Floorplanner to make the drawing a bit more clear. I also changed a few small things. I agree that the mudroom is plenty big, and the sewing room should have a walk in closet. I tried making one by jutting it out into the mudroom. Then I was able to move the bathroom a bit to the left, so that I could make the laundry room a bit bigger. I can't say that I like the way the mudroom is now though. Anyone have ideas on a more efficient bathroom layout and/or walk in closet?

Oh, I also took out the sitting room off the dining because I thought it might actually obstruct our views out to the East from the dining room.

house plan · More Info

Nice! In place of the sitting room, what about a boxed window seat in the dining room? It's actually amazing how much more visibility you get by having a boxed out window, plus the added bonus of some extra seating. Here's one example from another farmhouse.

1800s Farmhouse Remodel · More Info

In the dining room, perhaps a bay window where you could fit a chair and a small table? When our kids were small, that was my "spot" (wasn't a bay, though; I would sit there and imagine it into one!)

I like the mudroom being a couple steps down, imagine how it will help keep the rest of the house clean! The dirt and dog hair won't be able to drift across the floor into the kitchen, what a great place to groom the pets.

Coupla things....I like to set up a house where the sight line from the front door looks through all or part of the house through glass, especially when it's a large lot situation as your appears to be (5 acres in the country). It makes a house a lot airier, larger and more welcome than opening up the door with a wall a few feet from the eye.

Also, don't stop designing at the exterior walls. Since you do a lot of entertaining, think strongly about that inside/outside connection. Canada's going to limit somewhat the outside stuff of course but I can just picture that summer party with easy inside to outside flow. Right now there's one tiny door leading to the outside. Always think of a house and it's lot as one. Stop your designing at the property lines and only there because you have to.

You say you don't want any "formal" spaces but that's exactly what the living room is. Nothing really wrong with that but that's the way it's going to function. And, while you can locate it away from the kitchen so people can't "watch you bustling around", short of a locked door to the kitchen, the kitchen is were most of the people will be. It's just the way parties morph. And interestingly the only connection to the outside, aside from the front door, is in the kitchen!

For examples of all the stuff I'm talking about, look at one of my "ideabooks". I posted some stuff there for some long forgotten poster on how to get the inside/outside working.

Good luck with your build. Exciting times!!

@aec2013 - I've been hearing about that book, I'm going to read it! I like the idea of a window seat or bay window in the dining room, or maybe just a nice big set of French doors. Would that improve the indoor/outdoor flow at all?

@architectrunnerguy - I appreciate your insight! I know that the plans my architect has drawn are more geared to this flow, but it seems like at the same time they sacrifice the way I want the interior rooms to feel. I am very big on sight lines, and what you pointed out about the entryway gives me pause. I would love to have a central hallway or something that opened up to the back of the house from the entry, just not sure how to do that with my rear garage. I'm thinking though...