First floor layout:

2nd floor layout:

Such great feedback! Thanks ;)

We talked about adding a door into the laundry room so that's definitely on the table. We were trying to work down from a larger design he had so I think shaving off square feet here and there cost us a dedicated hall/pass through from the upstairs into the laundry/mudroom but we are ok with that. We are coming from a much less functional layout right now so in an effort to keep building costs down, we're ok with that sacrifice for now.

Bedroom 3 was not originally planned to have a bath. We requested a hall bath (for guests etc. - I am thinking of our after school playdates when 4 kids need to use the restroom all at once). We didn't want a guest to need to access the bathroom from our son's room directly. Him having access from his room is a bonus for us - feels more like his but can be shut off if were having a party etc. and anticipate that bathroom being used from the hall. I didn't think about the closet being in that little hall entry portion to his room - not sure that's a big deal to us though.

I think most of my trouble and hangup is with the long run to the master as you addressed. We originally envisioned a 3 car sideloading garage with a smaller peaked exterior, so we may suggest turning garage and master bed/bath portion 90 degrees to eliminate some of those issues. What are your thoughts on the rear loading 3 care garage? I can't find many designs that go this route. Our architect didn't want the garage portion to "compete" with the main house portion in our initial meeting so I think that's why he turned it but I'm not sure we are sold.

Definitely plan to add a sink in the laundry room and an upstairs closet for small cleaning appliances/supplies.

We also cut out a huge (12ft) glass door entry from the family room onto the screened porch and he added an interior window instead. Having trouble visualizing that as well.

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Rear-load garage...my parents have one, and it's nice to not see it as you drive up. They are also on acreage with a big turnaround driveway in front for guests. But it is its own wing with the laundry room, and nothing above except a spare bedroom above the laundry room.

You could change it to a side load if you prefer. Then the utility area between could look like a breezeway-type connector, which I think would add to the farmhouse look.

i still don't understand the hall access for the bathroom? There is a bathroom downstairs, so guests would use that, right? (Pretty Sure I wouldn't want my adult visitors to use my son's bathroom if he's the only one using it otherwise...who knows what state it might be in lol!) And there is no play space upstairs, so everyone's friends would use their young host's bathroom, right? And they won't ALLL have to go at once lol!

Is there a site plan somewhere? Which way's north? Views?

Back left corner faces north I believe - I know our architect discussed this importance for light and believe that is why there is a concentration of windows to that area. We also discussed turning the house slightly for best sunlight/views.

It looks like your kitchen won't have any natural light at all. So if the back left corner faces north, then the kitchen/mudroom wall is facing SE? Seems like a great place to put windows. Are you in a cold or hot climate?

A couple of reason I was asking.....First, never stop designing at the exterior walls. Think of the site and house as one. That's why it's important to have a drawing that connects the house to the site. It gives the complete picture.

And second, while I can see the motives for a rear loading garage, it not only makes for a "tacked on" look to that part of the house, it creates that poor master bedroom entry. And interestingly, the back wall of the garage (which faces the front) doesn't look all that great!! Not to mention that the form of the "garage wing" looks entirely different than the house. If a side load hides all the doors anyway, what the point then for a rear load?? And you get a much better geometry to work with in the master bedroom.

Finally, I generally don't like to come into a house and be looking at a wall. If the sight line goes clear through the house it not only connect the house to the site better, it makes it seem BIGGER.

I while back I threw in some examples into an idea book for some one else to illustrate what I'm talking about. Look at how all those houses are drawn with the floor plan on the site. You need to do the same thing. Also, look at how in all of those houses we're looking through the house from the front door to site features beyond.

And coincidentially, look at the modern farmhouse example there. That garage is detached but the roof forms play off of the house, it not something totally different like your house is.

If it helps look at this thread http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3285825/what-makes-a-house-have-good-design?n=39 and read my post there 23 post down. Pay attention to #9, 28,44,52,61 and 62.

But good luck with your project. Exciting times for sure!!!

bpathome - you might just convince me on the upstairs hall bathroom! ha ;) Right now, I've got a gaggle of girls who come over afterschool each week for a snack before I drive them all to gymnastics. We've got leotard changing and bathroom using all over the place! All I once, I swear ;) I know that is a short lived and unique scenario so nixing the hall bath may be the right move afterall.

We also discussed adding a front driveway/circle for guests to avoid them having to pull around to the back of the property. I'm more worried about it cutting into our backyard space and green area. I'm not sure how it will look and how it will also tie in if we are able to do a walk out basement (not sure yet) with the elevation with our proposed building site.

Magdalena - we're in NE Pennsylvania. All 4 seasons and we can have long snowy winters where the sun sets at 4:30pm in December.

We were originally inspired by this type of exterior - side load on the garage. To me, it works better aesthetically and doesn't feel as much as the garage portion is an addition. Our architect didn't care for the way that this garage portion competed with the main house portion. He actually likes for the garage wing to look more like an addition which is what you would have seen with many farmhouses but I don't know that we share that same sentiment.

We also want to have more a craftsman lean with tapered columns on the front porch area.

Back to Square One. Turn the house around. If you have 20 acres, why build a house with the living areas on the cold north side? North is a great place to put a Garage! I'd also want the least amount of driveway possible -- to build and to plow.

Your exterior photo is a mishmash of styles. If you want 'Farmhouse', do it. Don't tack on 'Craftsman' porch supports. A Craftsman house is not 'tall', but low, with a low, gabled second story -- not what you seem to be building. I agree with all of the above in not liking the back-loading garage for this plan.

Might you connect the Garage to the house with an enclosed 'breezeway'? You have the land, and this would give the interior much-needed light.

I can't see heating/cooling a double-height Great Room -- so NOT 'farmhouse'. I'd use that space on the second story and widen the house a bit, incorporating the MBR suite. I'd push the Garage off the side of the house. (I can see a guest suite or teen's bedroom over a garage, but not MY bedroom.)

I like your plan but am wondering what made you decide to design your garage so that it faces long way which emphasizes its length? Why not turn it to resemble the home above? You could have it facing to the side, do some landscape on the side By the porch and do a nice bump out with Windows on the side facing the front. I think it would a great deal visually.