You don't need to show an architect exactly what you're looking for. Make houzz folders for different things. So have a folder of the types of porches you like (Do you prefer a wood porch? Metal? Chicken wire? There are pictures for all types of porches so find what you like). Have another folder for the types of windows you like or the overall looks you like even if they're smaller or larger than the house you'll be designing. Have a folder for the different types of exteriors you like (Do you prefer board and batten siding? Stucco? Red brick? Stone? Again find pictures of houses with the look you like and don't worry about scale).

What you'll find is that you'll start to see a pattern and if you don't your architect most likely will. (S)He'll get a feel for which things excite you the most.

Inside, divide the folders by rooms, and show what looks you like for your interior. (Do you like large sweeping staircases? Modern metal ones? None?) Show that in your folders.

Another thing to think about before meeting with the architect is what rooms you must have, and what rooms you'd like to have. Also what rooms you feel are important to be near one another.

For example, I wanted my house to be a U shape around a courtyard. I wanted the living room, DH's study and our master bath to all open to the courtyard. I also knew we didn't want a formal dining room, a mud room (we're in FL and we're in what will be our last house), or even a large pantry since I like to walk into town and buy fresh. I also knew I absolutely wanted my w/d near my bedroom.

Your needs will be different based on your family needs and wants. So make a list of those needs and wants.

And most importantly, a lesson I learned from experience. Make sure you're seeing a real architect who's work you like, and not a draftsman. (My builder told us he had a wonderful "designer". It turned out to be an awful draftsman and I truly believe if I had gone to an architect instead, I'd have been building long before now. My process took almost a full year and I do have a design background!) Make sure it's someone who went to school to learn design. Best of luck to you.

Thank you for that suggestion, Oaktown. Even the first picture on their front page gives me ideas (even if not exactly what I am looking for).

_________

Thanks, Cpartist. Actually I have quite a bit of stuff pinned down for the inside (maybe too much). I have every room with dimensions, special features, extras, etc already planned out. I don't have an overall layout, but hope the architect can do that part. The architect I will be working with is definitely a real architect. My house will actually be one of his smallest projects. Some of the mansions he's done are very impressive!

I feel like I do need some idea for an overall look. I'm wondering if I can't find something like I want (not exactly, but at least close), how can I expect him to come up with what I want. I guess I just want to be as ready as possible and have some place to start. As for the outside, I don't feel like I even have much of a start, yet.

I assume you like his other work?

As mentioned for the outside, don't worry about finished house looks but instead see if you can hone in on parts of houses you like to get you started. That might spark something for you or for the architect.

Or are there houses when you drive by them or see them in magazines that you stop and take a second and third glance at? Even if they're larger or smaller than what you want? Even if they have no relation to one another put them into your folder. Your architect will probably be able to figure out what ties them together in terms of what you like about them. It might be something like the color or the type of brick or how the windows are arranged, or how the roof peaks or doesn't peak, etc.

Don't be so worried at the start with him getting the exact look. He may even have some ideas you hadn't thought of after he talks with you, sees your land, etc.

One thought. Check out home designs in Australia and New Zealand for some ideas. They often focus on a single story home with wrap-around porches.

http://www.ruralbuilding.com.au/our-homes/farmhouse-range/

Sometimes it's helpful to have something to look at just to say what you like or don't like about it. Allison Ramsey Architects designs for the low country of South Carolina where big porches are important and beloved. This 3000-square foot one story plan does not have a full wrap-around but does have two full-width porches. The link includes a sketch of one elevation but hopefully that can help you visualize the idea. (I also like the Bosworth Hoedecker designs that Oaktown mentions.)

http://www.allisonramseyarchitect.com/fullpage.cfm?id=1603

Omelet just an aside but the allisonramsey site while she has beautiful designs would drive me buggy trying to sort through it. I saw she had a U shaped house so I clicked on it and it took me to all the plans, not just the one I wanted to see. Sometimes to show how clever they are create these websites that dummies like myself can't figure out. :)

"2) is a decent size - like 3000 square feet or so"

Why are you fixated on square footage? Start from USE and traffic flow and see where it takes you. What do you need to do in the house, where will you be doing it, how will people move through it? What will your private and public zones be?

A well-planned house can live "larger"than a badly laid out one that is twice its size.

"I assume you like his other work?"

Yes, I definitely like the look of some of the houses...not so much with others. The big difference (at least for me) is that the other houses are multi-million dollar houses and mine certainly won't be. It's hard for me to imagine a "scaled down look".

"Or are there houses when you drive by them or see them in magazines that..."

Sure, but most have been so different that I have a hard time extrapolating to MY house. I talked to the architect today and feel a little better about his ability to figure out what I want even before I do. I guess we'll see.

"Check out home designs in Australia and New Zealand for some ideas."

Thanks, Adkbml! I will check them out.

"The link includes a sketch of one elevation but hopefully that can help you visualize the idea."

That is helpful. For one thing, it makes me realize that some of the houses I am seeing are possibly larger than I thought. Just looking at the house in your link, I wouldn't have guessed it was that big. I think a lot of my problem finding something may just be because my lack of experience. This also makes me feel more hopeful about the likelihood of the architect being able to come up with something.

"Why are you fixated on square footage?"

Well, I don't understand exactly what you mean. Fixation seems like a weird way to describe my determination that something around 3000 square foot is the minimum I believe would provide for my family's needs AND my realization that building larger would cost more. I believe I have a pretty good feel for this part of the equation, but I don't feel fixated. LOL

Fixation seems like a weird way to describe my determination that something around 3000 square foot is the minimum I believe would provide for my family's needs AND my realization that building larger would cost more.

What lazy_gardens is saying not that you should get a house BIGGER, but that you might very well be able to get a SMALLER house that will more than meet all your needs. It's not the square footage of a house that determines whether a house works well for a family but how it's laid out.

The house I raised my 2 children in was 3200+ square feet, not including the basement. However the house was so poorly laid out for a family we probably didn't use half the house. The house was 4 bedrooms, living room, dining room, sun room, kitchen, den, playroom, and a room we used as storage (and that room was larger than most people's dining rooms)

We spent most of the time in the family room, the kitchen and the bedrooms. When the kids had friends they would then use the sun room to visit. Occasionally we'd use the living room and 2x a year during holidays we'd use the dining room. My ex used the basement as his office. Which proves we didn't need 3200 square feet but needed less space laid out better for how we lived at the time.

Many of the responses so far have been very helpful, but I'm really not interested in more advise about the size of the house, at this time. I would love more information like the other advise that has been given.

Here are a few other links for some additional visuals to help to give you more options to help see what you like and don't like. The first two are from a houseplan website and the the third is from houzz and contains photos of the completed house so you can see the integration of inside and out (FYI, Allison Ramsey is not a person, it is a combination of names.)

Partial wrap-around with garage

Larger full wrap-around

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/baypoint-cottage-at-brays-island-tropical-exterior-atlanta-phvw-vp~2236111[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/baypoint-cottage-at-brays-island-tropical-exterior-atlanta-phvw-vp~2236111)

Many of the responses so far have been very helpful, but I'm really not interested in more advise about the size of the house, at this time.

Well in that case I'm sure whatever you do will be fine.

Well in that case I'm sure whatever you do will be fine.

^^ Why the snotty remark? Size wasn't the question. Besides I don't see anything wrong with wanting a house around a certain Sq footage. We are also wanting our house to be about 2800-3000. We live in 2300 Sq ft now and no matter what the layout was it's still too small for us. The rooms are too small and we also want 2 additional rooms. So obviously it's going to be a few hundred Sq ft bigger.

^^ Why the snotty remark?

The implication was that because I offered another view, the advice wasn't helpful. When you are beginning to build all advice should be helpful. The OP could have said something to the effect, "I will take it under advisement". He would have managed to say the same thing without alienating those trying to help him.

Cpartist, I don't think you understand my situation, and I'm not sure you are reading my posts accurately. I really don't mean to be hard to get along with, but could just let others take it from here?

Wow, you guys have REALLY opened up my eyes with these links. I am no longer worried about the "perfect look" matching my requirements. I still have my work cut out for me, narrowing down exactly what I want, but I now know it's possible for my ideas to work for a real-life house! Before I saw what you all have shown me, I was really having my doubts.

Your architect's work probably has a specific personality, and that may be why you're drawn to him. That's how it worked for us. Tell, or better yet, show the architect what you like about his other work, and what you don't like so much. That will help him a lot.

In addition to collecting lots of pictures, in Houzz folders and elsewhere, our architect had us fill out a long questionnaire that asked great questions about what we wanted, and didn't, in our house, and how we would use the spaces. And even what adjectives we would use to describe the house we wanted. We listed items that were must-haves, and things that were "wants." (And realize, no house can have everything you want.) All that was very helpful.

"Your architect's work probably has a specific personality, and that may be why you're drawn to him."

A lot of his work does appear to have a common theme, and I do like (very much) some of the houses he has designed, however, I actually chose him because of a recommendation and because it turned out I knew him from years ago. So far, I actually haven't seen any of his work that seemed to match what I am looking for in this house (but then again, I have only seen a small part of his work).

"We listed items that were must-haves, and things that were "wants." "

Yes, definitely! I've put a great deal of time and effort into just such a list. I have actually been working on that list for well over a year.