We built our house with the intent to age in place. We put in all 36 inch pocket doors and our hall is almost 48 inches wide. Our sliding glass doors are 8 feet. We really like it a lot. The doors allow us to move furniture in and out of rooms freely, and the hall is not claustrophobic. I wouldn't change a thing about it. We bought really nice solid wood doors and used the highest grade pocket door hardware. We also installed a layer of Masonite in the walls to avoid the flimsy wall feeling one can sometimes get with pocket doors. Pocket doors are very wheelchair and walker friendly. I decided on 4 panel doors rather than 6 panel since the 4 panel looks better proportioned with the width of the doors, but that is my opinion only. It doesn't cost much more to buy a wider door and make roomy allowances in your home.

With face framed cabinets you lose approx 1-1/2" in the cabinet opening...leaving you with a 4-1/2" opening in a 6" cabinet. But, there's a way you can get all 6" of the opening even in face framed cabinets...use what's known as a "filler pullout". These are pullouts that are installed by attaching them to the walls of the cabinets on either side. I.e., it's not a 6" cabinet, it's a 6" opening b/w two cabinets w/a pullout installed in the space. This is a great way to utilize every inch, especially for those narrow places. They're available for a space as narrow as 3" (like those pesky 3" fillers you need here & there...you might be able to install these in some of them!) I have two 6" ones in my kitchen...flanking my cooktop. One thing, though, get the one w/adjustable shelves. That's what I thought I was getting, but it didn't turn out that way. There are also some w/open tops...a big plus as well. Here's s thread from about 18 months ago about this subject: Thread: Rev-A-Shelf Spice Racks for Fillers -- Have you seen these!!!! http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1020292023561.html Also, see the link below for Rev-A-Shelf's base filler pullouts (they also have wall/upper cabinet pullouts, btw). Oh, and you can get them much cheaper elsewhere! (Try OvisOnline, KitchenSource, TheHardwareHut, CabinetParts, etc.) And, of course, the pictures! Here is a link that might be useful: Rev-A-Shelf Base Filler Pullouts

We have had both attached and detached garages, and I can confidently say that I prefer our present attached garage- no matter the pros or cons of the way we had to arrange the front elevation. We have a tandem 3 car garage with wider allowances than "necessary", and we have a big motorcycle, SUV, convertble and golf cart in there right now. We stay dry in inclement weather, warm in the winter and all the tools are accessible without going outside. The detached garage was great though when my son had a garage band:) Seriously, automobiles (and TVs) are a big part of modern life for most people. Even a porte cochere that gives you access to the kitchen door will make your life easier, even if you decide to put a detached garage towards the back of the property. IMO, big yards are overrated unless you love gardening or love paying a yard crew.

That's good information, thank you nirvanaav. Perhaps they are a thing that used to be more common because building codes were less restrictive previously? In my experience, breezeways are more often a part of a renovation. They're often a way to work in a garage or an apartment that needs to be attached to the house. One other question I just thought of - how far apart would the house and garage need to be? In my mom's house, the breezeway is about 12' wide and 30' long ... it is a whole room with sliding glass doors on both ends. Over the years it's served many purposes. In my uncle's house, the breezeway is much smaller ... maybe 5' wide and 8' long, about the size of a smallish bathroom ... it is just a connection between the house and the apartment. It contains a door to the house, a door to the apartment, and a sliding glass door to the outside. No furniture. Just a passageway. In my grandmother's house, the breezeway was wider ... maybe 15' wide and 20' long ... again, with sliding glass doors on both ends. She used it as a second living area ... she had a large table at one end and bookshelves /a desk at the other end. The two questions in planning such a space are: - How far apart do you want the house /garage to be? - What functions do you want that room to support?