Karen, I might be able to help you with interior layout shots. Leave me your email please in my message box and I will reply as soon as I get it.

Thanks

Thank you! I left you a message.

That's a cute house. I think I'd try to move the powder room down to open off the foyer, and add a door (pocket?) between laundry and foyer so you don't have to walk all the way around the kitchen and through the pantry.

Thank you, bpathome. We like it. I have a new computer and have not been able to figure out how to post a photo of the plans. Ahhh, technology! I like your idea about putting a pocket door to enter the laundry from the foyer. It works because we are putting double pocket doors into the study off the foyer. But, I'm not sure I want to give up Master closet footage to move the powder room down. We have a west facing lot that is narrow (65x120) in a newish subdivision. We are in South Louisiana so we will not build out the basement. Below sea level and basements don't mix well. We have the choice of building on foundation or piers. We are leaning toward foundation. Also, we are trying to incorporate a small courtyard into the mix with a privacy wall surrounding it.

We've had a difficult time finding a house plan to meet our needs but this one seems to fit the bill.

Some of the things I worry about is somehow attaching a very small breezeway, to the vaulted back porch, from a detached side entering garage. I also don't love the Master Bathroom layout (we would eliminate the bathtub), and enlarge the shower. I also love a vanity to sit at and get ready for the day.

We will be seeing an architect but wanted to hear of other ideas before doing so.

And if someone wants to help out a tech newbie on a new computer, so I can post this house plan, please let me know. I just love this forum!

Thank you so much, bpathome! Hopefully I'll get some comments on what could make or break this house plan decision before we get to far into the process.

It is a cute house and bravo for it not being a fat house plan.

And yes, it's a narrow lot. Originally, my lot was going to be even a bit smaller than yours.

Agree about the laundry door. You really don't want to be dragging laundry through your kitchen work zone.

One thought, if you're facing west in LA, you might consider a house with more of an L shape so that the majority of the rooms towards the rear get more southern light vs the more hot east/west light. I highly suggest reading up on passive solar heating and cooling for your neck of the woods, which wouldn't be so different than my neck of the woods in FL.

I assume when you say pier or foundation, you're meaning a slab foundation? That's what we're on. Again no one builds basements in FL.

Are you planning on a garage? If so where would it go?

Thanks cpartist. Yes, no big fat houses for us. ;-)

We didn't have much choice in the matter when choosing a lot. The west facing sun can be brutal but I'm hoping to discover ways to deal with it. Lot is already purchased.

Yes, on a slab foundation. Although, the front porch and back porch could be built with piers and the rest of the house on slab.

Do you have kids? By having the breezeway lead to the back porch, you will almost always be coming in that way. You might want something other than a French door for that, and will you be dropping things on the table, wet shoes on the floor?

Do you have a TV? If the back porch becomes a family entry, how will you arrange furniture to allow a walkway from the door to the stairs, and still have seating face a TV (assuming you watch).

i was thinking that a nice side entry would be where the pantry is, but then you'd lose the pantry, so that's no good. But, since you won't be building out the basement, you can use the under-stairs for storage! Woo-hoo! CPArtist is doing that.

In the master bath, should the toilet room door swing the other way? But you said you would reconfigure the bathroom, so it's something to think about.

The reason I'd move the powder room is so it isn't as visible from the LR and dining area.

I assume when you say pier or foundation, you're meaning a slab foundation?

I personally love pier and beam foundations but that is more personal preference than anything else. New pier technology has made them very efficient and stable.

They do create moisture problems so I am not sure I would do one, but I do love them.

bpathome, Yes, we have 3 grown children and 3 grandchildren that are better than the adult children. :-) What type of door would you suggest other than the French doors? In a round about way you are addressing a concern I have about the living area on the back of the house. I wonder how much I should worry about wet shoes if we are entering from an enclosed breezeway from an enclosed garage. The back porch should be adequate for removing dirty shoes. But yes, this is a concern that I need to address. Originally I wanted to enter a mudroom then into the kitchen but I can't seem to find a floorpan that meets our needs without going custom and I'm not up for that again.

We do enjoy watching TV. Now, we have our TV over the fireplace and it works well. For this floorpan I would do the same with furniture facing the Fireplace. But, am open to other ideas. We will be using under the stairs storage for a coat closet. What if I keep the powder room door closed so you won't see it from the living areas? It's just DH and me most of the time anyway. I reeeeeally don't want to give up storage Master closet space. We plan on storing suitcases, built in dressers, etc in there.

bry911, My absolute favorite foundation is pier and beam foundation. But, we have way to much wetness around us for me to consider doing it...again. Nightmare subfloor problems all the time.

Ah, I missed that you'll have an enclosed breezeway. I wouldn't worry about it, then. But, how would the enclosed breezeway transition to the open porch? Would you have a door? I think so, to keep the breezeway dry and stuff from blowing/wafting in.

For the door, I just meant not double French doors, I think they are less secure. But a French door with nice big sidelights would work. Or one fixed door/window, one functioning door.

My other issue with the powder room is that everyone can see who is going in and coming out. But, if you are over 60, it will eventually be quite convenient to have it closer to the living area than your master bath is ;)

bpathome, exactly what I'm thinking about the transition. That's one thing I'm not sure of. I may leave that to the architect.

Thanks for the ideas about the doors leading to the living area. Great ideas.

LOL! We will both be over the age of 60 once this project is complete! So funny!

We didn't have much choice in the matter when choosing a lot. The west facing sun can be brutal but I'm hoping to discover ways to deal with it. Lot is already purchased.

The best way to deal with it is to make it more of an L shape with the long part of the L going from front to back so that you can get north/south lighting in the major part of the house.

Then you can also do a side yard courtyard that takes advantage of the south sun.

Have you considered working with an architect who could design a house that takes your lot and the issues into consideration?

My absolute favorite foundation is pier and beam foundation. But, we have way to much wetness around us for me to consider doing it...again. Nightmare subfloor problems all the time.

There are ICF forms that allow pouring concrete on a pier and beam foundation. The cost will make you pay attention but they are neat. I like insul-deck the most but just like everything I like, it is probably the most expensive.

This is more of what I was thinking. Please realize this is far from finished or ideal right now and was only working off the floor plan you gave. However now you'll be taking advantage of the south facing sun and minimizing the west facing sun. ( I still think the master suite needs lots of help. LOL)

First I flipped the house. Then I reconfigured it so it's an L shape. Now your living room faces north/south with your doors leading to a patio/lanai/whatever on the south side of the house. Put a privacy fence up and it's your own little oasis.

Your master bedroom got a bit longer and narrower. I reconfigured your master suite so your bathroom was more of a direct route to your closet. Easier as we age in place.

I added a door out from the master closet to the hallway. This way if you ever forget something in the closet, you're not running all through the bedroom and the bathroom to retrieve it. Better still if the spouse is in the bathroom and you're done in the closet, then you just walk out to the foyer without disturbing the spouse.

Also it makes it easier when shlepping laundry from the bathroom/closet to the laundry room and back.

I also put the toilet and vanities at the front of the bathroom as those tend to be the two things we use the most.

I flipped the powder room so now it won't be seen from the living room.

And at the end of the hallway, I put a long window. Everyone loves walking towards light and this will draw you in from the foyer. Or you can make it another doorway out to the rear.

I didn't play with your outdoor space as that's something you can do with the architect.

Wow.

And thinking of the back door, perhaps the window between dining and master could be a door, with perhaps a small console on that long wall as a drop zone/keys-sunglasses-mail spot. Takes advantage of the natural continuation of the front hall.

Perhaps a covered porch just up to cover the first LR terrace door, open terrace beyond. I think three sets of double doors is a bit much, one set with the rest windows is fine.

i like what you did with the master. When you walk in the eye will be drawn to the glass door instead of the bed. And lengthening it makes the powder a little more private.

Was the garage going to be in the back? Or alongside?

This is awesome! I like it all! Now, how would a garage or carport connect to this and still stay within the parameters of the lot size? Garage /carport has to be in the back. Once I take 5 feet from the front and 5 ft. from the back I'll have 110 feet. to be safe let's say 105 feet.

bpathome, the garage/carport can connect to the house or alongside.

I like cpartist's version of "flip this house". That version doesn't put the master suite in "competition" with the main living area, which can get loud within kids and/or guests who stay up forever.

At 120 feet for your backyard, assuming you have 105 feet total, you're good. I didn't do it exactly and your architect will have to really do the numbers, but lets say I added 5' to the 68' that was there. Actually let's round it off to 75' for the total length of the house.

A garage 25' deep will still give you 5' for walkway between the house and the garage on the living room side.

BTW: the master closet is large enough to put some seating in the middle.

You've also cut your exterior corners which will help save you some money.

cpartist, DH and I will bring all of these ideas with us to the architect. Thank you to all for spending the time helping me to think outside the box. Speaking of box...I think we'll expand the study out like you did for the Master closet. That way we are eliminating another corner and getting a larger study. It is a shared study/office for both of us.

I'm still open to other comments or ideas!

The only reason I didn't suggest that was because I didn't know if you were trying to keep square feet down.

Cpartist: I'm wondering if this could be on walk out basement, currently we are pricing a larger plan with a 7 car garage. I really like this plan as it stacks plumbing and appears to be a simpler build. Hubby wants a 40x40 garage and another garage of 25x35 on 6 .4 acres.

We have pool house and have the ability to have walkout. Front will face North rear of family room would be South our pool area would be open from right side is master over. We have an older garage that will become a pool house.

Area is 170x 200 for house and garage build.

Beatrice, this plan does have a basement. Google "Dewy Rose" Mitch Ginn and the plan should pop up.

Beatrice this plan is for a narrow lot. If you're on 6.4 acres and one of your primary needs is to have a 40 x 40 garage and a second one that is 25 x 35 I would HIGHLY recommend you put together a list of your wants, needs, etc and work with a residential architect to best put together a house that will work on 6.4 acres, take advantage of any views and give you what you want.

From what you're describing, those two garages will overpower this house as it is now.

Personally, I'd be driven batty by the master bathroom and the powder room being so close to one another. I certainly understand wanting a separate powder room, but it seems awfully foolish to have them right on top of each other unless you're entertaining a dozen plus guests on a nightly basis.

I'd work to move that, my preference being switching the powder room's location with the laundry room and potentially joining up the laundry space with the WIC. If it's such a short walk to the laundry, why not cut it out altogether? Then the powder is more accessible from the study, just as accessible from the kitchen/living space, and it's not right atop the master bathroom where the two toilets are ridiculously close to one another.

Oneillcorinne, I like your ideas of moving the powder room. I've always had a problem with being able to see inside the powder room from the living/eating area. If we build this plan I'll keep that into consideration.

If we build this plan I'll be extending the study and the master closet with plans to put the laundry in the closet vented to the outside wall. I'm also hoping I'll be able to partition the laundry from the clothes in some way.

Whoo Hoo! I may be able to have a little larger pantry!