I know you didn't ask for this comment, but I'm doing it so hopefully you can think it through before you are stuck with it. Are you planning on sound proofing the walls into the upstairs bedrooms? It is going to be a noisy space otherwise and whomever is in those rooms will be able to hear all that is said/going on downstairs. Also seems like you'll be able to hear what is going on in bath 3 upstairs too while downstairs as well as no privacy to access bath 3 either as one would be visible from downstairs so would need to make sure fully dressed at all times.

So. Many. Issues. The eye bleed of 100 conflicting cladding materials is only of them. That’s easy to fix. Pick ONE. For front and sides and back. Don’t do a house mullet. The rest is an organic outgrowth of poor puppy mill design that isn’t so easy to fix.

Virgil, I am not sure what the wall plate height on the double garage is. I did not think it was higher but I will check into.

As far as the exterior materials, I am wanting to stay away from anything that needs a lot of maintenance such as painting and staining yet I want to utilize some sort of material that looks like natural wood. I have been noticing a lot of new homes using materials that have come on the market in the last few years that give you that natural wood look without actually being natural. Is that just a bad idea?

As far as the brick and stone combination, it is very common where I live to combine the two. I'm not saying it is ok to do, it is just what I've been seeing. Thank you.

Lyfia, I understand what you are saying and have thought about the noise factor, I really wanted a loft and two bedrooms upstairs and this is what I got.

Sophie, I reeaaallly appreciate your honest opinion. That is exactly what I want. Thank you.

We actually just worked through the should-the-kitchen-be-vaulted question over the past week. The architect had originally designed it that way, and my husband was campaigning for it, but our interior designer reviewed it and raised some major red flags. Think about how you will light it, for example. Are you going to drop pendants down over the island the full height? If you have upper cabinets, are you okay with them ending into empty space, rather than a wall above them. For me the answer to both was no - I don't want to deal with the lighting issues, and I don't want dust catcher cabinets. I also want a bit more "feel" of separation (while keeping the actual openness) and dropping the ceiling height down over the kitchen helps with this. I also found it makes for a cozier feeling kitchen, and worried a vaulted kitchen would feel too cold.

Why do you want a loft vs. a separate room? I mean you can't watch TV or talk in the loft without it bothering those downstairs and vice versa so I'm curious why a loft. Most people that I know that had them have enclosed them as they function better for the family that way, but I'm curious why people want them.

Kristin and lyfia, I understand what you are saying. I have been in a few homes that had them and thought they were neat. However, I never had to live in a home with one. I am going to have the plan redone.

dana100, putting a second floor over the kitchen is probably a good idea for all the reasons your KD described. Unfortunately from an architecture perspective, it creates a very large "loft", which is seldom used because: 1) there is no privacy from the lower first floor; 2) they are a heat sink since warm air rises, and almost impossible to keep to a comfortable temperature (a ceiling fan helps); 3) it becomes a huge area, but is it really usable and worth it for the way your family lives?

I think you simply have an inefficient and not very well thought-out design. Have you considered that you can do better?

PS: As for exterior materials, there are a number of "pre-finished" siding materials on the market which look and perform well. As for frequently seeing stone and brick combined together, unfortunately it is seldom done well or harmoniously on single family homes. There are endless threads on this forum about this topic. Best advice for stone or brick: pick one...one! And use it on all four sides of the house in an appropriate manner... :-)

Simplify your roofline first. You have two stories; pick two main rooflines (plus the little one for the porch). You can keep the gables coming out of the roofline, but I would simplify those as well. Remove the little triangles on the main gable on the right, so it's just one simple gable. Raise the roof in the middle section to match the rest of the second story. You don't need the gabled section over the garage, but if you keep it, lower it to the same level as the one story garage gable. Simplify. Then pick one or two sidings, no more, and keep the areas you use them consistent. I would prefer just one siding since the house is more complex. But you could use two as long as you don't over-complicate it. For example, you could so stone or brick on the whole main house, then siding on the gables.

Hi Dana. I will try and get to it today or tomorrow. However I have to agree that the layout is not the best and you could do better.

Just as one example, between the foyer/dining room and great room/kitchen is a "hallway", but that hallway goes nowhere. It doesn't lead to the back hallway. It's just wasted space. What will be empty space.

Your kitchen is huge, but is not well laid out.

Between the peninsula and the island you have seating for 7 yet the dining room is small if you have a large family and want to seat more than 6 people.

Another example. Are you opposed to having the two bathroom sinks on one longer vanity? Because if you did that, then you'd have a straight shot by moving the door to the bathroom to the bottom and then it's straight into the bathroom and the closet. Draw a path right now for the convoluted way you have to enter your master closet from your bedroom and you'll see what I mean.

Please do yourself a huge favor and take the time now to get it right on paper. Better to spend more time now, than having to change things after you start building and realizing it's not right.

What is the size of your lot?

@janedoe2012 I'm pretty sure there are only 2 stories, unless I'm reading it wrong or there is a basement I don't know about.

I really like your floor plan, actually. There are little things you could rework that might improve the flow or efficiency of it. I agree with cpartist's suggestion about the master bathroom. I would also get rid of that weird little peninsula with the two seats. Can I ask the square footage of the house as it is now?

I personally love loft space, especially with younger kids. If they're older, it can be nice to have a space you can close off. I like being able to hear everyone, though. If people want privacy, that's why they have their own rooms.

Um look at the front of the garage. The elevation doesn't even match the plan

I guess I see that as a problem with the draftsman, not with the plan. Those things obviously need to be fixed, but the general floorplan is nice IMO.

This is a two story plan and it has a basement.

The draftsman just forwarded me the design with the loft space moved to above the kitchen. But, now there is just this big room that is too massive :(

chartist, good observation in the bathroom. I would not be opposed to the vanity idea. Thanks.

Emily, I understand what you are saying. I will consider your ideas. Thank you.

Sq. footage is 3529

LoL I see that cpartist and I had the same idea re: master bath :) I was also thinking to flip the entry and "his" closet. If the shower is made a bit less deep you gain a whole extra wall in 'her' closet (green line). This arrangement means the bed isn't staring straight out the doorway - instead it faces a wall (nice for art or a TV)

It seems like the loft is a room you didn't necessarily ask for but more of a way to enclose the space over the kitchen?

Not sure how you turn siding into a roof material on that elevation.

Here is a rendering with a variety of similar materials.

So before we can play with the exterior in this case, we need to simplify the interior. (And yes, as I was simplifying the interior, I was also thinking how it would impact the exterior.)

I'm also thinking of the loft space. I'm assuming you want a separate space up there for tv, etc? I wouldn't make it open though and I wouldn't vault the living room or the kitchen.

So here's what I did:

I straightened out the front elevation. Instead of all those useless bump-o's I made it a straight shot. This also will lower the cost to build. So now the front door is in line with the library and the dining room wall.

I also got rid of the jut out in the garage. It did nothing and adding nothing!

I got rid of the gable and the bump out for the porch. Again, it adds nothing to the overall feel.

In the rear, not only did I get rid of the bay window, but I pulled that wall in even with the living room wall. Notice you still have quite a large kitchen that still seats 5 or 6.

I rearranged your kitchen layout so it's more functional and gives you two prep areas. The main one on the island and a secondary one between the sink and cooktop.

I made the back wall of the kitchen all windows. Use drawers for the cabinets and you'll see you won't miss the uppers.

I moved the windows in the living room over a bit so when you enter the foyer, now you first look straight ahead to tall windows looking out the rear.

The main thing I did was with the weird hallway. By opening it up, it now feels like a hallway versus just empty space.

In the master, I moved the doorway to the master down so that his closet entry could be off the entry into the master. This way you're not staring at yet another door or opening.

I moved the two sinks together in the bathroom and moved the linen closet to the end. Now you have a straight shot into your closet.

As for the exterior, since you want a more rustic look, I'd probably look at a combo of wood shakes (or wood look shakes) and stone. Nothing more! LOL.

Upstairs the new loft area looks like it's actually about the same size that the previous loft/flex space was. So how were you planning to use that space? I think to figure out what makes sense for that space (and whether it makes sense) you need to figure out how you're going to use it. If you're planning to put in a t.v. I'd absolutely close it off with a wall, rather than a railing. If it's just going to be lounge area, I'd maybe add a game table, etc.. But then you have to ask if you're the type of family that will use an area without a t.v. to lounge, play games, etc.. For us that would work well, but for others it would be a total no-go. (My mom keeps suggesting places we could add another tv in our house because I think she thinks we're nuts to only have two, but we like it that way so we smile and nod and then leave it as is.) You could also add a pool table, for example (my parents have a similar room upstairs closed off with a t.v., couches, and pool table and it gets a ton of use, especially since they entertain a lot and it gives the teenagers a place to go to avoid the rest of us :-).

We'll have a loft (though smaller than yours) and ours will be open. I know many people don't like them that way, but it works for us. Ours will house a small seating area and possibly our baby grand piano (since I'm not sold on the other locations we might have for it). For us, with one piano playing adult and one lesson taking child that works. If you have four kids who need to get their practice in, however, it would likely be painful. Think about your family, how you live, and your preferences.

damiarain, I do like your bathroom layout and the fact I would have more room in the closet. The bedroom arrangement is nice too in that you wouldn't be looking in and see the bed. Thank you.

janedoe2012, I see now how this leads you to think it is 3 story. I do not know the vaulted ceiling height.

cpartist, do the bump outs add a lot to the cost?

I agree with doing away with the bay in the kitchen, but I kinda wanted an island without a sink. I was considering widening the island to 4' to accommodate at least 8 people, as I will be entertaining a lot and can see everyone gathering around the island with food and beverage on it. Would it be awkward move the island down a bit toward the dining room and to bump the kitchen out to be even with the back wall of the bedroom and put a separate small prep island parallel to the kitchen sink if it would fit.?? Or, if that wouldn't fit, put a prep sink on the short wall on the right.??

I love big windows and lots of light. So big windows in the kitchen are great.

The bathroom layout makes sense too. Thank you.

As far as the loft, what about utilizing that space for storage and living somehow. Is there any way I could put a sliding door on the open part to make it more private when needed instead of a permanent wall? :)

Beverly, thank you for the rendering. More options to think about.

A conversation in another thread reminded me to ask, the stairs to the upstairs - they're really tucked away. Is that what you were envisioning? There does seem to be plenty of room in the main public area of the first floor to have them there instead

Also, is the family entry area (off of the garages) sufficiently spacious/storage-y for coats, bags, wet shoes, etc?

Hopefully this hasn't gone off the tracks too much for you - since you just came and asked about some exterior materials... =)

Damiarain, there will only be 3 people living in the home so I think the family area is sufficient.

As far as the stairs, I like the location because it doesn’t block my views to the outdoors as it would in the main living area.

It has gone off the tracks but I’m totally ok with that. I am welcoming all feedback. :)

I don’t think you’d want to push the island toward the dining room, as it would be awkward sticking out into the traffic pattern and extending past the wall cabinets.

I do think there’s some merit to pushing the kitchen wall out even with the master bedroom, as then those nice big kitchen windows would look out to the backyard rather than the covered patio and Bri g in a lot more light. Not sure if you’d want two islands in that space, though. You could have one larger island, but you’d need to be aware it would be very large, and you’d almost certainly need a seam is you’re doing granite or quartz countertops. Some people find that a problem, others don’t.

i originally didn’t want a sink on my island, but when I thought through the workflow I realized I needed a small prep sink (like cpartist put in). If you’re worried about being able to serve off that area you can have your fabricator turn the sink cutout into a cap you can put on it to make a solid surface when the sink isn’t in use. My mom has one of these and uses the space for serving all the time.

I would extend your study into the useless hallway between the study and great room. Since the hall really goes nowhere, you might as well have that extra ace. Build floor to ceiling bookshelves on that end and keep the barn door.

Are the posts on either side of the hallway decorative or structural? I would be sure there is not one in the door way next to the stairs - seems like a pinball game.

I would almost leave the butlers pantry and extend the dining room out too, but it make the stairs awkward to get into.... You have some great ideas here. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Here is a rendering with a variety of similar materials.

Except there are 4 different materials on the front which is too many.

cpartist, do the bump outs add a lot to the cost?

Yes they do add to the cost. How much I don't know but the more simple the shape, the less it costs to build.

I agree with doing away with the bay in the kitchen, but I kinda wanted an island without a sink.

Your layout doesn't work as well without the sink in the island. When we cook, we normally take food out of the fridge and pantry, and bring it to the sink to wash. Then we prep it on the counter next to the sink or between the sink and the cooktop. We then bring it to the cooktop to cook it.

Here, read THIS, one of the funniest posts ever about kitchen work flow. Without the sink in the island you'll be crossing zones. Additionally you will probably be teaching your kids to cook too and having a second prep area is a good way to have helpers in the kitchen.

I was considering widening the island to 4' to accommodate at least 8 people, as I will be entertaining a lot and can see everyone gathering around the island with food and beverage on it.

You absolutely have room to widen it to 4'. However the extra room will only accommodate one extra person as each seat needs 2' of width. So on a 4' span, you can get 2 seats in.

Would it be awkward move the island down a bit toward the dining room and to bump the kitchen out to be even with the back wall of the bedroom and put a separate small prep island parallel to the kitchen sink if it would fit.??

Yes because then it would be blocking your traffic patterns.

Thanks for the answers and for being a good sport for all our comments =)

This is kind of from left field and also a very bad cut-paste job, but what about moving the stairs to the 'bottom right' corner of the house - could be a two-story entry (lots of light!) with stairs that do not impede your view towards the back of the house. This would move the study closer to the GR (as just suggested by mnmamax3)...

Obviously a change like this is major with respect to rooflines and structural beams - but just wanted to float the idea =)

Kristen, I don't think I want to make the island any bigger than 10'x4'. A friend of mine has one this size and I love it. They also have no sink in the island. However, their sink is only a few feet from the stove and refrigerator. Several couples gather around and feast on the food in the center while conversing. Its always a great time.

Great idea on a sink cover if I decide to put a sink in. Thanks.

mnmamax3, I am contemplating extending the study. I definitely want to keep the doors.

I think the post may be structural.

I will keep you all posted as to how it turns out.

cpartist, regarding the sink and workflow, I agree that is what typically happens in the kitchen when preparing food. That is probably why almost every single plan I looked at online has a sink in the island.

What else am I missing?

dana100, you have started with a very inefficient plan designed for a small suburban lot. From the outset, it has a great deal of wasted space (expensive space) simply for circulation. Additionally, it has a huge 3-D volume of space which doesn't add a lot in terms of quality, but adds a great deal in terms of expense.

Now, on the good recommendations of the KD, you have rotated some of the second level to provide a ceiling over the kitchen, resulting in a very large and questionable "loft" area (think about expense versus usage).

All of this is because the initial plan is simply not well conceived or very efficient.

You have two choices at this point: 1) Continue to try to twist and torque the original plan into something functional, visually appealing and affordable, or, 2) Start fresh with another concept.

Good luck with your project!

damiarain, thank YOU for the answers. New construction is a monumental undertaking.

Interesting location for the stairs. Would they block the view from the great room through the office and through the front windows of the house?

The upstairs loft, I feel, would also cut down on the grand vaulted ceiling.

Virgil, I feel I am making the whole project difficult because of my wants. The 2 acre lot faces north. There is a tree line in the front of the lot and to the west. My wants are:

1. I want windows in Great Room on the west wall to look out to the tree line and windows facing south which will be the back yard. Therefore, that restricts any bedrooms from being on that side of the house which is the setup of most houses.

2. I want a window above my kitchen sink.

3. I want a large dining room to put a large harvest table.

4. Master bedroom downstairs.

5. 2 spare bedrooms. I already sacrificed one of them being downstairs.

6. 3 car garage facing east to minimize weather exposure and also because I like the appearance of no garage doors facing the front.

Do I need to make more sacrifices to get what I want? Am I asking the impossible?

I really don't feel like you're asking the impossible. I think I asked for more than that out of my architect and got it.

I DO think you should give some serious thought to ditching that loft. To quote a friend, "I wanted the whole 'open concept' thing. So now, I'm sewing on one side of the loft with my music on, Gabe is playing a video game on the other side, and my husband has the game on in the Great Room - and nobody can hear their own thing. It's just a cacophony, all the time."

Don't be afraid to ask your draftsperson to try again. Or even go to someone else. I think you might have someone with some technical knowledge playing "room tetris" when you need someone of design talent to fuse your wants into a cohesive design that makes you want to come home to it.

dana100, your requests are very reasonable and achievable. There's nothing unusual or unachievable about them.

The way strong designers and architects work is to first begin with a series of small hand-drawn pencil sketches, talking with you and your spouse about the relative advantages and disadvantages of each concept sketch. Sometimes this is called by architects a "charrette", a French term for how design sketches where done and loaded on carts in Paris at the Ecole for jurying...

The issue here is that the organizing concept and the development of the design as currently depicted is simply not working to your best advantage.

What to do? Well the issue is whether or not the current author of the current design is capable of doing better...or whether you need to cut bait and go elsewhere.

If you are working with a local architect, then simply have a discussion about needed improvements to this plan. The architect will understand and be capable of working closely with you for new concepts. On the other hand, if you are dealing with a builder, "designer" or CAD-driver (associated with the builder or working independently), then your options are more challenging, since their experience in design is most often limited at best and they only know to do what you tell them.

The most important point, however, is this: it's much better, less costly, and always more satisfactory over the long haul to get things right and proper while still in the paper phase, than to proceed to construction and the related expenses thereafter for a less than satisfactory design.

Get it right first. Whatever it takes. Then build it. Not vice versa!

Good luck on your project.

Virgil and Holly, it sounds like my problem is that I am using a draftsman and not an architect. I originally called an architect and the price just blew me away. It was like $20 -$30K. So, I tried the draftsman route. Are all architects going to set me back this much?

Nope. You just need to find the right architect who's offering the services you need. I think there are other threads around here about "charette" services.
Yep! Here, go read this thread:
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/we-fit-an-architect-into-our-budget-and-it-was-so-worth-it-dsvw-vd~3598813?n=18

Holly, I'll look into this. Thanks.

Dana, please message me.

Emily that’s what I had in mind. Thank you!