So this house is just for the two of you?

Why not put the fireplace centered on the main wall in the great room (the master bath wall) .

In the kitchen, you could extend the run to the left of the sink and have the tall cabinet there for the wall-ovens. (Or put the fridge there and the ovens where the fridge is)

I think the laundry area as-is is too small to add in lockers and keep the laundry. Perhaps you can put the laundry in the hall closet by the bedrooms and utilize the laundry area on the plan as the locker/mudroom.

*I would also add a window in the breakfast area.

Are you committed to this plan?

What's your building site like? What direction does it face?

Who will live here?

Why not put the fireplace and tv on the wall behind the master bath? Then the tv isn’t on top of the fireplace, and your furniture doesn’t have to turn its back on either the outside or inside views. And if the furniture is against the wall, you have to Turn your heads to see either the view or the tv.

There is no landing space for the refrigerator. What if you turn it so it faces into the living space, move it over to connect with the rest of the kitchen? then for the pantry, I can’t quite tell the dimensions but could the door then open to a passage between it and the refrigerator? Or, move it over or lengthen it.

I agree with vsr61. Move the closet down and flip the master bath so the shower and toilet are on the outside wall. You can then have a transom over your shower and an operable window in the water closet for extra ventilation. Your bedroom closet isn't wide enough for hanging on both sides but you still might then be able to pick up a place to hang ties and belts, and a high shelf for more off-season storage.

I also agree that the back of the pantry doesn't seem optimal for a TV and fireplace. With the eating bar there and two entrances into the room, you won't be able to get the furniture arrangement close enough to the fireplace to enjoy it, and it will force the arrangement of the room to turn it's back to the back yard. My grandparents have a fireplace right at the entrance to their room like that and they never use it because you can't sit close to it. Whatever location you settle on, be sure to draw in furniture to scale and make sure that you are happy with the whole room arrangement.

I'm not sure how to answer everyone individually. There will be just the 2 of us living there. The lot faces west and currently has no trees. I am 85% committed to this lot/plan. The builder has offered us several free exterior upgrades in exchange for some advertising I can provide. AND the house is right in the middle of our target area.

If I put the fireplace along the master bath wall, do I center it on that wall or center it to something else?

If I put the fridge on the left side of the sink, wouldn't the dining area become too small at 10.5 x 9.5'? Would I then be obligated to extend the island the same distance?

I like the master bath/closet switch. Good idea.

My wife is not a fan of a laundry "closet". I kind of figured the laundry room was too small for the mudroom amenities. What is the benefit of having a sink in the laundry room. I have never had one and can't figure out what I would use it for? Possibly cleaning up after working in the garage.

Like the idea of adding a window to the dining area.

If I swung the fridge around to face the living area, did I just narrow the living room by three feet? Would that look awkward?

Are there no lots where the back faces south? That would be the ideal orientation. An east facing rear will be dark by noon.

I like the house. It’s a good basic house.

I would flip the master bath and master closet so there is a window in the bath.

Move the opening from mud room to kitchen so it’s next to closet. That will give you a longer counter run.

Switch ink with stove and put a window on either side of stove so you have natural light in kitchen. Especially if you keep that lot.

Fridge, dishwasher, sink, turn corner, trash pullout, cooktop, ovens, pantry in that order.

by moving the wall in mud room will allow you to put coat hooks and bench next to washer/dryer

fireplace on master bath wall

Looks great, get rid of the angled walls and gas chamber; move the refrigerator next to the stove moving the circulation path to next to the pantry. Put a shed roof on it, paint it dark grey and orange, and you have a modern farmhouse.

The lot faces west. We live in northern Ohio so cold winters/humid summers.

Which part of the house, front or back, faces west?

Are you able to add a second window to the other wall, for cross-ventilation, in the MBR and Bedroom #2?

Lastly, we would like some sort of mudroom lockers/cabinets. It would only need to be storage for 2, but 3 or 4 would be better yet.

I'd put them in the garage.

Normally I wouldn't advocate for angled walls, but the two in this plan exist to help facilitate moving furniture into the bedrooms with hallways that are on the narrower side. You could shrink the closets and remove the angle and get a little more elbow room around the entrance to bedrooms 2 and 3. You are loosing subpar closet space at worst, but then I've always found that there is some awkward thing that can find a home back in such awkward closet spaces.

I always advocate for having a large utility sink somewhere in the house for cleaning up messy things. That however would not be the first thing I would want to see every day when I come home and I would suggest putting that in the garage or basement. A sink in the laundry on the other hand is usually for hand washing garments or pre-treating stains. If you think you do that infrequently enough you could eliminate the laundry sink and use a bathroom sink instead.

I would suggest switching the master bath and closet so that the bathroom
has the window. The closet would be better without a window. :)

I was going to suggest the same thing. I'd also simplify the bathroom -- it's small, and it can't support a toilet-in-closet ... also, with no real storage, it'd make sense to go with one sink /counterspace around it and a linen closet:

Since this will be your forever house, consider that you'll want the bathroom to be "wide open" and easy to use when you're elderly. Consider, too, that a sliding door to the back yard would be a good fire-safety item for your elderly years.

here will be just the 2 of us living there.

With only two of you, I'd consider altering the closets a bit:You have a small coat closet above the stairs ... so consider taking that hall closet into the master closet.

My wife is not a fan of a laundry "closet". I kind of figured the laundry room was too small for the mudroom amenities. What is the benefit of having a sink in the laundry room.

- If you move the washer/dryer to the far wall, you'll have space for a shallow bookshelf, which could act as storage for the laundry AND a place to drop keys, purses, sunglasses.

- Alternately, if you use a stacked machine, you'd have lots of space here.

- Ideally your washer/dryer will be placed on an exterior wall ... so the dryer can vent directly outside, which is both cheaper and more fire-safe.

- I grew up in a house with a sink in the laundry. We never used it. As an adult, I've never had a sink in the laundry, and not once have I said, "I wish I had ..."

- Consider that washer/dryers make lots of noise. Two pocket doors to close off this space would be great.

Agree.

Keep in mind that in either laundry arrangement that your laundry will be in full view of the foyer when someone looks down that hall. If that area is ever tending to be a mess you might want to create a visual barrier, whether it's just the side of a tall cabinet or wing wall, a door of some sort, or assuming you only close it off occasionally it could even be some sort of bi fold wall or curtain. There's an opportunity to do something creative and functional for those times when you have someone coming over that you don't want to see your undergarments hanging to dry over the washer.

I'm not sure I'd want to enter the house and have the basement stairs right there. I'd surely take a tumble, or my groceries would. You could maybe move the door to the right, but then you are walking in, right in front of the machines. So . . .

Would you consider moving the garage entrance to the foyer? After all, there is already a closet, probably a little console table, there. Why shouldn't YOU have a nice entrance :)

In this image, I also made a little change to the pantry/fridge layout, giving you a space for cubbies. If you didn't have a door into the garage and laundry, you could add some shallow cabinet storage along that wall, or hooks, etc.

I've broken my own "cardinal rule" of having circulation, but it might work.

Also, if you take the suggestions to put the master bath on the outside wall, could you give up the hall closet to expand yours? Since you have a basement, a lot of that storage can move down there?

How do you plan to use the basement? If you can switch the stairs so that the head is at the foyer, and you land on the right side of the basement instead of in the middle, that might open some possibilities for the laundry and entrances from the garage.

So, maybe something like these?

The top one gives you countertop and cabinet space in the laundry.

The bottom one gives you space for your jackets and boots right by the back door (and you can drop your snowy stuff into the sink or hang them above it).

Both have a doorway so you can close of the laundry when you need to (like to hide the birthday cake or keep a puppy? Not at the same time of course!)

How do you plan to use the basement?

I haven't had a basement for 30+ years so i will probably start by doing cartwheels in it. :) Seriously, I envision a family/rec room at the base of the stairs. I will have a workbench area for small projects. The rest of the basement will be storage.

Would you consider moving the garage entrance to the foyer?

I am absolutely open to flipping the stairs, but I am not sure the entry door will fit into the foyer. Will need to see more detailed drawings. I like the idea of having a laundry room door.

could you give up the hall closet to expand yours?

Yes, we are all about having a larger walk-in, but I will need to keep the guest bath linen closet. Good Idea.

I grew up in a house with a sink in the laundry. We never used it. As an adult, I've never had a sink in the laundry, and not once have I said, "I wish I had ..."

Same here.

Which part of the house, front or back, faces west?

The front of the house faces west.

Are you able to add a second window to the other wall, for cross-ventilation, in the MBR and Bedroom #2?

Yes, but they would need to be strategically placed so our bedroom sets fit properly. Our current home has too many windows and our beds or dressers are forced to be in front of windows. Do you think transom windows in the bedrooms would be awkward?

I'd put them in the garage.

Great idea in the summer time, but not so much in January. Our shoes would be frozen.

Are there no lots where the back faces south?

This is the only "city" lot they have available. This lot is walking distance to downtown which has restaurants, bars, bowling alley, movie theater, shops, hospital,etc. I feel like this will help keep me more active in my later years. At least more so than a "country" lot where I will watch the grass grow.

I would flip the master bath and master closet so there is a window in the bath.

Seems to be a consensus. Good idea.

Fridge, dishwasher, sink, turn corner, trash pullout, cooktop, ovens, pantry in that order.

I need to draw that to scale. I can't envision it in my head. Does the walk in pantry still exist in this idea?

CPartist

Are you the one with the under cabinet windows in your kitchen? If so, do you like them? Would you recommend them? For a south wall?

Does anyone put their laundry room in the basement anymore? That would solve some mudroom problems. I could leave the washer/dryer hookups in there for when I'm too old for a basement laundry.

I really like some of these ideas. I need to gather my thoughts and get it all on paper. Thanks everyone.

Yes, but they would need to be strategically placed so our bedroom sets fit properly. Our current home has too many windows and our beds or dressers are forced to be in front of windows. Do you think transom windows in the bedrooms would be awkward?

I'd work on strategic placement. The older I get (I'm in my mid-fifties) the more I like windows and light.

I don't know if transom windows would be awkward or not. I do know that for me, I like windows I can see out of easily.

Does anyone put their laundry room in the basement anymore? That would solve some mudroom problems.

We did, for our new house and old house. It works well for our family.

Yes i love my under cabinet window but you really need to bring in more south light and windows flanking the cooktop would be better than upper cabinets. I’m not home right now but when i return would be happy to draw out my ideas for you.

Wondering how moving the kitchen might work to help open up the south side of the house.

I’m not home right now but when i return would be happy to draw out my ideas for you.

That would be very helpful.