Thank you for taking the time to reply but your response is not clear to me. Photos 1 and 2 are not my home and the bar stools are not my bar stools. It is a model home, and my new home will be built based upon this model. Photo 3 is my current home. I want to take my furnishings in photo 3 and use them in my new home once it's built to make it feel more craftsman-like. The model home has 10 ft ceilings. My new home has not been built yet and I have the choice of making them 10 ft or 9 ft. I will also be putting a Craftsman like mantle into my home and will not have the stone wall mantle.

Thank you Beth H for your comments above. Also, I actually saw cpartist's posts about the new Craftsman home she built in Florida. Would that be what you're referring to? If so I will reach out to her if possible.

To mimimomy: The above comment from HU-338153728 is actually to mimimomy from Joanie123 but for some reason my name gets replaced by HU-338153728.

Don't try to change what you've just built ... instead, accommodate it.

You don't need to "fill" the space in a long room ... just define the intended use of the spaces by what is in it .

You can leave a wide area empty in the middle of an elongated room, especially one with a fireplace, by defining the sitting area on the fireplace end. Often this can be done with the back of a sofa and a sofa table or buffet table or room dividing bookcase or any cabinet with its back about the same height as the back of the sofa.

Leave a walk space in between that table or cabinet and then you can create a dining space or even a study/home office or tv/game room space on the other end.

yes, cpartist had a bunch of pics of her craftsman they built. they did a lot of the wood style like your furniture.

I'd keep the ceilings at 10 feet, like the model home, so you get all the light and also the transom windows, which may not be included with a 9 foot ceiling. The ceiling height isn't what will determine whether or not the room seems cozy. A large area rug that encompasses the entire seating area will give you the cozy feel, especially if you use one with deeper colors. You can use your existing furniture, and add to it. You can use two sofas facing each other with armchairs or lower seats facing the fireplace, OR two sofas in an L configuration, with one on the wall and one facing the fireplace, with or without chairs with their backs to the windows, OR a sofa facing the fireplace with two chairs on the wall and two chairs near the windows. You have lots of options. The model home has the furniture spread out too far to seem spacious, but you can pull it closer together. Putting a console table behind a sofa would give you an additional area for lighting. Lighting has a big impact on how cozy the room feels. I would use at least two table lamps on end tables. The best thing you can do is wait until you are in the home, place all your furniture that you want to keep, and THEN measure for additional peices and a rug that allows all the furniture to be on the rug. Don't try to replicate what you have, and be open to moving different peices into different rooms where they may work better. You might be able to use your current rug in an entryway or bedroom. You'll also want to think about what type of window treatments you want, whether it is some sort of shade or drapery panels.

Thank you so much calidesign! I did think about putting the sofa I have facing the fireplace with chairs on the wall and chairs on the window side. My concern is that the view of the great room fireplace will be obscured by the back of a big sofa when you come down the hall from the front door of the house or from another area when looking toward the fireplace wall.

Below are a couple of views of the areas around the great room in the model home, looking toward the front door toward the great room, so you can see better what I'm trying to explain. I also took a photo in my current home with my couch facing the fireplace, and it doesn't look very attractive to me to see the back of the couch. Please see photos below.

Also, a few other questions:

1. Are the green chair and rocking chair substantial enough to anchor the opposite side of the cocktail table? (Again, see photo in my home where I rearranged them this way.)

2. Should I get at least one more chair about the same size as the green chair, and perhaps use the rocking chair as an accent somewhere else.

3. Do the two chairs facing the couch have to match or be approximately the same size?

4. If I have the couch to the left of the mantle and the chairs opposite, do I really need to have additional seating facing the fireplace?

Your thoughts are appreciated as always.

I like the model home to be honest. I think it looks quite lovely. But I also think your furniture with a bigger rug and a few pieces you collect over time will be lovely too.

If you put the sofa on the left and two chairs on the right, you don't need anything in front of the fireplace. But I also don't see a problem with the sofa facing teh fireplace, since it goes floor to ceiling. If you're using two chairs together, I think they should either be the same or of similar size. You may want two sofas and then use one of your chairs as extra seating. As I said though, you really need to move in and place your sofa first before you think about buying anything.

Use this as your pallet:

https://www.stickley.com/product-collection/mission/

And hire an interior designer that knows of Gustav Stickley and his four brothers, Charles and Henry Greene, William & May Morris, M.H. Baillie Scott, C.F.A. Voysey, Charles Robert Ashbee, and Charles Rohlfs.

Thank you calidesign! However, the fireplace in my new home will not be floor to ceiling. The mantle will be wood and look like the one that I have now and is shown in the photo of my current home. The mantle is only about 5 ft high with a picture and sconces above the mantle. The photo I posted with my couch facing the fireplace is the reason I am concerned. To me it looks like the back of the sofa is what catches the attention and not the mantle.

To calidesign, The above comment is for you from Joanie123.

Looks like your smaller rug might work well in the foyer of the new home. Personally, I'd go for 9' ceilings. Part of the reason is that kitchen cabinet selections that go to the ceiling (if you want that look) may be easier to readily obtain and install with the lower ceiling. You could also do shorter windows, which might be a savings. I like clerestory windows, but the ones in the model home are overkill as far as height goes. They grab too much attention, IMO. Do you want TV above the mantel or on the wall opposite the windows? A glare free TV could be placed there, and you could use black out drapes for daytime watching. I would float the sofa on a nice big rug facing the FP. Put the rocker left of the FP. Any chance you can get another matching armchair and put two of them in front of the window with your end table and lamp between them? Add a floor lamp with the rocker. Pull your coffee table 12-18" from the sofa. Get a nice Craftsman style light for over the dining table. Be sure to get an accurate measurement with the fully extended table placed at least 36-42" away from the walls and then center your light above it. Don't let the builder just hang it anywhere. Take the measurement of your table and go to the model home with your tape measure to get this right or you'll regret it. If you want a rug under the table, you'll want to place the table even further from the walls so there is some flooring exposed all around between the table and walls/baseboards.

Thank you decoenthusiaste! I like your suggestions. However, one thing I‘m uncertain about is placing the sofa facing the fireplace. The photo I posted above was taken in my current home, and to try it for the picture I put my couch facing the fireplace. To me it looks like the back of the sofa is what catches the attention and not the mantle. Since I will have a similar Craftsman mantle with a picture and sconces over it in my new home, I don't want the couch to block the view of the mantle, which is the room’s focal point, as you face the great room from the other areas of the house and from the foyer. If I floated my sofa to the left of the fireplace, rather than facing it, do you have any suggestions for what I could put behind the sofa, on the large wall?

Thank you Mark Bischak! I love Stickley and welcome this information.

Unless it is a reclining sofa, just put a nice sofa table behind it. Your floor to ceiling fireplace will not be hidden. If you are able to have some outlets placed in the floor, you could plan for a lamp on that table too.

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Thank you decoenthusiaste for your suggestions and info links!

I am not sure what your sutuation is. Just want to echo the thoughts of @Sissyphus - that if you really want a Craftsman house, consider rescuing one. Consider possibly exchanging this situation for an actual original Craftsman house.

Other than that, if you really need to or just want to work within this open concept and general house setup, of course there are things you can do to get more of a Craftsman aesthetic, design and decor-wise.

Keep in mind, I am not an expert on the Craftsman style. But I think I would start by bringing in some type of loose/open partition work along these lines.

And maybe some stained glass in the windows flanking the fireplace.

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In your current home, its your furnishings that give off the ’Craftsman’ vibe. Other than the fireplace and light fixtures, theres nothing Craftsman about that house so you should be able to translate that in to your new place.

I am however going to be the voice of desent and say go for the 9’ ceilings jnstaed of 10’. The space is only 12.5’ wide, the proportions will be odd with 10’ ceilings. Your art will have to large and tall to fill the space with the 10’ ceilings.

Thank you SashaDog! I do agree about needing larger art. However, in the photos of the model home that ceiling is 10 ft high, fireplace wall is 18 ft long, and depth of the room is 12.5 ft. That will be the size of my new great room too. So my ceiling height and windows would look the same, except I would not have a stone wall but rather a mantle similar to the Craftsman style I have now. Do you feel those photo proportions look odd, and do you still think my room will look odd?

In the furnished model picture, the art over the sofa looks fine for the size of the wall, but makes the sofa look really short. My preference is to have the 9’ ceilings so the furniture/decor items are more proportional.

What is the difference in cost and the exterior elevation of the house of the 9’ vs 10’?

I'd keep the 10 ft ceiling height because this isn't a 12.5 x 18ft great room. This 'room' encompasses the kitchen area to one side and the foyer entrance. It's all one space. The spaces can be melded together with matching or coordinated cabinetry, furnishing, flooring and trim.

I don't have that number from the builder yet. But the base price for this model includes the 10 foot ceilings, which is why you see it here. It might end up costing less with 9 foot ceilings, but I’m focused more on what will look best for the room. People who favor 10 ft. ceilings also say that windows would have to be shorter proportionately with 9 ft ceiling height and would cut down on light. Craftsman rooms are usually not seen as very bright, but I dont want something too dark or dim, so that has me concerned if I go to 9 ft. On a different note thought, with open concept and this particular plan, if my ceiling in the great room is 9’, my dining room and kitchen would have to be also. That works better for me in the kitchen, since my cabinets in a 10 ft high kitchen would be too tall for me to reach. What do you think of the light issue? There are four windows in the great room, so even if they are shorter Im hoping it wouldnt cut down on light too much.

The above comment was for SashaDog

i have a sunporch with 8’ ceilings that gets PLENTY of natural light. 9’ ceilings will not noticeably reduce the amount of natural light vs 10’. The direction the windows face, trees, roif overhangs, etc will impact the amount of light more.

The things you mention about cabinet height and in the dining room go to the proportionality; i know its done, but to me 10’ ceilings look out of proportion in most kitchens. But, thats my personal prefernce. :)

Thank you SashaDog! I made a list of pros and cons for myself of 9’ versus 10’ and the 9’ seems to be winning. The builder said I could do a combo of differennt heiights but thats more money because of the different size trusses I believe he called them. Also I do need 9’ height in the master bedroom for my custom draperies that are part of a bedroom set to work. Here is my list. It’s long but If you have any thoughts or additions I would welcome them.

9 ft. Ceilings

Pros

1. Cozier feel, goes more with Craftsman vibe

2. Less heat loss

3. Less costly for everything from framing to windows, doors, insulation, drywall, paint and trim. In the current supply-constrained environment, that difference is likely to be even more sobering.

4. Kitchen cabinets I can reach, look like they fit the wall, and could even go to the ceiling if I wanted for more cabinet space and cleaner look.

5. Right height for bedroom drapes

Cons

1. May not feel as open and roomy.

2. May not be able to use sconces I have over mantle

3. Have to use shorter windows and may not have as much light coming in

4. Dont have added cabinets for storage (but hey are very high)

10 ft. Ceiling

Pros

1. Feels more open, more roomy

2. Can use sconces I have and love.

3. Can use taller windows so may get more light into rooms

4. Can use higher cabinets in kitchen if desired for more storage.

Cons

1. Not as cozy or craftsman like in feel.

2. More heat loss.

3. Costlier in terms of framing to windows, doors, insulation, drywall, paint and trim. In the current supply-constrained environment, that difference is likely to be even more sobering.

4. Need higher cabinets to look in proportion, and they’re too high on top shelf for me to reach easily so hinders storage.

5. Too high for bedroom drapes.

Combination 9 and 10 ft. Ceilings

Pros

1. Can have right “feel” and height for each room and it’s uses and needs.

Cons

1. More costly.

2. Cannot be done easily with open concept LR, DR and kitchen in this layout (no place to put up headers to separate rooms)

To SashaDog, forgot to say that the windows on the fireplace wall face east and the side windows face south. Over the southfacing windows there would be a small covered porch that is 7 feet deep. Dont know if this would affect your answer regarding windows and light in the great room.

I emailed you.

10' ceiling in kitchen:

Thank you cpartist. I see the comment you made about 10’ in the kitchen and your photos, but I did not get an email other than one saying you messaged me. I checked my messages and do not see anything there. Clicked on my photo, which took me to my messages but it only showed where I originally messaged you. If there is something more, please send it to the email only and I will be on the lookout for it. I do not know if I’m having a problem with the Houzz messaging system. Thank you!

Thank you cpartist. I realize that most of the high cabinets are decorative, but I could not reach the storage over the range hood even with a 3ft step ladder, and I wouldnt want to go higher. How do you manage these?

I have things over the range hood that I will probably not use in all the years I'm in the house but am not willing to throw out. LOL. Everything I need is either in the drawers or in the uppers. Note that the glass cabinets are arranged so those things I use most often are on the two lower shelves and those things I use only occasionally are on the upper shelves. The lower upper cabinets reach only to 8'.

Thank you cpartist. So the cabinets above lower ones are 2 ft. tall tall. Photos are deceptive. I thought the bottom cabinets were 9 ft and the top ones just 1 ft. LOL. Since you have commented publicly that you are not tall, what was your rationale for going with cabinets to the ceiling? Living in the northeast most people talk about how large and open concept, 10 ft spaces are not only more costly to build but costly to heat. The kitchen in your home looks beautiful, but I’m having trouble justifying 10 ft. ceilings to myself.

If I wanted a craftsman feel to my home I would opt for the 9' ceilings, wood trim and wood cabinetry.

This is also a situation where I suggest using a lower k value lighting vs daylight bulbs.

It provides a softer, cozier look and feel.

You will be told by most to get 4000k or Daylight (5000k), because that is what is popular today. For homes with a Mission, Tudor, Arts and Crafts style, Queen Anne furnishings . . . I opt for softer, cozier. More in the 2700-3000 k range.

Thank you Jennifer Hogan. This is something I never thought of. Good to know!

I would not place the TV over the fireplace. Take advantage of the large blank wall.

Thank you cpartist. So the cabinets above lower ones are 2 ft. tall tall. Photos are deceptive. I thought the bottom cabinets were 9 ft and the top ones just 1 ft. LOL. Since you have commented publicly that you are not tall, what was your rationale for going with cabinets to the ceiling?

No the cabinets above the lower ones are 20" tall. Here's how it works out:

120" total height to ceiling - 36" base cabinets = 84"

84" - 18" height between base cabinets and upper cabinets = 66"

66" - 40" upper cabinets = 26"

Top cabinets are 20" leaving 6" of crown molding.

My rationale is when I was renting an apartment in NY the cabinets didn't go to the ceiling. I spent the first week I lived there standing on the counters, cleaning grease, dirt, and other disgusting stuff that was at least 1/4" thick off of the top of the cabinets. I also feel it looks cleaner going to the ceiling.

Living in the northeast most people talk about how large and open concept, 10 ft spaces are not only more costly to build but costly to heat. The kitchen in your home looks beautiful, but I’m having trouble justifying 10 ft. ceilings to myself.

I don't think the difference between 9' and 10' is that huge a difference in cost. However my rationale for going with 10' was I'm in FL and heat rises. This past winter I turned on my heat 2x for maybe 2-3 hours total.

Yes agree that most of the house should be lit with 3000k bulbs. Exceptions would be kitchen and baths.

Freedom place you've got the right idea but those partitions are more MCM than craftsman.

Thank you cpartist for the explanation.

Thank you BeverlyFLADeziner! We were not planning to have a TV in the great room at all. We have a den for that. Over the fireplace I'm planning a picture and two sconces. If I float a sofa and two chairs or two sofas perpendicular to the fireplace I was thinking of putting a long table with lamps and a piece of art or a tapestry above the table on the wall where you are showing the TV in your mockup. Any other suggestions for that wall would be appreciated.

Good idea for the tv with the added move of placing the fireplace on that wall also. This'll bring the focal point of the space towards the center and add to the warmth.

Thank you dan1888. The fireplace needs to stay on the back wall for multiple reasons.

I admit to being quite confused as to why the solution for making it cozier and more Craftsman-like isn't to make it cozier and more Craftsman-like.

Low bookcases with Craftman style columns on top separating the living and dining area would be a start.

One person's cozy is another persons claustrophobic or cavernous!

In my house l always felt the downstairs ceilings should have been 10 ft and not 9 ft. At least the dining room, kitchen and playroom were vaulted, so it opened the space up.

@Joanie123, you can see that others have their own likes/dislikes when it comes to ceiling height! Don't let anyone else tell you what is cozy or not ... you and your family need to decide what that means for you.