This is why I love these boards, THANK YOU pps7, I never would have thought of switching the stairs for the office. It's really something I am going to give some thought to. Pros: - it really takes a bite out of that loooonnng upstairs hallway and it would provide 2 walls for windows in an office Cons - on resale, if it is converted back to a dining room, it makes it far from the kitchen area if it is moved to the far end of the house. And also, I like the central location of the office as I work from home and I go from the kitchen to my office, back to the kitchen, back to office, to the great room, to the bathroom, back to office, etc etc all day long. You get the idea. I will also have frosted french doors facing the south great room side of the house, so even if closed, I will get some light from 2 sides. It won't be a bright room though, as there is a covered porch in the plan in front of that north window. That makes me want to move it to the corner of the house hmmm... I will mention that to my architect. As for the full vs half bathroom, you are right also, and I know it, but I really struggled to get the room to put in a powder room there, as the plan called for just a closet. Adding an extra 30 or so inches for a bath just takes more space and $$. But, you are right, DH's cousin just had to move her elderly mother into her house and she had to gut half her garage to make a shower area on the main level for her because she only had a powder room and the lady can't climb stairs. 30" doesn't seem that bad compared to what she had to do. And my DH was in a wheelchair for a YEAR because of an extremely badly broken leg about 10 years ago, and we were young couple with a baby at the time, not elderly at all. Luckily our house was/is a bungalow, we would have really been in a pinch. Very much food for thought. As for point #3, I actually like NOT having the master bedroom in the corner. I don't want more windows in the bedroom. It's bad enough the master faces the south side of the house and calls for big windows. I own a rental cottage which has an almost identical master bedroom and bathroom and corners on the south and east side of the house with a 9 ft patio door facing south. We stay there in the summer and my face is about 3 ft from this huge patio window. Even with drapes, it is just soooo sunny and bright in my face, I keep waking up from 6 am onward grrr. I have pictured it below just for fun. Also, coincidentally, the master bath is almost identical too to this house plan. I designed this cottage master bedroom and bathroom 3 years ago as an addition, and I guess that's why I like this plan I found, reminds me of my cottage!

I LOVE THE COLOR! Thank you guys so much for the help. It's not done yet, the insets and arches in the front will be SW Blonde, but the body and trim is almost done, Mannered Gold and Navajo White. Here you can see where I put a swatch of Navajo White and Restrained Gold in the insets to see if they would work, one is too light, and the other too dark I think. Now I need front door/porch help. Our porch looks like crap now that the house is all spiffy. So we are going to paint it. I would love to strip it and refinish it, but that ain't gonna happen. So what color for the porch, the door and the sidelights?

Jordan, your plans look great. I'm the one who suggested having a clean-up sink and DW on the island, but since you've expanded to put the fridge at the end of the run on the top wall, I think you should reconsider buehl's plan with the clean-up sink on the short wall, and the prep sink on the island. Keep the pantry on the end, and put drawers for dish storage on the side of the island facing the short wall/DW, which completely separates the zones. True, it puts the dishes and DW farther from the DR, but keeps the dish mess m/l hidden on the perimeter, on the other side of the pantry. I think your wife will enjoy prepping on the island, facing the action in the LR, but she can always prep in front of the window, too. There is enough space in the secondary prep area, that a helper can be loading or unloading the DW at the same time. With dishes on the island, and above the DW, a helper can gather pieces to set the table, without venturing into the prep and cooking zonesAlso, I think you need a few more inches on the LR side of the overhang to make it 15" deep. .

LOL Becky...looks like I’ve come full circle:) Yes Naf and Cpartist I love the washed out brick. Also love this light brown/dark brown contrast. Thinking dark stained pergola over moms garden and using some landscaping to add interest and color to the exterior. I hear you on the mud room Cpartist, but there is a door from the garage to the mud room(family will use) and another from the garage to the backyard. So I’m thinking the side entry (guests will use) would be better if it didn’t lead to the mud room/laundry...rather not have guests walk through my laundry mess:)