I'm sorry, but that 3D render looks more like an industrial office building than a cottage or beach house! Maybe it suits the location or neighborhood, but I would need more information about the lot size, water direction, etc. to understand the behemoth proportions of it and make a realistic suggestion about it.

Here’s a couple pics of location.

Here is the most recent.

1.2 acres with great elevation for a walk out basement

Here’s a pic of exterior plans.

Your comments say your siding is horizontal but your renderings show it vertical. Which are you doing?

The exterior elevations are more pleasing than the 3D view. I would suggest some variation in materials though to keep the house from looking too monolithic and clunky. Might suggest a concrete base or maybe stone to anchor the house to the site and, as I said, provide some variation of materials in the fascade. Good luck!

Use all one cladding like the houses at Sea Ranch. Very classic

I think one thing that would help the design is if the windows were determined by the creation of space and connection with the outside, rather than a mathematical arrangement. Naf_Naf's examples in the other thread are much better.

A horizontal siding will not emphasize the verticality of the mass. The interior space's verticality will not provide a cozy space.

Casement windows opening to a deck or other outdoor living spaces can be problematic.

The stairs from the deck down to grade looks random.

The inspirational images posted show a different style home that is different from the house in the drawings.

IMO horizontal siding is not a good choice on that building and the elevations do not show that either, This is a very contemporary house and IMO you need to keep that style on the exterior .BTW I love the plan but you need to be careful you do not try to make it something it is not .The one is not like the other at all.

That 3D image doesn't appear to be a good representation of the house. I don't think it's a perspective, so that throws it off to the eye. But the decks don't appear wide enough, some of the windows aren't right. The lack of a ground plane doesn't help.

The architecture of Sea Ranch was done by an architect with the knowledge and appreciation of form, composition, massing, balance, and detail. Unless your architect has the same capabilities, using Sea Ranch as an influence will fall short and fail.

I bicycled through Sea Ranch in the early 80's and it is magnificent.

@Mark Bischak, Architect, I guess...but I would rather have something that tried but fell short of Sea Ranch instead of something that wasn't influenced by anything particularly good at all.

I think that is what the OP has now.

I love a contemporary place but you are posting design inspiration pics from a place that is definitely not contemporary. It’s a bit confusing to see two such opposite things. Make sure that that your designed building is really the style that you want. Best of luck with your project!

I have to ask if you and the architect had a conversation about what you wanted because you seemed to want a cottage but that's not what was designed for you. Pause now why it's on paper and figure out where you go next because you're heading in different directions.

You still could have designed a contemporary home with a nod to some traditional elements.

Thank you everyone for your comments. We picked this style because we fell in love with the interior, natural light, openness, etc. but I totally understand what I’m drawn to on the exterior is more traditional cottage style. So what are your thoughts on these images???

The draftsman that designed those houses in the images must have been very prolific.

(my mother told me that if I can't say anything nice, just say something that isn't a lie)

So if we embrace the architecture of the cabin and go with color scheme more like this what do you think?? Black metal roof, white windows and trim, wood accents (posts, front door, ceilings of the covered decks) and a warm gray siding (or is a cool blue grey better?) Does anyone have a program to put this together??

Dark blue??

I don't think I would go with white trim and natural wood accents. I know it's popular right now to have a lot of finishes, but IMO that tends to get a little busy. Look at your latest inspiration pictures. They are all fairly monochromatic.