Actually, the most important things to take to an architect to start the design of a home are: 1) a list of "must haves" that you and your spouse agree on; 2) a list of "nice to haves"; 3) a site plan; 4) a construction budget and schedule. Architectural design is best as a collaborative process; one of exploration, discovery and refinement. If you walk in with a floor plan in hand all you do is prolong the process of exploration, discovery and refinement since your competency in architecture hardly matches that of any experienced architect. This forum is full of threads from folks who are struggling with their personal efforts to design something that is beyond their experience and knowledge. I think it may have been Reno who said, in a similar thread, "why bring a sandwich tto a banquet?" Pretty much sums it up. Good luck on your project.

Thanks! The turret room is roughly 14 x 14 excluding the extra space from the turret. We want to add a nice size closet and a master bath. The place is currently packed full of stuff so I canâÂÂt get accurate measurements. We will need to add some insulation and drywall over the exterior plaster walls so that will reduce the room sizes a little bit, too. As soon as I âÂÂcutâ the turret room to have a closet or bathroom the turret sitting/reading area gets to be about 7 feet at the narrow point. Would that feel cramped? Or become an intimate reading nook? HereâÂÂs one of the plans that shows that option. I appreciate your feedback and willingness to help a stranger. : )

Two thoughts about the pantry: - I know the cart's moveable, but it's also really in the way right there in the middle of the pantry. I'd allot an empty spot against the wall / under the shelves to be appointed THE CART SPOT. This would allow it to stay out of the way. - I'd include a pass-through between the mudroom and the pantry so that when you come in with a bag of groceries you can just "set it through" the pass-through ... then your hands are free to take off your coat, etc., while your groceries are already on an empty shelf in the pantry waiting for you to come sort them out. I'd put in a pocket door between the kitchen and the laundry. Why? Laundry noise. As for a shower in the mudroom, it's not so practical as it sounds: You walk in and want to take a shower before you enter "the house proper". So you walk into the mudroom, dragging in dirt, then get into the shower (be sure to allot space for a hamper for dirty clothes) ... then, although you're clean, your clothes are still all the way across the house. So do you walk across the house in your towel? Hope your kids don't have friends over. A better plan: The real problem is YOUR FEET. So instead of a mudroom shower, go with a nice big foot wash just outside the house (or in a garage); it could double as a dog wash. Make it maybe 2x3 tile, and include a low spigot, a drain, and maybe a spray so you can really squirt off the mud. Place a rack or shelf for wet shoes right by the foot wash. Place your foot wash right by the back door so that once your feet are clean, you're ready to step right into the house (obviously you don't want to walk across the yard with your now-clean feet). Once you're in the house, go straight to your own bathroom, where you have your own towels, toiletries, and clean clothes. You don't need a farming permit in NC. Believe me, my family's been farming in NC longer than America's been America. If you have a large chunk of land and are doing it commercially, you need to be involved with the tax office, but a family who's growing a vegetable garden doesn't need permission. Why do you want a linen closet in the living room? I do think the entryway needs something, but I'm not sure what. I think the upstairs has too much space. I'd consider going with a 1 1/2 story house, which is more economical to build, and I think will give you the amount of space you actually seem to want upstairs.

I would opt for bigger bath and one shared closet. Would overall be less cramped for space. If you do the closet with a wall closet system with various drawers and hangers there is more than ample space for you both. If not, then you have too many clothes. In my closet I have 3 drawers and a hanger above those in multiple areas, then I have hangers for long clothes, and we have corner shelving and shelves for storage on top. Lots of space. Shoe rack on the floor under the long clothes.