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Building a Home Design Dilemma

Floor plan feedback requested please

Jeremy Van Der Marel

last year

Hello we are getting closer to breaking ground on are new home and really like what we have so far but any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Located in Ontario Canada It's a two storey backing onto a Lake and siding onto a green space to the left. Approximately 4000 sq, ft. We are thinking to go with a 5th bed over the balcony in front of the house. Thanks in Advance!

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Comments (15)

chispa
last year
Plans are too small to read, even when you click on them.
cpartist
last year
Plans are too small.
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Thanks everyone for your feedback and encouragement! ML, thanks for the great suggestions regarding the walk-in closet. Do you think 6' is a good width or would you go wider? Right now I think I have the closet width at 6'4" but I could certainly give those extra 4" to the second bath if they are not needed in the closet. Did you use a pocket door or an inswing? Would an inswing door hit the clothes behind it when opened fully if you don't make the closet 6'6" wide? The stairs to the basement are enclosed and I do plan to put a guest bedroom down there. I realize this third bedroom wouldn't work well for a future buyer with young children, but it might be perfect for someone with a teenager! ;) The wood stove is both a source of heat and mood so I use it a lot. All the views are to the South and West which is why I put the stove on the West wall. The old chimney was on the East side of the LR and it was a drag to have the chairs turned around to face the fireplace. ML, I'm going to try to draw up your suggestions for the foyer, so please let me know if I get it right. This is a particularly important area since right now the entry works so poorly (see the floorplan I posted on 3/9). I always hear Benny Hill music when trying to get from the master BR to the kitchen! Kim, I could put the bathrooms back to back if I put the walk-in closet on the NE corner of the house. This would definitely cut down the plumbing costs and it would put more distance between toilet flushing sounds and anyone still sleeping! Originally I was thinking it would be nice to have two windows in the bathroom but maybe that's not critical? LL, thanks for taking another look at the plans! You are a dedicated GWer! That is a laundry sink you see in the corner of the laundry area. I could flip its location if the plumber gives the go-ahead. Regarding the ability to have a proper dining area, how about if I swap the island for an eat-in kitchen table? Or perhaps a table across from the wood stove. I'll start working on another layout... Please keep the comments coming -- they are helping so much!
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Thanks for all the help so far. Work and life have been busy for the last week so I've neglected my kitchen plans, but my architect is back in town and we are meeting with her next Tuesday so I am back on it today. A couple of new thoughts/developments since I last posted after looking at appliances and considering the input of my husband (which I do actually do occasionally, especially on kitchen stuff as he is the more frequent cook!). - instead of double ovens and cooktop, we will likely get a 36" inch range and a speed oven/microwave mounted somewhere on the lower cabinets (I like the 24" Miele, but all others seem to be 30" wide so may go with another brand like GE just to make any future replacement more likely to go with existing cabinets). - on northwest wall we are now considering a 24" or so cabinet with drawers that we can use as a landing area for junk drawer type stuff and maybe a glass cabinet above so we could use it as a bar area for parties. Then the rest of that wall will be a framed in cabinet. I want to install a countertop at regular height (see inspiration picture below) that we might keep a regular microwave on, soda stream etc, and then have room for (non-built in) bar fridge below if we find we need extra cold storage. I think the closet itself probably needs to come out at least 36" inches from the wall to give a little space between the countertop and door, but I plan to use 2 of my 24" doors opening to each other on this closet so the opening will be wide. - I am getting a free built in 15" ice maker from my work. After debating keeping it in the basement, I think I want it in the kitchen (it's nice) because we use a lot of ice. - We will then install a insta hot/filtered cold faucet on the sink, which has me wondering if then we will want a separate prep sink near the icemaker for people getting water (we drink A LOT of ice water in our family). I forget if it was mamagoose or someone else on another thread that suggested the idea of a corner prep sink, but that kind of appeals to me because that is where our current sink is and while I don't want it for my main sink anymore I think it makes good use of space I'd probably under use otherwise. So given all that, does anyone have any suggestions for me before we meet with the architect. I'm still unclear in my own mind what the arrangement of major appliances should be. Here's my pantry idea picture (although this looks deeper than I am envisioning). Here's my existing plans with some additional measurements.
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Comments (13)
No, you are right we do not need that big walk in closet! Reach in closets would probably be fine. I wonder if we could put a stackable washer dryer in the closet space in the master so that we wouldn’t need to have the washer dryer right off the dining room. The house will be in western North Carolina. It snows in the winter but we would eat outdoors 8 months out of the year. Woodsy backyard with a babbling stream. Views of the mountains in the distance but the house is a flat lot in the valley. We could also put a patio off the back deck if we needed more room but we plan for outdoor dining on the deck. Our youngest will be 3 by the time the house is ready so the open loft doesn’t worry me much. Our plan for the upstairs bedrooms is a bunk bed and twin in one room. Queen guest bed in the other. Our kids can share when we have company and spread out when it’s just us. It’s not a ton of space but if guests are cramped after 3 nights, it is time for them to move on anyway!! There is TONS to do outdoors in the area and no one needs to spend that much time inside anyway.
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bpath
last year
I clicked and enlarged, but the text and, more importantly, measurements, were still impossible to read.

One thing I did notice, though: the master closet is as big as, and maybe bigger than, the secondary bedrooms. Just checking that you actually need all that space. And, if all your clothes and accessories are in the closet, what will be in th bedroom besides a bed and nightstands?
Jeremy Van Der Marel
Original Author
last year
Thanks for the feed back i’m going to look at trying to get those pictures increased as soon as possible. As far as the bedroom we did have a furniture layout to include a small living area with TV sofas in front of the bed.
LH CO/FL
last year
Is there a reason for the lack of windows on one side of the house?? We are oceanfront and love having a view up and down the coast.
Jeremy Van Der Marel
Original Author
last year
There is going to be another new build on the right side.
cpartist
last year
I have a build that is 10' from my house on my west side, yet I still put some windows in.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
Get rid of the jack & jill bathroom.

Is the lake side or the street side the "front" of the house?

I do not find it an attractive house, it lacks composition and any sort of balance.
Jeremy Van Der Marel
Original Author
last year
I appreciate the feedback Mark. By taking out the jack and Jill it would leave just one bathroom to be shared among the four secondary bed rooms / four children Do you think that’s enough? Also any advice on how to add composition and balance?
Jeremy Van Der Marel
Original Author
last year
And the lake is at the rear of the house
3onthetree
last year
Wow on this point - nearly 1/4 of your basement is under the exterior concrete deck off the Great Room upstairs, seamless inside as part of the main area under the conventional framed and insulated 1st floor (assumed wood framed), but with an additional sliver under concrete in part of it. In frigid cold Canada, no less.

Other than that, the main house low slope hipped roof transitioning into the large flat roofs of the balconies may be problematic in snow country as well. And if you go Jack&Jill, it's best to be exploited (separate vanities with shared toilet/shower) or not done at all. Really the whole 2nd and 3rd baths are not the best layout, especially if you add that 5th bedroom (BTW the front balcony certainly breaks up the massing, works with the chosen cladding and facade demarkation well, and distracts from the long visual and literal procession along the garage wing). Some of the Master closet should be sacrificed to slide the bedrooms that way and improve the bath layouts.
Seabornman
last year
Do you have wall sections to share? The house will be a challenge to build with wood framing.
ptreckel
last year
I, too, am concerned about your roof style in snowy Ontario.
bpath
last year
One bath is actually enough for 3 bedrooms, assuming one kid per bedroom. Or, they could become two baths with hall access.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
last modified: last year
The design for the house can be improved by more thought behind the massing of the roof, size and placement of the windows, and the exterior details.

Keep the number of bathrooms, just do not make any of them jack & jill.

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