Back with a new plan for review…

10 days ago

last modified: 10 days ago

After a phone call with Doug and Nick over the holidays, we went back to the drawing board and found someone locally who is not only available to work with us, but can keep us on our original timeline to start our build this spring.

A 45 minute meeting Monday with some plans I made and a short Zoom call later in the week, and this is what we received today. So we’re making up for lost time!

Front entry garage was decided on for several reasons (access to front door, connection to kids/guests coming and going, landscaping/fencing options, retaining east overflow parking area for up-and-coming drivers, greater allowable width etc) so we’re making the best of it.

Active pre-teen son (11) in the basement (hockey training area can be closed off for other uses and accessed through the garage - my husband also plays and coaches and is very involved in youth and adult sport so there will be lots of hockey players of all ages hanging around... sound-proofing under the master bedroom IS on our list to discuss). Teen daughter (13) gets the bonus room suite with lots of potential for future use of the space as she gets older.

Exterior finishing textures were just a starting place he chose, but I would like a grey straight-edge shingle and white trim.

Question on stone/brick skirts - in Western Canada with snow/wet climate is it something that is a good idea? I prefer the look without… but my husband said they’re there for a good reason. Looking around our area, there are many homes with and without so I don't believe him ;)

I made some changes from the little I’ve learned in my short time on this forum...

I thought a consistent window height looked better, and losing the transom and extra height above basement stairs window left a lot of space so lowering those gables all together so it ties into the same roofline... better or worse?

One thing I didn’t play with the design of to see what it would look like was the columns, but I thought they should be tapered with a wider base… they look a bit thin to me in proportion to everything else. Also, I thought a wider step and columns on the step vs ground?

And rear elevation, over the master windows: I thought a plain gable would work better and tie in with the rest of them (instead of whatever that type is called). Any good reason to keep it as he designed it? We just have a regular overhang now and aside from occasional heavy rain, the windows stay dry.

On the floor plan I marked up the small changes I saw to discuss.

For the main guest bath my request was more privacy for bathroom use from the living space, so he added the privacy wall but I think moving the office entrance and great room opening makes more sense to me...

Thoughts on the bathtub wall build-out? That side of the house is a side yard with current hedge/future fence - and will have a concrete slab with air-conditioning unit adjacent to bathroom wall. I guess it adds 'something' to the right elevation... but not sure that it is something I like.

I know the dining room location off the foyer isn't a favourite for everyone from what I've read of past posts, but we are very casual in entertaining and the connection between the table and kitchen is important to us. I found a picture online and personally love it for our family.

I welcome all of the opinions here, and any suggested changes or considerations for the overall plan before I complete these markups as suggestions to discuss and send them off after the weekend. I trust our designer and he's been so great to work with in this short time, but it's nice to have many eyes (and so many decades of combined experience) give feedback.

I attached what I had in mind for the change to the master bedroom window (more privacy and furniture options vs two windows, and better for patio usage with grill etc.) as well as an ensuite tub/shower idea I saw to replace a freestanding tub.

65" alcove tub (I am 5'4 so seems like a better choice than a 6' tub for me) and I thought the knee wall on two walls with half glass + door. We have a full frameless glass in our home now, and the less glass to polish the better in my opinion.

My changes are the front elevation image on its own - and the original design is included with the rest of the elevations.

Thank you!

Featured Answer

Architectrunnerguy

9 days ago

When we talked, one of our biggest urgings to you regarding the original was to simplify the forms. It's better to do one thing very well and build on that with details (thank you @res2architect for that). You've still got five different window types, four different gable sizes and two different materials, one of which has two different heights. Do one thing strong in lieu of a bunch of stuff that competes with each other.

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Comments (119)

Frida
7 days ago
I like the porch gable in A, and the windows in C. These simplifications make the house look much more inviting!

I would consider removing the light above the entry door, though.

Is it reasonable to think that these spots would look better all the same height where the roofline connects?

Yes, I think they would look better all on the same height, or at least have the bottom of the porch gable level with the bottom of the garage's.
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Mark Bischak, Architect
7 days ago
Those 'spots' are there to accommodate the variation of ceiling heights inside the house.
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Q
Comments (16)
This is a very interesting plan. Your architect has done a fine job of dealing with the contraints imposed by your wedge shaped lot. If it were mine tho, there are still some tweaks I would try to have made. First off, you mention a MIL who might someday need to move into the main floor guest room. If she is in a wheel chair, how is she going to get up the stairs to reach that room? And, since you say you have have teenagers, you're probably somewhere in you late 30s to early 50's now and you say you want the house to be functional for you for at least 30 years. That means you could still be living there into your 70's or early 80's. There is a good chance that either you or your spouse will develop knee or back problems or arthritis by age 70-80 making navigating stairways difficult. Even with the 1st floor guest-room, this house just isn't "handicap accessible" because reaching first-floor level requires navigating a set of stairs. While you may not want to put an elevator into the house just on the possibility that someone MIGHT need one someday, you should think now about how you could modify your home to make it handicap accessible if need be. Keep in mind that a wheelchair ramp must have a rise-to-run ratio of no more than 1 in 12. This means that for every one inch above grade level that your front door is elevated, a wheelchair ramp to reach it needs to be one foot long. Installing a wheelchair ramp is usually doable when the front door is only elevated above the street or sidewalk level by a foot of two. But, it looks like your front door is 6 or 8 feet or even more above sidewalk/street level. That means you would need a ramp 72 to 96 FEET long... possibly longer. Even with lots of switchbacks, that just really is not going to work! You also don't really have any other doors (side or back) to which you could build a wheelchair ramp. So you need to think about other options. Without a place to easily install an elevator or wheelchair lift if you ever need one, your only options are going to be either major remodeling, selling and moving, or installing a chair lift on your beautiful curved staircase. Since that staircase appears to be a major focal point of the design, I rather suspect you won't want to ruin it by installing a chair lift. I know I sure wouldn't! While those things look better than they used to, they still aren't exactly pretty. If you want to see what they look like, do an google image search on: chair lift for curving staircase. So, I would think seriously about moving the first floor P.R. and the basement P.R.& mech room to other locations and replacing them both with stacked closets that can be easily converted to an elevator shaft. A pair of 5' x 5' stacked closets will easily accomodate a home elevator big enough for a wheelchair. If you made the Theater/gameroom a bit shorter, you could probably fit both the powderroom and the guest-room bath room into the space between the guest room and theater. (The broom closet and W/D could go into the first floor's stacked closet for now because you COULD live without both of those things if you ever needed to install an elevator.) As for moving the mech closet in the basement, I don't particularly like the way the basement is designed anyway. I'm assuming general daily access by the family will be in thru thru the garage and up the stairs. I'm further assuming that those double doors into the 8x9 basement storage area won't get much use and that they are there to mainly to allow access to things like the lawn mower and bicycles. If my assumptions are correct, the basement bench area beside the stairs is okay b/c it is not too far off the main path into/out of the house. It will probably get appropriate use as a place to hang jackets and drop shoes and bookbags. But the basement powder room is a LOOOONG walk thru a windowless hallway clear around the staircase. The P.R. is simply not easily accessible to someone who comes in from a drive or from working in the yard and needs to go RIGHT NOW. Nor is it convenient to someone who heads downstairs and then decides they should probably make a pit stop before heading out on that errand. Given the current location, I suspect it will get little or no use. And, while you have a huge amount of basement storage, it is all broken up into rather small separate rooms. And reaching each one requires requires navigating thru that basement hallway and then thru a separate doorway. That means putting away things like sports equipment, bicycles, tools, and christmas decorations is always going to be a bit of a PITA. I suspect all your basement storage would get more use if it were a bit more open to the garage. So, Consider moving the powderroom so that it is tucked partway under the staircase (in that tiny closet with the sloping roof that you have now). This is still not a great position but it is close enough to the benches and the entry door that someone might occasionlly remember it is there and use it. Then, I'd basically cut the basement space in half so that only the wineroom, powderroom and entry area are in the "house" portion of the basement and all the rest is left open to the garage. This is very rough sketch but might give you a better idea of what I'm talking about... On the first floor, I've already mentioned revising the area where the powderroom is in order to set up stacked closets that can be converted to an elevator shaft if you ever need one. Other than that, I mostly like the new design tho it does seem a little bit odd to me that guests in the living room must travel thru the "breakfast area" - which is plenty large enough to accomodate a full-sized dining room table - to actually reach the formal dining room. I suspect you'll wind up using your breakfast table for dinner parties more often than not. Especially since the "bar" is right there. So, I have to wonder just how much use your formal dining room will ever get. Me, I'd probably get a couple of table leaves so that I could turn my big round breakfast table into a long oval dining table when needed and then repurpose the formal dining room into as library or music room. But then, I've got about 6000 books and DH has about 6000 music CDs that have to go somewhere. LOL! No doubt, if you find you don't ever use your formal dining room, you'll find some other purpose for it so I don't see any reason to alter the design. On the second floor: Although I'm not a big fan of "open to below" areas because of noise issues and the problems they create with keeping the temperature of both floor comfortable, I do have to admit, your design will be dramatic and beautiful! I can just picture a huge chandelier in your entry and that dramatic staircase sweeping up to the "bridge" area. It should be gorgeous! Talk about the WOW! factor. Your home should definitely have it! One thing that you might want to reconsider about the second floor though is having the washer and dryer up against the wall of the master bedroom. Teenagers (whom I assume you're training to do their own laundry) have a habit of deciding to run the washer/dryer at odd hours. They may suddenly decide at midnight - or 4AM - that they just HAVE to have a particular item of clothing clean to wear to school the next morning. When that happens, you don't want noise from the washer and dryer disturbing your sleep. Depending on your need for quiet in the office, perhaps you could at least move the washer and dryer so that they back up against the office wall instead of being against the bedroom wall. That would help. I'd personally rather figure out some way to switch the office and laundry room but, given the odd shaped angles necessitted by your wedge shaped property, I don't really see any way to do that without completely revising the plan. I'm also a bit concerned with the gym being right next to a bedroom and right over the theater. Who exercises in your house and when do they do it? If you or your spouse tend to exercise in the mornings, remember that teenagers tend to like to sleep late whenever they can. So, will whomever is exercising be likely to wake up someone who is sleeping in the bedroom next to the gym? Or if someone is lifting weights in the evenings, will the noise when they drop them back down bother someone else who is trying to watch a movie downstairs. I do understand the concept that having the gym up near the bedrooms might be an incentive to exercise a bit more often. But I wonder if having the gym in the basement might not make more sense "noise-wise"? If the gym were moved downstairs, that basement powder room would probably get a whole lot more use. You would probably even want to enlarge it to include a shower and start keeping a bunch of one-size fits all bathrobes down there. With the gym in the basement, the laundry room could go where the gym is (with the washer and dryer backed up against the bathroom wall) AND you could enlarge the office next to the masterbedroom.
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I don't think you're going to find anyone who's going to say, "Garage sticking out in front -- YES! Just what we want." Ah, a closet. Given that it has a window, I was trying to make it into a tiny office space. Knowing now that this is a closet, I'd say make the master bath a little more narrow -- eliminating some of that unnecessary floor space between the sinks and the shower -- and allow the closet to be a little larger. As you say, more storage is always good, and you'll never miss it in the bathroom. Still on the bathroom: I still vote for a linen closet; it gives more storage for a lower price than linen towers, and it'll keep your dirty clothes hamper hidden. It's not the width of the master hallway that'll be the problem -- it's the turn. We bought a king mattress recently, and even bringing it down a straight hallway and turning it into the bedroom was tricky. The movers had to open my daughter's bedroom door and maneuver it back and forth a bit to get in the door. And a mattress has some "give". If you have a double or triple dresser, it'll never get into the room. One possible fix -- now that I know you're in Florida -- is that you might ditch the large windows in the bedroom and instead go with glass doors. In addition to being in keeping with Florida houses, you'll be able to move furniture in through the back very easily. Thing about the utility room space is that it's not laid out in a user-friendly layout. All that space is in front of the washer/dryer -- you can't hang things in that space because you need it for walking. And the washer/dryer are too far from the folding area.
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#3 would make sense if one spouse has to get up, get ready and get dressed for work very early (or very late) without disturbing the other spouse's sleep. Because with that plan, there is no need for the early riser to come back into the bedroom before leaving the house. But it does cut down on the usable space in the closet, and brings the W/D closer to the bedroom where it might be annoying if you run it at night when you go to bed (as we do sometimes). #2 accomplishes the same thing without making the closet a walk-through space. I've personally never had a walk-in closet, but I would imagine that if I did, it would be hard to keep it in a condition where I could stand to have me and/or my spouse regularly use it as a passageway. And this plan significantly cuts down on the countertop space in the master bath. #1 allows for bathroom privacy/steaminess without affecting the person needing to get in and out of the closet, and it allows for the larger vanity. But you could actually do a combo of #1 and #2 and have two doors into the closet. You'd lose a bit of hanging space, but it would give you the option. In any event, I think you woudl be greatly served by considering the use of pocket doors in a lot of places. Some doors will tend to remain open (locker-to-laundry, bath-to-closet, MBR-to-bath) and a pocket door will eliminate having a door hanging into the room all the time. Pocket doors and wider doorways will also prepare you for aging in place if mobility becomes an issue for one of you later on. Can I ask what the little maze thing is by the front door? Is that an office area? Because it seems like there is a lot of wasted space in the foyer area and in that maze/office area. If it's not really designated for anything, then there is opportunity there to use that area as the pantry, or additional storage, etc.
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lianicole
Original Author
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
Those 'spots' are there to accommodate the variation of ceiling heights inside the house.

Ahh yes, ceiling heights. We haven't discussed that in detail yet. These were the very preliminary elevations and I've sent off revisions for review today.

We have 8' ceilings now and they're just fine for me! There's something about really high ceilings that feels unsettling for me energetically, and temperature-wise I like a warm cozy space.

For this build, my husband and I talked about 9' in the kitchen to make cabinets simpler/more accessible, and a transition to 11' in the great room. If it's 9' throughout I would be happy with that.

If this was done and we did no transom above the entry as @Frida suggested, 9' in there might work well and leave less wall space above the door - and then there's a bit more of an impact with the great room height.

A nice tray ceiling in the master bedroom was another idea, but I could take it or leave it.

Not sure about an 11' great room height and vaulting the covered porch off of it though. Is that still doable?

This is what I found for an idea for changing the big slider off of the great room (one set of doors to access the patio nearest kitchen) but I've asked our designer for more suggestions.
lianicole
Original Author
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago

And a single entry over gable for more of this look... still not sure about this change. I like it myself, but my husband thinks it's too plain.

Ceiling transition option?
cpartist
7 days ago
Porch gable in A, Garage gable in B and windows in C.

If it's 9' throughout I would be happy with that.

Do 9' throughout. You will find that a nice compromise height since you do like cozy.

A nice tray ceiling in the master bedroom was another idea, but I could take it or leave it.

It's a dated trend but if you like it go for it.

Not sure about an 11' great room height and vaulting the covered porch off of it though. Is that still doable?

My great room is 10' and I do love it but then again, i'm in Florida. Remember heat rises. ;)
lianicole thanked cpartist
WestCoast Hopeful
7 days ago
I think 9’ ceilings are totally fine. And I know you seem to want the transom but it isn’t necessarily needed. Here we are in my kitchen looking out yo covered porch. It’s only 8am so sun barely up and not expected to be sunny today anyway. I never feel this is dark big picture. 9’ ceiling I believe
lianicole
Original Author
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
If we do higher than 9' in the great room I think it will need the transom windows there. But with 9' in the foyer, the one above the door could go which would help with the differing window heights on the front elevation.

We have double French doors off of our dining room now (SW corner of current home on the property) and you're right, totally not needed with lower ceilings and still feels open and light looking out.

We are 28' depth from north to south on our house now (open-concept kitchen/dining and living room) and the light comes in there straight across the house from south to north. No covered patio here now though.

To keep as much of that interior light as possible without compromising on outdoor space, an open-ended gable and vault on the covered patio off great room with no cover on the SW patio is where we're at now - but it's still evolving!
lianicole
Original Author
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
It's a dated trend but if you like it go for it.

This was my feelings about the tray ceilings too. I don't necessarily like it myself... it's nice enough but will probably pass on it.

My husband keeps commenting on how plain and simple things are becoming... he likes more of a 'wow' factor. And I’ll add that it’s often in a ’wow that is really bad’ way in my opinion ;)

It is not out of character for me to prefer things this way though - it's that way most of the time with me so, in the end, I think this build will reflect that.

Functional and bright, and hopefully more timeless than most of the builds around here.
just_janni
7 days ago
I've found that taking a drive in an older, desirable neighborhood (maybe closer to your downtown) or early suburbs that are currently "very hot" in real estate right now - and looking at the style of home that is there - you'll see that they are simple in form and massing but with GREAT, high quality details. Good heavy trim, period windows, decent overhangs, CHARACTER that comes from a presence of how the house sits on the site, landscaping, etc - not tons of added things that don't serve a purpose.

I see these houses in my area - some are SUPER SIMPLE colonials - but boy do they scream quality and you are just drawn to them.

maybe that will help?
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cpartist
7 days ago
Functional and bright, and hopefully more timeless than most of the builds around here.

You are definitely on the right track.

Remind your husband that classy is understated and simple. Too much bling winds up being trashy and trampy and shows you're trying to hard.

A good example is the movie Pretty Woman. Think of how she looked standing on Hollywood Blvd vs how she looked in understated clothing and hair and makeup. Houses are the same. The ones that stand the test of time are the ones that don't try too hard.
lianicole thanked cpartist
K H
6 days ago
@lianicole simple is definitely the way to go and often less expensive. I love the exterior photo of the white house you posted. It is very classic. We went with a single gable, and we have 9’ celings throughout. Our home is very energy efficient throughout all 4 seasons.
lianicole thanked K H
lianicole
Original Author
5 days ago
last modified: 5 days ago
I love the exterior photo of the white house you posted. It is very classic.

I do love that look too but after looking at it, I think the width of the garage needs something to balance it on the entry so still working with the double gable unless someone convinces me otherwise.

I am envisioning it in colour with exterior lights, landscaping, the contrast from the window glass (still undecided whether to go with this window style or something with more grills), something with more interest for the entry columns and I think the weight of the garage without the step back/double gable is the right choice. I know once it's in colour and 3D off of paper and built with this woodland backdrop we have here it will look a lot different!

Still working with quite a few window sizes, but open to any suggestions to improve that.

What is the opinion on decorative vents?

Here are the updated elevations! We kept the rear wall the same (it must have been better to keep it with the roofline because I did suggest it) but opened up part of the patio.

Right elevation is an unseen/not used part of the yard but I think it could use some trim there like on the garage.
cpartist
5 days ago
The double gable doesn't balance it.. And in back the double gable is way too much. Simplify
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lianicole
Original Author
5 days ago
And regarding bathtubs, I don't think I want a tile deck on the tub as I've heard they can be a bit awkward to get in and out of.

Should I ask that anything be changed for that on the plan, or is it correct that it is just inset from the shower if there is no deck?
lianicole
Original Author
5 days ago
The double gable doesn't balance it.. And in back the double gable is way too much. Simplify

I've been looking at the front so much that I need to spend more time on the other sides!

The garage gable is quite a bit wider than the entry gable so that was my concern there... that it would look dwarfed. But still learning here!

Our designer was even hesitant to lose the second one on the garage, and my husband prefers it with two as well but says he trusts me to choose so we're going with one.
lianicole
Original Author
5 days ago
last modified: 5 days ago
And in back the double gable is way too much.

It's actually not a double gable in the back... it's the back of the garage roofline. He probably did that to break up the length of the left elevation.
K H
5 days ago
Some of my favorite ranch style homes on Houzz. This one has a single gable with shed dormers to let in lots of light. The other two have double gables and front facing garages that are angled not straight but they are big garages. Check out the back elevations of these homes too.
Falmouth Residence · More Info

Shagbark Residence · More Info

Indian Lore Residence · More Info
Mrs Pete
5 days ago
It's a dated trend but if you like it go for it.

I don't really believe in "dated", but I've never seen a tray ceiling that I liked. They're kinda odd and ostentacious looking.

My husband keeps commenting on how plain and simple things are becoming... he likes more of a 'wow' factor.

Repeating what I said earlier in this thread: The trend today is to do "too much" out of fear of being "too plain". You don't want ALL your interest /ALL your wow to come from architectural features. You're also going to have color, furniture, accessories, landscaping. Keep the house itself simple and let your "wow" come from these other things.
The double gable doesn't balance it.

Exactly. The single gable looks larger, more in proportion with the large house.
lianicole
Original Author
5 days ago
@PPF. That is a different look than we had in mind moving away from one story, but it's a good option too. I was wondering about how the dormer would look moved to the right and there it is!

Thank you for taking the time to do that.
lianicole
Original Author
5 days ago
The single gable looks larger, more in proportion with the large house.

A rough play here with the single gable over entry and a couple of exterior lights on the garage... use your imagination on the landscaping - boxwoods, Quick Fire hydrangeas and smoke bush - that's what we have there currently and the deer don't seem to be interested in it so will likely do something similar.
lianicole
Original Author
5 days ago
@K H That first one caught my eye right away! Thanks for sharing. Checking out the details on the others now :)
K H
5 days ago
last modified: 5 days ago
@lianicole the single gable you just posted is much better! It is comparable in size to the garage gable and helps to settle the elevation and makes the front door more of a focal point.
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K H
5 days ago
I would make the windows in the front all the same height unless you were planning a bench under the window within the porch. The current window seems a bit small.
lianicole thanked K H
cpartist
5 days ago
So much better!

Try it without the center column. I'd also beef up the trim around the windows a bit. Make the bottom a sill not picture frame.

Also ditch the circular vent on the porch gable.
lianicole thanked cpartist
Frida
4 days ago
^ I agree with cpartist, and others who suggested keeping things simple.

All the superfluous flavor-of-the-year architectural details will quickly date your house, and you (and future potential buyers) might hate them someday. These sorts of details are also puzzling and distracting to the eye.

It sounds like you intend to live in this house for a long time, so I would focus on quality, functionality, comfort, and ease of maintenance. An excellent floor plan that will work as your needs evolve, then tweaking the appearance of the house to make it harmonious, a good quality build that leverages building science (passive heating/cooling, etc.), thoughtful use of sun and artificial light, making details excellent (amount and positioning of sockets/light switches, functional storage solutions, towel heaters? heated floors in bathrooms?, flood mitigation measures, "aging in place" measures, etc), durable finishes.

Then you can beautify with the elements that are needed for the house: exterior cladding, making the necessary columns pretty, landscaping, choosing nice-looking windows, lovely tiles in the bathrooms, etc.

All that will make your house amazing :)

Here's a video to illustrate my points (from a builder in Texas who has an incredible building science show on Youtube):
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K H
4 days ago
Here is my home. Houzz users on here helped me simplify my design. We are still in the process of adding a brick apron, steps, and concrete flatwork (DH wanted to do it after the ground around the house settled, still waiting after two years!). And I plan to put cedar window planters under the two windows that are not as tall.
Jennifer K
3 days ago
My husband keeps commenting on how plain and simple things are becoming... he likes more of a 'wow' factor.

Tell him to keep to simple shapes, but splurge on high end finishes and landscaping. That will add more "wow" than any number of gables
lianicole thanked Jennifer K
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
last modified: 2 days ago
Still looking at the entry gable(s) here! It's not feeling quite settled yet so haven't discussed it with our designer yet, but working through it this weekend to follow up with him Monday!

I did request the front porch window height be changed, as well as losing the vent (that was his added detail and I thought the round looked out of place with so many straight lines... if it was there out of need/function I think rectangular would be better.

The single gable you just posted is much better! It is comparable in size to the garage gable and helps to settle the elevation and makes the front door more of a focal point.

I agree with all of this! I have been looking at the front door location and seeking opinions on this. I've played around with leaving it as is, as well as centering the door. Leaving it as is requires the least re-working so looking to make the best of that option if possible.

Two vs three columns: would a middle column help to make the door more of a focal point if it is off-center? I trust your experienced eyes more than my own!

Centering the door looks a lot stronger to me, but would also require a re-working of the floor plan and elevations (likely adding width to move stairs as well as all changes to the back patio) and I am not sure is worth all the trouble for adding unneeded floor space and losing side yard space.

So if the door stays where it is, I am looking at the columns - two vs three... and also the potential of adding a railing (and landscaping) to help make the door more of a focal point if it is not in the center. Thoughts?

If anyone has any other ideas for the front elevation that maintain the one level + bonus room + front-facing garage, I'm all eyes! Having a teen daughter and friends overhead

is an after-hours dancing singing giggle-fest I would like to avoid.

Three columns and railing:

Door in centre - I believe there may be a lot of changes required to achieve this though...

Most recent layout - some revisions still to come:

Ceiling heights are to be changed to 11' foyer and great room - my husband's request - and 9' throughout.

Going with a regular alcove tub in the master over a tub deck because I found the deck to be awkward to get in and out of.

Also adding a sink in the garage behind the washing machine (at this point in our lives the tandem bay is not for vehicle parking - more for shop floor space. We have a skate sharpener in our garage (more hockey stuff) which will likely end up on that back wall, and the roll-up door will make a nice work zone for that as well as more functional access.

We kept the mud room coat closet as is. Kids can sit in there to take off their shoes and have a designated side for each of them to keep backpacks, shoes, coats etc. and I can just close the door to it. Bench/hooks at mudroom entry will likely end up as an entry table/drop zone and key rack.
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
Also changed the front entry to have a built-in bench and a smaller reach-in closet vs the closet on the full wall.
cpartist
2 days ago
Pull the 2 offices back so the back of the top one lines up with the living room like I showed in my sketch. There is NO reason not to do that an it eliminates odd roof angles and angles on the back of the house.

I believe the mudroom coat closet is too small to do what you want it to do. How big is it? I can't see the measurements.

I like the built in bench in front or I'd consider a cabinet in the niche with a mirror overhead. A place to drop keys, etc.
cpartist
2 days ago
Oh and move the sink off the edge of the island and more to the middle. YOu want to be able to pull food out of the fridge, bring it to the right of the sink, then wash and then bring to left of sink to prep.

And you shouldn't need a window in the master closet to fade your clothes.
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
Oh and move the sink off the edge of the island and more to the middle. YOu want to be able to pull food out of the fridge, bring it to the right of the sink, then wash and then bring to left of sink to prep.

Prep sink newbie... that makes sense! I don't want to break up the solid surface too much. We have a 38 x 64" solid island now (this is a secondary island without seating) and it's easily filled when we're working in there, so looking to maintain as much of the solid workspace while still being functional with the prep sink. What would you say is a good minimum for a landing space?

And you shouldn't need a window in the master closet to fade your clothes.

Being on the main floor, it will be some type of opaque glass in there for privacy which I would imagine cuts the UV (the same goes for the master bath - I can't be bothered with opening/closing and the dusting that comes with shutters or shades). I thought it would be nice to have the added natural light in there, and ventilation if desired.

I plan on having a full-length mirror on the wall across from the closet door and thought the added light would be nice to bounce back and fill in that hall when choosing outfits.
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
I believe the mudroom coat closet is too small to do what you want it to do. How big is it? I can't see the measurements.

The mudroom coat closet is 5 x 5'11. I was thinking an 18" deep bench on the two walls with hooks above would work.
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
Pull the 2 offices back so the back of the top one lines up with the living room like I showed in my sketch. There is NO reason not to do that an it eliminates odd roof angles and angles on the back of the house.

I did suggest this when we re-designed the back patio, but didn't discuss why it was left as is. I've noted it to ask. I can see how it will change that inset section of the uncovered patio on the rear elevation, but which odd roof angles do you see being eliminated?

I have a hard time translating the 2D and elevations to 3D with all the depth! Bits and pieces are clearer to me, but the entry and front elevation are not so much at this time.
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
last modified: 2 days ago
@cpartist I am looking at the changes you suggested (below) in more detail and wonder if the reason he left the rear wall as it is now has to do with the fact that I specifically asked for the main bath entrance to be made private from the great room/kitchen view. I had him change that from an earlier revision where there was a clean line of sight across the main floor into the bathroom. I will ask him, but that makes sense to me.

We moved the doorway so the entrances are offset and the view is a clean wall (future art), instead of who is coming and going from the guest bathroom.
K H
2 days ago
With all of your covered patios. Might make it dark in your living spaces?
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
I believe the mudroom coat closet is too small to do what you want it to do. How big is it? I can't see the measurements.

This would be another option for the mud room... not enclosing the space for a coat closet and just having built-in lockers to allow for more of an open space but still adequate storage.

Whatever is there I would just like it to be enclosed so it is always clean looking with the proximity to the kitchen, and master bedroom hall.
K H
2 days ago
I wouldnt have an open bench then if you want to hide the mess.
Mrs Pete
2 days ago
I see that the foyer closet problem has been eliminated, and the tub is no longer a bump-out ... but the majority of the problems that've been discussed here haven't been addressed.
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
@K H With all of your covered patios. Might make it dark in your living spaces?

We've uncovered the southwest patio at the rear, opened the gable, and have a vault on the main covered portion to allow as much light as we can in the great room. Where we live we typically get 30-40º celsius temperatures and blazing sun for July and August, but then we also have snow and gloomier days through the winter so trying to find the best design for that... nice to have protection from the elements with the covered patios, but not at the expense of natural light.

Having the softer northern exposure on the front with the expanse of the covered patio is something I am looking at. On the one hand, with it being the dining room there primarily used at night I am not overly concerned about daylight there, but I know that too much cover will have it feeling a bit dull and flat in other areas.

I have markups that Frida suggested (below) and will discuss the covered entry during a site visit this week. If I am understanding correctly, she had shown to reduce the porch depth in front of the dining area (covered or uncovered?) but how it changes the front elevation and roofline is beyond what I understand at this point!
K H
2 days ago
My friend has a super cute entryway coat closet/bench that her cabinetmaker built. Although drywall and framing is much cheaper this is so pretty!
lianicole thanked K H
lianicole
Original Author
2 days ago
@Mrs Pete I see that the foyer closet problem has been eliminated, and the tub is no longer a bump-out ... but the majority of the problems that've been discussed here haven't been addressed.

I have been making notes and requests for many design changes so far (some revisions still to come from a few days ago), and more to be discussed at a site visit this week that will be reflected in the elevations.

I'll review the comments again in detail to see what I missed, but I don't believe I've overlooked 'the majority of the problems' and do appreciate every minute that has been taken to share such thoughtful feedback from everyone!

Things like differences in opinion about a pantry sink (still not settled on whether it stays or goes, but it's still on paper as a potential) or pantry size, or an extra half bath and things like that, my husband and I have had discussions and made decisions that suit our family and lifestyle and use of the space for how we live, and how we see the finished spaces with things like cabinetry and appliances (top load washing machine was one of them and my preference was to keep the window on that wall instead of a washer and dryer).

It's still changing and evolving! This is our first build and I am doing the best I can here to learn as I go. I really am grateful for the support here though and have learned so much!
cpartist
yesterday
last modified: yesterday
What would you say is a good minimum for a landing space?

18-24"

I plan on having a full-length mirror on the wall across from the closet door and thought the added light would be nice to bounce back and fill in that hall when choosing outfits.

Put good lighting overhead instead.

The mudroom coat closet is 5 x 5'11. I was thinking an 18" deep bench on the two walls with hooks above would work.

Not much room for 2 kids to sit on the two benches. Do you currently have a powder room that size? I do and I can't imagine two kids in there, with the door open and benches 90 degrees from one another with two teens sitting on them. I still maintain that a reach in closet with a bench across from the closet would be better. I'd suggest you try mocking up the room size with boxes, etc and see if it will work for your kids now, and when they're a foot taller. ;)

This would be another option for the mud room... not enclosing the space for a coat closet and just having built-in lockers to allow for more of an open space but still adequate storage.

Definitely better. :)
lianicole thanked cpartist
cpartist
yesterday
@cpartist I am looking at the changes you suggested (below) in more detail and wonder if the reason he left the rear wall as it is now has to do with the fact that I specifically asked for the main bath entrance to be made private from the great room/kitchen view. I had him change that from an earlier revision where there was a clean line of sight across the main floor into the bathroom. I will ask him, but that makes sense to me.

We moved the doorway so the entrances are offset and the view is a clean wall (future art), instead of who is coming and going from the guest bathroom.

See below. I just solved your problem. Took me 3 minutes. :)
lianicole thanked cpartist
cpartist
yesterday
Oops, just realized I used the old bathroom layout but the concept is the same. I flipped where the pieces of the bathroom were including the closets.
lianicole thanked cpartist
lianicole
Original Author
yesterday
Thank-you, @cpartist! That would be an easy fix, but my husband insists that the rear wall cannot be pushed back without changing the roofline and pitch of the main roof completely.

It's beyond my understanding of construction, but on my list of things to discuss this week.
cpartist
yesterday
I don't see that the main roof pitch would be changed as you're not changing the center area of the house? Maybe one of the architects could weigh in.
cpartist
yesterday
Or is this his way of trying not to change all the bling like the extra gables, etc?
lianicole
Original Author
yesterday
I think he was looking at the overhang on the back wall where we’ve uncovered the SW patio (which we want to stay uncovered) and the implications of moving that wall.

The beauty of this design process is that anything can be changed on paper, but we’ll see if it’s a viable option!
cpartist
23 hours ago
^^^Exactly. And it's a heck of a lot cheaper to do it now.