DL architects and tasteful friends, what do you think of this house plan?

OP, a month ago, did you post a slightly different floor plan? This seems really familiar. I think people (in the previous thread) were not liking the driveway and not liking the garage being right next to the front door.

Still not liking that entry area: dining - foyer - study. And then the hallway dividing those 3 areas from the other part of the house. IMO, you will not use the dining room very often if it's located where it is. You also won't use the study.

I'd rather have fewer rooms with more square feet per room. The great room seems unnecessarily huge.

If you like a craftsman, then this is for you. For me, I cannot stand a separate kitchen space. I love my grand room;. I need the kitchen, everyday dinning and family room to be in one room. I spend the majority of the time in this space. I also love an accessible outdoor area from this space.

But this is me, if you love an authentic craftsman then this is the house for you, including the floor plan.

I like this plan over the previous plan. A couple of items. First, having a sink in the island is a nightmare. I have one and with the sink in such a large counter top, everyone places there dirty dishes somewhere on the island. I would never put my primary sink in an island. No problem if you want a prep sink in the island.

Also, from the illustration, it would appear that the attic has some height. This is great storage space so make sure there is an easy access to the attic.

I wish you the best!

This is a lot better than the cape cod bullshit they are pedaling. I swear every new build I can tell you where the living room, kitchen, family room, pantry is and that is just on the first floor.

Not my cup of tea.

I think it's pretty

I quite like this design. Of course, whether the shade on the front and back porches is really helpful depends on whether the house is going to be located in the sunny south or the rainy northwest.

You will never use the dining room as such, not when it's separated from the kitchen by that hallway, but maybe you can repurpose it? Although if you already have a dedicated study (great if you're going to work from home), I don't know what you'll use the "dining room" space for. Here's an idea: combine the "dining room" and "guest suite 1" into one large study/ den room, and use the "study" as a guest room for the rare occasions when it might be needed. So what if that room doesn't have an en suite bath?

I reckon my imaginary husbear can use the dining room to hang and polish his leather gear.

R1 yes, that was me

The plan really is a mess. The kitchen is completely open to the great room, but then there is that weird dinning room alcove? It really isn't an alcove. It appears that the only thing that separates it from the foyer is four columns. It is really useless space. The great room doesn't really appear large enough to be a combined dining/ living area. Far too much space is devoted to bedrooms, particularly for a single person. I understand that nobody designs housed for single people, but I think you would not be happy with that use of space.

Also, depending on were you live, all of that glass and high ceilings will be a bitch to heat.

I doubt he has one, R9. This guy has been posting racist stuff and complaints about Democrats and liberals all over the board. Seems like these rightwingers are starting threads like these to make themselves look like regulars but I suspect he's not even gay, given what he's said.

Agree with R8 in asking about the porches. The Great Room is already pulled back from the adjacent spaces at the rear and tucked under the hipped roof. Depending on where you live and how the house is sited, it would be a shame for the main, high ceilinged space to have only some windows looking onto a shady porch. and see no direct sunlight, ever. I question whether the rear porch is a good idea, but of course that depends on you and where you are, too.

Behind the house, the rear space framed on two sides by the house and garage I would take care to enclose fully with a high wall or fence or hedge, particularly if you want a pool. A small enclosed private space is infinitely preferably to a big stretch of lawn looking to your neighbors' houses and windows and the street.

More than anything though, if you are in love with a published plan and the external appearance and think it's perfect for you, by all means go with it. But if you have hesitations about the design or how the rooms will be used or if this wouldn't be better here and that better there, and if you're willing to entertain suggestions tailored specifically to you, then interview some architects. Include some young architects who do residential work and start by showing them a couple plans such as this and explaining what you like and what you question. A good architect can help you frame questions about what you really want and how you will really use the use, and they can put the emphasis where you want it and make the pieces fit in a way that fits you. It can be a really satisfying process if you don't mind devoting some time to finding the right architect and working through some initial schemes to find something you like and that you feel invested in.

Masonry interior walls? When you live alone in a detached house? You’ll never find a builder to go to all of the trouble, at any price.

I'm ok with the interior walls not being masonry units. It's the exterior I want fortified.

R13 how much does something like that cost?

R13, given the height of the great room and foyer, plus the size and quality of the "attic" windows, I assume they both open into the great room/foyer. Unfortunately, that probably means they have that weird, useless, deep ledge from being setback from the wall.

R17 IT kinda looked like they open over the porches, to me.

R16: That's a very difficult thing to measure. Comparing only the upfront costs of a set of PDF plans at $1239 versus an architect's design with drawings and specifications, no one would ever hire an architect. Bear in mind though that a contractor will almost certainly balk at some aspects of the store-bought specifications and will press to modify them or for more money to build it; the contractor cannot call upon the company that designs the plans to talk through a point of construction, so things get changed a bit along the way. An architect will absolutely cost more that $1300, but may give you more of what you want and at the same time spare you from a dining room you didn't really want but was there on a plan, or from having a lot of things that might be important to another client but not to you; he may scale a house down from 2400 sq.ft. that you like on paper to 1900 sq.ft. that you love in reality, which could be a huge savings overall. He may suggest construction and material changes to likewise give you what you want specifically, maybe in ways that you had not thought of but you realize you like more than what you had in mind.

Roughly an architect's fees may come out to about 8-15% of total construction cost, so work backwards from what you thought you might spend overall x 10% as a rough guide. Obviously not worth it just to redraft the published plan with a few minor changes, but can be very worth it if you want to have a house designed specifically for you and your needs and your budget -- and savings from designing only what you want and need can offset some or all of the professional fees.

The "Guest Suites" are lies. A room with a only closet is not a suite. This plan is too pretentious.

I like the plan and the elevations. I do this every day, so I will just express as notes to discuss with your contractor. Keep the sink in the island! With 10' ceilings, make sure you specify 8' interior doors. Don't use bifold doors in bedroom 1 & 3 closets it's low end Add transom windows 3x1 in shower and 4x1 her closet. Depending on the climate where you live and the view I would also change the following.: Delete the doors to the outside from the master and do a 5-0 6-0 fixed window flanked by 2-8 6-0's for more light. Delete rear porches and replace with a 20X16 screened porch with skylights having a gable end at least 12' high off of the great room. Access this space by 4 panel sliders that slide into one panel so this can be opened to the entire porch. Turn the verandah into a 12 x 14 deck . Delete door in nook making it a triple window. On the right side of the nook, add door to screened porch, add door to screened porch to deck. Try to minimize or eliminate the soffitt between the kitchen and great room-it creates a visual break. Doing solid masonry doesn't pay off. Upgrade your appliances and porcelain tiles instead, or find a way to make a utility room by widening the garage entry. Run the kitchen cabinets to the ceiling and do deep cabinets at either end of the island--you will need the storage. It shouldn't cost more than $5K to redraw and engineer from this unless you are in an area like LA, NY, etc. I think it's a good plan that packs a lot of features in a small space.

R21. Good suggestions. I still disagree with the sink issue. One additional item to your suggestions is the ensure that the shower and toilet doors can fit a wheelchair. If this is your forever home, you may need this type of access in the future. I remember having these struggles with my mother's wheelchair as she battled cancer.

R21 great comments!

Don't the concrete masonry units make the exterior walls thicker and sturdier? So the house overall would last longer. The area I'm in has more tornados than normal so I wanted something that would provide better energy efficiency and stand up to harsh winds.

Re: the master bathroom. Unless you really take baths (and plan to get a huge water heater), I'd get rid of the bathtub and make a better shower (handicap accessible).

I'd also get rid of the double sinks. It seems unnecessary and dated to me. I would value bathroom counter space over a 2nd sink. Also, sinks are a pain to clean, even if not used often.

I also don't like the his and hers walk-in closets (one big, one small). I'd rather have one, larger closet that can accommodate 1-2 people's stuff.

r24 Those are good points about the sinks. I think one big one will be enough. I do want a bath, though, a nice large one. Although I suppose I could have a hot tub in the backyard pool that accomplishes a similar task.

I also agree about the double closets, but I'm not sure how to change it to one single larger closet. The master bedroom is a little small but I think that will be solved once those doors in it are removed.

I was thinking maybe I could get rid of the study, turn the dining room into the new study, and make the old study part of the master bathroom, moving the closet down so the master bedroom would have more space, and changing it into one closet. But that would be a remodel too far, I think. I'm sure I can find a use for the dining room space. Either as a dining room or a front sitting room.

[quote]Re: the master bathroom. Unless you really take baths (and plan to get a huge water heater), I'd get rid of the bathtub and make a better shower (handicap accessible).

He wants to live in it for the rest of his life. He’ll prefer baths when he gets older.

Given the difficulties our nation is enduring: install a bidet

I loathe great rooms as they amplify voices and irritating noises. I can tell if you live in a McMansion as you speak loud enough to be understood by BILL TAYLOR.

Are you sure that Dorothy and Rose will want to share a bathroom?

The great room is the sine qua non of Frauchitecture.

I like some of the ideas here. Guest suite 1 and dining could be combined into a cozy TV den/library/office. The current study could become part of the master bedroom with a large closet and a roomy shower. 3 car garage seems like a lot so I’d just put my gym equipment in the garage in the third space.

R20 I’m with you. I noticed the fake “suites” right after I noticed the “Verandah”(hhhhhhhhh.....)

R12 what the hell are you on about? I haven't been doing any of that shit. You keep showing up in my threads to dump on me, trying to "Other" me ("he's not really gay!") etc.

Just... Fuck off.

Oh, nevermind. R12 is the trans rights activist posting incessantly to the J.K. Rowling threads. I seem to have annoyed him so now he's trying to "Other" me.

OP, you should record your eating and drinking habits - that’s the noise everyone in that great room will have to hear.

Are you one of those coffee chewers? You type like a soup slurper. Be careful.

I generally like the floor plan. But the kitchen has no window. The nook adjacent to the kitchen has windows, but the kitchen area itself has none. And that would be a deal breaker for me. But I do like the split floor plan where the guest rooms are separate from the master bedroom. One other thing: I don't see a closet in the foyer for coats, shoes, umbrellas, etc. But overall, it's a good design

I have a suggestion, hire a licensed Architect to help you with this. That way, you know that you’re doing the right thing, and not wasting money. In fact, hire one that is black. The black community is underrepresented in the world of architecture.

I like that there's a shitter right next to the breakfast table.

THIS is a house. It’s also what you get by hiring an Architect, rather than asking what Better Homes and Gardens would build.

At least the garage isn't on the front of the house this time.

Just curious OP, why would you want to use CMUs for the walls? That’s kind of strange in the US, although I think they’ll sometimes do that in the UK for the exterior walls.

R39 it's beautiful, but I wouldn't want to live in a glass box.

R41 Exterior walls, they are stronger and as I'm in a tornado prone area I want something that will stand up to high winds etc. if required. I expect the weather and storms to get more violent from global warming, over the next dozen years.

I'd also make sure the windows are stronger too. Ideally I'd put solar panels on the roof, etc.

R36 A closet there would be nice, I agree. I would use the garage entrance more, however.

Isn't "great room" just another name for "living room"? What are people's objections to the great room? IMO, it seems unnecessarily large, but I wouldn't recommend not having a "great room" or living room.

OP, the more I look at your floor plan, the more I think it's overly fussy. Agree that the location of the powder room is really awkward (next to the kitchen nook).

What about a cellar OP so you can sample your fine wines while the twister twists above ground. A dining room is useful esp when you have guests but in this plan needs easier access to the kitchen.

r46 I'd love a cellar.

r45 I lived in a large house where the powder room was right off the entrance to the living room (it was under the staircase). I always thought that was incredibly awkward. Having the powder room off the nook I don't think is as bad because most people don't linger in the nook and it's far enough away from the living room and out of the way that it shouldn't be a big issue. Like, it's gotta be somewhere, I guess.

Isn't the overall floorplan standard for this Craftsman-style of house?

BTW here's the same floorplan but it has one extra bathroom. I had to stare at this for a minute to see what the difference was.

BTW, here's a larger version of the same house/floorplan (adds about a thousand square feet). It's too many square feet for my purposes, but it has a lot of photos from a finished home, not just elevations and renderings, so you can sort of see how the smaller version would look.

OP, I'm still hating that entry area with the dining room and study on either side -- wasted spaces, IMO. The central foyer areas are modest (which is fine), but they are dictating really bad floor plans for no good reason. Plus, you said you will be entering from the garage door, anyway (which is fine).

It seems like the tail (floorplans you've been posting) is wagging the dog (you).

Are you really stuck on this craftsman style house? What do the neighboring houses look like? Is your house going to stand out like an anomaly in the neighborhood?

OP the nook appears to be the kitchen eating area, or one of them; there'll be lots of lingering in the nook.

The main thing which turns me off is the kitchen : too dominant.

Master Bath: Eliminate toilet enclosure which just makes the bathroom look smaller. I'd also take out the space marked "linen" so the shower can be larger. That stuff can be stored elsewhere, under the counter if you eliminate one of the sinks as recommended above or you could shorten the counter and have a floor to ceiling linen cupboard as you walk in the door.

I like the front elevation much better than your previous choice which looked like some generic development house in Arizona or Nevada. IIRC, you are planning to build in Indiana, this style of house will fit in.

Intellectually I know that it's stunning R39.

But I don't want to have to wear sunscreen in my house. Plus, I require complete and utter darkness to sleep which I'd never achieve in that house.

it's too box-like. I don't like the tail that comes out on the left. I'd rather have the house longer on each side then you'd have a beautiful back yard/patio/verandah space. And I'd add a pool. But I live in California.

OP - look at other kit houses; this one is not good. It looks like a conversion, not a new build. Did you make lots of changes to the basic kit?

By the way, where is the armory to be kept? On this house you have multiple home-invasion possibilities.

I hate dedicated dining rooms with a psssion. They are used maybe four times a year; complete waste of floor space. Also who the fuck needs as three car garage. That’s obscene.

R55, you are also supposed to share a roof. Single family homes use up too many resources regardless of leed certification. I’m sorry landowners are islands misunderstood, but we need you to suffer for society to continue.

Agree with R49. A house with a symmetrical facade forces interior compromise, which is not always a bad thing but in this case I think it is.

To either side of the front door there is a dining room and study, neither a well thought out space, rather more left over spaces to make things balance and for the owner to figure out how to use them. They would be perfect if you used your home as waiting and reception room and professional office, bt probably much less so as simply a house. The transverse hallway is really just a "hallway" in plan and in ceiling treatment; why isn't this non-space simply part of the great space? It's not articulated as a separate entity and has none of the usual qualities of a corridor, it's just left over space between the left over dining room and study and the great room; you won't, for example, be displaying much art on the walls because there barely are any—and if by chance you have big paintings, it's probably not a good house because there are few places to hang them.

Then position yourself directly in the entry, having shut the front door behind you and now looking into the heart of the house. What is directly in front of you? A focal point view to the garden? No, an off axis 1/3 of a window wall, and an oblique view of a kitchen island to the left. The great room window/French door should be directly aligned with the front door so that you see into and through the house, to the rear enclosed garden, and to some focal point there, whether it be a tree or a sculpture or something of interest. In a house with transverse hallways and a great room, there should be greater thought to orientation and focal points and an immediate understanding of the house. This house instead of laying out answers asks questions: why is that shoved over here as if an afterthought? What, then, is that space about? And that one? Why does the ceiling change when there's no point to it changing?

Finally for a house with a good share of corners, only the breakfast nook and the master bedroom and master bath are dual aspect -- have windows on two different elevations. And the great room is stuck under the roof eaves and will always be in shadow. Windows are a luxury; if I were building a house I would want more than a couple spaces that didn't have windows only on one wall.

Okay I've been thoroughly turned off by this house now 😭

I'll try to find something better!

I don't have the money to hire architects, so I'm looking for a stock plan I can tweak. I really did like the look of this and other Craftsman homes, though.

Paint everything white and put up a humongous clock

r59 lol.

OP, don’t assume you don’t have money for an Architect. A good one can actually help you save money, especially when it comes to managing the GC. Find an Architect of color and see what they have to say.

r61 I must insist my architext be a disabled trans womxn of color!

Stop it, working as an Architect, I’ve noticed that the profession is controlled by straight white men that are pervs. The awful thing that I’ve seen would shock just about everyone on DL.

What have you seen, r63?

Lots of sexual harassment, white Architects in leadership with out of control libidos. White Architects in academia who have sex with their young students. And so much more.

What does their being white have to do with anything?

Oh, and do I even have to mention Richard Meier and his Weinstein-like behavior, or the shitty men of architecture list?

Everything, they think they run the show, because they’re 1. White and 2. Male. Duh! Read the news lately?

r68 yes but somehow I doubt "I'm white and male and I'm sexually harassing you because I'm white and male!" enters anyone's thought process.

I'm looking through the other floorplans, and I found this one. I don't really like the cutesy windows on the top, but it's basically that same Craftsman house from above, however it seems to have a better layout BY FAR. I wish I could have the exterior/Craftsman-y of the OP house with the layout of this one!

It’s not about any sort of thought process. That’s why the behavior is so difficult to change.

OP, no, those little gables are ridiculous.

r71 more likely it's that they are male and in a position of power rather than them being "white".

r72 Yes that's what I hate about it. The exterior with those stupid gables :-o But the interior floorplan is practically the same, just much better than the OP link.

Greek Revival one story. The size of a Craftsman.

Read this.

This need for exact balance on the facade worries me.

The house serves you and none of these do the trick. Get an old rambler and be done with it.

I don't need balance on the facade, I just don't want it to be one of those homes on that "McMansions" blog.

Being white is definitely part of it, it lends a feeling of entitlement. Again, do some reading.

r79 I'm mainly concerned about the floorplans, but your point of view is noted!

OP, the floor plan at R70 is an improvement, but still not great. Again, that central foyer / entry, separate dining room, though. (Dining area should flow into the living / family room, not just the kitchen.)

You seem like you're single, open to a live-in relationship. Maybe need a spare room for exercise equipment and a spare guest room. I just don't understand all of these extra bedrooms, fussy details, etc.

I admit I like the 3-car garage. Room for your car, your partner's car, and a guest's car.

Here’s another route.

The floor plan is still not great and the exterior facade is faintly ridiculous. OP could you get a floorplan from another company for us to rip apart and shit all over?

OP, these threads have been a lot of fun for me and others. You've been a good sport about the bluntness. Please keep posting. Now is the time to make mistakes.

Wayfair and welfare

OP, it's perfectly serviceable. Your changes are yours for your own taste to decide. I understand about keeping entries to a minimum. I have five and it's too much for security, although I'm in a city center and you, I presume, will be in South Bugtussle somewhere between Desolation Row and Hopeful Hearts Way.

BUT your thought of not having a dining room is absurd. You sound selfish and narrow for a young person. No self-respecting adult would consider not having a dining room, no matter how selfish, monastic or asocial. Because the future comes in better forms if we are ready for it. What if your partner in the future or your husband after that loves to entertain?

The gables would be okay if you had a usable attic. Do you? If you just have them for a folly of impressiveness find an alternative. But you've addressed this.

The thing at R70 is an abomination. Completely. Utterly.

Ignore the racist at R79. They are trolls and are trying to divide us.

R86, I don't think it was OP who didn't want a dining room / area. Other posters have stated their preferences. My opinion is somewhere in the middle: a separate dining room that is not adjacent to both a living room & kitchen will be a dead space, except maybe on Thanksgiving.

A separate dining room is a must, with good access to the kitchen. Linked: Mount Vernon kitchen to the right, being repaired: that does not constitute good access these days.

r86 makes a good point about aspirational floorplan. My future partner might be someone who loves throwing sexy dinner parties.

Would you consider a house with stairs OP?

I do like the look of that house, r90, although one bathroom for three bedrooms? I'd probably use bedroom 4 on the far right as a workout room though. I'd also probably get rid of the closet in the master bathroom and make the shower and bath much larger.

I do want an office/study/library, although it doesn't have to be downstairs.

Ideally the house would not have stairs, or if there were stairs they would be for a bonus room or something of that nature.

Does anyone know any good house floorplan sites like houseplans dot com, but with different floorplans?

A couple of things, OP. Well, more than a couple, so here goes.

Where will this be built, and how many acres have you available? You don’t have to tell me precisely where, but keep in mind that specific materials for building and insulation should be considered, depending on the climate of where this will be built. Craftsman homes MUST be built on homes with plenty of surrounding grass. Remember that when planning for water expenses and possible droughts. I assume the lot is spacious, since you want a pool and have allotted a 3 car garage.

If you want a pool, you need to have double doors leading from the master bedroom to the pool. It’s traditional and the way it’s done. It is also very practical. You will need an area that provides you and/or your guests, shade when sunbathing or sleeping by the pool, as well as eating out there, and barbecuing. I know you think you will be a forever single hermit, but maybe not. At least leave enough room to build and upgrade the pool and back yard areas.

The windows on every side and ceilings will guarantee utilities to be up there. Stained glass windows could help, and are used in lots of traditional Craftsman homes in LA and the Midwest.

Why dismiss the dining room and simultaneously have a 3 car garage? Don’t forego the dining room. It’s silly to do so, regardless of whether you eat there or not.

If you’re going to go Craftsman, then make sure you go high quality Craftsman. Don’t skimp on the foundation and basics of what makes a Craftsman home, a Craftsman home. Hardwood flooring and some cheats and perhaps ceiling areas should be a priority. No laminate BS.

Speaking of wood, I’d also go with the OG Craftsman look, and traditional woodwork throughout the home, as referenced in my previous paragraph, ie: built in cabinetry, shelving, kitchen cabinetry with glass panes, doors, etc. Also, stonework should be included on the patios and fireplace(s).

Dining rooms are a centerpiece for most traditional, Craftsman homes. If you aren’t going to keep the design traditional, then there’s really no point of doing it in the Craftsmen design.

That’s my opinion. I love Craftsman homes, and if I were to build one, I would stick to the classic design all the way, inside and out.

Oops, forgot this pic 👇🏽

Apologies.

Wow, “the way it’s done”? OP, you can have rooms, windows and doors wherever you want, it’s your house. Have you tried looking for some more modern house plans? These will have more flexibility, and are designed for people who live in the present time. I feel like some of these plans are shoehorning a contemporary parti or layout into a traditional shell.

R92 Southern living has floor plans like this one

Is that the Deliverance model?

R95, then why is a Craftsman called a Craftsman, if not for “the way it’s done”?

I like the exterior. I'd use cement (Hardi) board for the siding. That stuff lasts forever. The only thing better is the old asbestos shingle.

The interior is a mess. No access to the "dining room" from the kitchen other than going around that wall? Who thought that was a good idea. And the dining room is open to the foyer but no matching arch to the study? Yikes.

If I were doing it, I'd open up the kitchen to the dining room completely, and move the fireplace to the back wall in between the doors. You'd need that former fireplace wall to put a TV set. The TV over the fireplace thing is done. I'd also jack and jill those guest baths. I mean, they are shared anyway. The master could be streamlined somewhat as well, by turning the "his" closet into a small foyer and making the closets run along the interior wall facing the master door and utilizing a hall facing the exterior of the house. More light and closets don't need windows and cuts down on the architectural "clutter" upon entering the master suite.

My #1 suggestion for anyone building a house, if given enough space, is to plumb in for a washer/dryer in or near the master closet. I put one of those european condensing units in a small linen closet outside my master bathroom and 99% of the clothes go through that unit. It's tiny, and takes forever, but I can literally change right in the bathroom, walk 2 steps and throw it in the wash. The machine washes and drys with one cycle so I usually do it leaving for work or going to bed and the clothes are ready the next time I need them. It boggles my mind that people don't PUT THE WASHER AND DRYER WHERE THE CLOTHES ARE! My parents house was build with the washer and dryer in the garage, a floor down and across the house from their bedroom. Stupid.

HardiePlank®️. Yuck.

What's wrong with Hardiplank? If you're not going for historical accuracy, why not go with something that makes it easy to maintain?

R99, good thoughts, esp. about the washer / dryer. The reason people put their W/D in inconvenient (low places like the basement) is b/c the water flow might "back up," flood, and damage what's below. A friend of mine (frau) who does laundry all the time has a W/D that's 1.5 floors below the bedrooms. I did ask her why she put the W/D there, instead of on the top floor where the bedrooms were, and that was her explanation.

Here's an article about Craftsman houses. Says that typical houses have built-in cabinetry, which I love.

I am not sure about the WC in the kitchen in R90's link.

Why do all of these plans have a big amorphous Great Room buried in the center of the house, flanked by rooms on all sides except for a dark porch or screened porch on one side? Evidently, while I wasn't kooking The Property Brothers started a trend for big, formless, dark rooms at the center of a house.

Let some sun in your house, for fuck's sake.

Don't paint it GRAY! The fashion for GRAY PAINT is now waning.

In fact, be like Frank Lloyd Wright and allow the natural materials, brick and tiles, to be honest to themselves!

R105, maybe I'm wrong, but I think Craftsman houses are just kind of dark by nature (exposed wood, low ceilings, deep eaves). Agree that the great room does seem to be in the middle and flanked on all sides. On the up side, probably a good room for watching TV on a huge screen.

It seems that the 'great room' is an essential ingredient of the McMansion. The property linked at R90 doesn't have that rather pretentious feature. I like the general layout of that property cos you come through the front door and have the living room immediately to the left, away from the family room, so you can receive your gentlemen callers without them becoming part of the 'family' so to speak. I think I would extend the dining room rightwards so that the right wall aligns with the right wall of the kitchen.

Re R90's link: I would paint the cladding off-white and the shutters forest green. OP, where are we building this place? What's the budget?

I'm iffy about having a TV in the Great Room. If there's a fireplace in it, I'd rather not put the TV over the fireplace, but there'd need to be another place for a giant television in the house, like a media room, game room or family room. But you don't usually get those with < 2500 square feet homes.

You're right R110, the huge TV over the fireplace in the 'great room' is totally tacky.

r108 I do like the layout of that house, however it does seem to be a design from another time. I think this mainly because there's only one bathroom on the second floor, for three bedrooms, there should be a three car garage for a house that size, and I don't think I want a house divided into two with stairs.

r111 Do you have a suggestion where to put the TV other than that, if the fireplace is a feature in the great room?

Let's be real. Wherever the/a TV is located is where people will actually spend time. I.e., no TV in the great room, no congregating in the great room. (Great room is another term for living room.)

I also don't like a TV mounted above a fireplace. IMO, detracts from the fireplace and I don't like to look up that high in order to watch TV.

R112 I am thinking of the R90 house for my husband and me: we would turn it into two master en-suites upstairs with one spare bedroom for the odd drunken guest (Vera!)

I'm thinking rural Georgia.

This one's pretty nice - I like the giant pantry and the master location (with laundry right there). The main thing I would change is to get rid of the jack and jill bathroom entrances and reconfigure the 2nd and 3rd bedroom bathroom so it opens to the hallway instead of in each bedroom.

I wonder if I could update the pillars and wood beams on the front to look more Craftsman and less farmhouse?

I really like the curb appeal on this one, but as so often is the case with these mass-produced plans - the floor plan seems to contain a lot of wasted space and an "ant farm" assemblage of small rooms that will rarely be used. For this square footage, the kitchen is really tiny IMO - very meager counter space at best. Most of us only use our dining areas a handful of times a year - that being the case, would you really want 2? If you like nice furniture (one of my few indulgences), you are stuck furnishing two dining rooms that will be almost useless (the dining table in the kitchen will mostly be used as a spot to drop off groceries, gym bags and mail). Do you really need an "office" along with two additional bedrooms? Who really needs more than one guest room? I think that you started the previous thread, but if not I will repeat what I said before - look into having an architect design a home specifically for you. I think that it will be money well spent. I can't afford to build a new home in the areas of the city that I have lived in (the lot prices are way too high - so you buy what you can afford and make the existing home work for you). If I could - I would find a good architect ASAP. Create a huge folder of designs and rooms that you love, choose a square footage and room count and let a professional create your dream.

R117's floor plan is rather good.

But look guys, where are we building and what is the budget? And the taxes.

R117 is a much superior plan to the initial one posted - in almost every respect.

R92, here’s a plan site that features Craftsman-style homes adapted with modern amenities.

I’m in the process of having the Monroe built, with some minor interior changes. It passed the city’s historic board review to be built in the historic district.

So far, I like the floor plan at R117 the best. You still have the foyer in the center, but there are bedrooms immediately on the right. Better use of space. I like the one huge closet in the master bedroom. I still would like the dining room to flow more directly to the living room, but this is better. I hate that kind of free-standing tub (master bath), but OP might like that. Also don't like the two master bath sinks and would prefer more counter space.

What in heaven's name is a "bonus" room?

It's where you relax on the weekend, sir!

What's a "weekend"?

R21 Here. I can see the brigade of the 1% wannabes has descended on poor OP. There was nothing wrong with the first plan. The great room idea is to combine the kitchen with the entertaining space instead of having a multitude of tiny special purpose rooms. If you listen to some of these comments OP, you'd have a music room, a sewing room, crafting room, etc. There's no need for a dedicated window in a kitchen that's open to a nook and great room as someone insisted. R70 is going to be a lot more expensive house to build being 700 SF larger and has a terrible kitchen. That space is going to feel cramped and would be a bitch for resale without a nook or casual dining area. The master bedroom is in the front of the house--do you want a view of the street?! That's a huge design flaw, but if you have to have this flip the bath to the front of the master suite. The gables on the second floor look good with that elevation, without them the giant hip roof would be overwhelming. I don't know your budget but if you could find a 1.5 story with guest rooms and a media/bonus room upstairs, your cost would drop considerably. Having everything on one level increases the size of the foundation, framing and roof which account for over 10% of the cost of the house. Regarding other ill advised ideas: Don't hire an architect, they are ridiculously expensive. Get the plan, redline your changes and take it to a designer who has CAD for a redraw, then have it stamped and vetted by a structural engineer. (Your general contractor/builder will do this with you) Hardieplank is an excellent product with a 55 yr warranty. It's available in shake shingle, board and batten and lap siding. The best way to proceed is to find a custom builder who has the resources to work with you and get the plan nailed down. You might want to look at new homes in your area and see if any one builder's style fits in with what you want to accomplish. Listen to your builder, they do this every day and can save you money and often have a better idea or at least one you haven't considered. If you need to cut something lose the 3rd garage bay. That should save you $20,000+/-

A friend in town (major gossip queen) asked me why all the guys working on my restoration were so good looking. I told him to MYOB.

I did two of them.

How about something like this? It’s modern, but incorporates warm and cozy materials, such as brick and wood. Great outdoor spaces as well.

^ That is "a machine for living in".

OP, don’t listen to someone who suggests things like sewing rooms and music rooms, you’re not an old lady living in 1890. Hardieplank is a toxic material, bruises easily and toxic to the environment. That’s why you have to have someone that specializes in it to install it - toxic dust that’s cancer causing.

Here’s the real deal with Architects: yes, there are more soft costs, but you’re avoiding any potential disasters that the G.C. may cause. A structural engineer will stamp the drawings, and that’s it. An Architect oversees the process, from beginning to end, and has your back. With a good Architect, you get a house within your budget that is designed for YOU, which is why you would build a house in the first place.

Another thing, don’t build something worrying about resale value. You’re building a house for someone else if you do that.

One more thing, if you’re absolutely certain you can’t engage an Architect, maybe this is the next best thing? Have always been a fan of this guy’s work.

Here’s a simple Craftsman style house that seems like it would be comfortable for one or two people.

All that house needs is a live, laugh, love sign.

R132 for the win!! Sign me up! Hugh Newell Jacobsen and his son Simon Jacobsen are design greats and this look is timeless. Talk about living in a sculpture (that would still fit into just about any neighborhood setting)...

R132 it's a nice layout but that weird little kitchen wall sticking out in the living room would give me OCD. It looks even worse in the photos of the interior than it does on the floorplan. Also that exterior is very plain.

R136 - I can't figure out which "kitchen wall" you are talking about. If you are referring to the foyer/living room dividing wall - I love it. I have been in many houses that were similar and it makes for an amazing foyer space (using really large scale art on that side - or whatever you choose) that allows separation between the spaces but allows both the light and grand ceiling volumes in. The "airy" nature of Jacobsen's interiors (vaulted ceilings with exposed dormer windows carved out, etc.) lend a grandeur that is far more impressive than the smaller square footage would normally dictate. The natural stained wood floors (used in many of the photos) look dated to me - I would personally go with dark-stained walnut in a herringbone pattern if I could afford it.. Most of these interiors pictured were finished out and completed decades ago; if building this plan new, you would likely choose more up-to-date finishes on the floors and cabinets and perhaps a more off-white (vs. harsh "white" white) paint.

[quote]if building [Hugh Newell Jacobsen's] plan new, you would likely choose more up-to-date finishes on the floors and cabinets [bold]and perhaps a more off-white (vs. harsh "white" white) paint.[/bold]

But the Josef Albers paintings? Our dealer at the Marlborough always said "and of course, Hugh knows the perfect dead white for the Albers, he's bought a few from us you know!"

I'm the first to advocate starting with an architect, but Hugh Newell Jacobsen will eat your whole budget in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

Look in your local newspapers for local architects who have won awards for modest houses and who have a significant component of residential and single-family home work. Then call and talk to them frankly about what you want and your concerns of cost.

R131 I was being sarcastic about people objecting to the open concept floor plan, not recommending a sewing room. HardiePlank is made from natural materials and is not toxic, and I have no financial interest in the product. "HardiePlank® siding is made from natural and sustainable raw materials: cement, sand, wood fiber, and water. It has no asbestos, glass fibers, or formaldehyde, which makes it a safe building product as well. The materials are low in toxicity; therefore, it does not harm the environment. " Architects have a purpose, but since OP hasn't declared a budget most people building a home under $1mm in suburbia do not need one or cannot justify the expense. They are prone to flights of fancy that can be ungodly expensive to execute--I had experience with one whose roof design alone would have cost my client $45,000 more until the builder simplified it. If you are building some grand, multi million dollar mansion in the Hollywood Hills have at it, A craftsman home under 4,000 SF in the Midwest doesn't require an architect running the project, although I respect what I believe to be your profession. I'm R21 and R126

R136 That little wall in the kitchen is a wing wall which supports a beam and is normally load bearing. It can be eiliminated if using steel vs an LVL which adds to the cost. It also closes off the countertops from view and defines the kitchen space. My biggest objection to this floor plan at R133 is the stingy window count/sizes and odd location in the back bedroom. This house will be dark unless this is changed. The front bedroom window needs to be a double. The back porch needs to be 2-3 feet deeper as does the dining area. Also, add 3 windows on side of dining area. I would have eiither a triple window in the master or a large fixed one 5x6 with the operable windows flanking it. The master closet should be moved down and take the storage space in the garage which would add 3' in depth to the master bath/closet area. I'd add half of that to the closet and the rest to expanding the shower and the linen closet. Add 2x2 fixed window to back wall of bath 6' up and on the exterior wall of the master closet some transoms to bring in natural light, Skip the outdoor kitchen, add a deck off the porch and screen it, IF budget permits, add a prefab fireplace with stone facing where the outdoor kitchen was noted. A four panel slider from the great room to the porch would also add light as would skylights in the back porch. The bonus room is a nice addition and cheap square footage.

The square footage is a bit much for a single person. You would be off with 1500 square feet. Less cleaning and maintenance.

Look at the perimeter of the floor plan at r132 vs r133. The latter has multiple jogs and corners. A contractor once told me that every corner adds X amount to the cost. And what are you getting for these fussy details? Same with complicated roof lines, every join a potential leak. Keep it simple.

This guy offers somewhat more modern designs, some like the one at the link Eichler inspired, others like The Hus1 is more traditional looking, with a simpler gable roof.

A bit of stretch and maybe it's not at all the sort of thing you want but I pass them along as both plans have a lot of the spaces and elements you seem to find important. The EIchler-esque plan developed around a courtyard entry is probably short on luxuries of bathroom and closet space at the right-hand side of the plan, though this wing could be widened and lengthened to accommodate those. The Hus1 also eliminates some of the ancillary spaces, the study, the small dining room, the breakfast nook in favor of a more straightforward and economical plan. There is less circulation space in entries and corridors in these two plans, and reduced square footage, but they also offer some luxury (to my eye) of more light, and light from multiple elevations in a room; they place the rooms to take advantage of the windows and views, rather than just stick some windows in as something of an afterthought.

In any case, there are some architects who have made a business of the middle ground between low-cost stock plans and highly customized work. They typically offer a small catalogue of plans. Not so easy to find, but if you search patiently through "architect stock house plans" results you will find others.

Good post r143. I'm not sure this *particular* design is suited to the midwest where OP wants to live but it's easy to see that real thought went into this plan.

Agreed, R144. At the least the flat roof might be a Midwestern worry -- though that architect does love the hell out of clerestory windows. I thought it was interesting to see a lot of the same program in a plan where everything wasn't arranged so much within a fairly square footprint and making a different use of natural light.

OK, how about this floor plan? Normally, I dislike diagonals, but these diagonals seem OK. I'm not one of those who hates garages in the front.

Foyer opens onto great room (living room). Dining room is separate but connected to both kitchen and great room.

I kinda like that r146, but what's the outside look like? And it has the dreaded front garage!

Also I don't see a pantry in the kitchen.

R146, there was no exterior shot, sorry.

No separate pantry, but maybe could use that utility area between nook & garage.

Is it cheaper to get a two story house than have everything spread out over the ground floor?

It wouldn't be bad to get a house that had a second floor, if the master and study were on the first.

Like this quirky Craftsman -

R149, I'd rather have a 1-story house. I don't know what's more expensive, sorry.

Hate that the master is right off the kitchen. And I loathe Jack and Jill bathrooms.

R149 yes it is generally less expensive to have square footage over two stories instead of one. You reduce the size of the footprint and therefore have less foundation and roof expense.

Yeah I don't like r150 either after looking at it closer :-o It is kinda neat on the outside though.

If you aren’t into modern architecture and want craftsman this one has some nice features. A lot of the rooms have windows on more than one wall. The garage is in the back and there are no jack and Jill baths.

I don't dislike R146, but don't love it. It's clearly a 2 story plan and this is just the first story. You had better have a large lot with views on all sides for this one - no privacy. The sprawling footprint shoots out all over the place and would take up a lot of the lot. My thoughts on the first floor are: The "sitting area" off the master is useless, not open to the room (tiny doorway) and so odd shaped that you could not make sense of any furniture in it. It seems to me to be a way to use useless "dead" space that was dictated to achieve symmetrical diagonal rooms and nothing else. The kitchen, dining and great room are all well-proportioned and nicely designed. I particularly like the front "study" - the placement is perfect and would be a useful room for a number of functions. The foyer is nice. Lots of wasted "hallway" space all over - the garage wing alone is a study in wasted square footage (= wasted money). I always chuckle at average-scaled homes that pretentiously have lots of staircases that all lead to the same general areas - just a complete waste of money and square footage for no apparent reason. This little suburban home is not the Biltmore Estate for heaven's sake. To me, this is the sort of plan that someone building on 20 farm acres that they recently inherited would likely choose. I doubt it would work in a regular neighborhood - at least not very well.

R156, I agree that sitting area at R146 is stupid. OP had been posting floorplans with dining rooms in bad locations (Craftsman) and this plan had a better dining room placement

All these houses are so huge. For one person who says he doesn't entertain much and wants to retire which presumably means to simplify his life.

OP, look at small houses, designed by architects. Not the guys who churn out home plans by the hundreds for suburban families who want grand foyers and two walk in closets and formal dining rooms that never get used.

They aren't huge to me, they are 2000-2800 square feet (most of them anyway) which is a good size for a single person with a cat, while opening the possibility of having a partner at some point in the future.

build it and they will cum...