The plan captured so much of what we are looking for in a home. It is larger than we had desired and we are continuing to wrestle with that. We have stretched ourselves to consider options but haven’t quite come to a final decision. We will need to stay in this phase of design for a bit longer. We can discuss what an updated timeline looks like.
I think our choices fall into three main options:
- Accept the larger footprint as is, with some revisions that more closely match our lifestyle and usage intentions.
- Eliminate the Flex Room/Dining Room. Reconfigure the north side of the house by moving His Office into the general location of the Flex Room. Shift the Foyer and Staircase to the west.
- Move the main floor guest suite to the lower level. My assumption is this will lower decrease costs by reducing the square footage of the main level.
1. Tidy up a few room borders.
- Rec Room: I placed blue circles for end tables and I feel like the west wall might be tight? I’d like to possibly steal 14-18 inches from the in-law suite to add back to the Rec Room? (I’m ok with the bare minimum age-in-place pathway for that suite.) Remove fireplace so TV is lower (reclaim a few inches of width). I’m ok with increasing the toy closet and coat closets to accommodate the change, and reducing the In-law closet to maintain the proper doorway.
- Owner’s suite: I’ve decided to eliminate the morning bar in favor of more laundry space.
- Owner’s suite: We’d like the chairs positioned together on the northeast corner. On the south wall of windows/doors, perhaps the primary exit could be in the southwest corner of the room.
- Owner’s bath: Could the makeup table inset be moved north into the Bath? (I’m looking for a few more square feet of closet space.)
- Owner’s Closet: I had hoped for 8 30″ sections on her side and 6 30″ sections on his side. I’d like to reclaim a bit of the luggage closet and add it to his side of the closet. Oh her side, moving the makeup table up into the Bath would give a bit more closet space and lengthen the interior wall to allow for shoe storage.
- Coat Closet: I have envisioned a combo coat/luggage/vacuum closet deep enough so that it could be walked into so that it had many functions. On the plan this closet is separated into two separate closets. I’d prefer to put a shallower reach-in Broom/Vacuum Closet where the Luggage closet is instead of in the Laundry Room. I’d like to find 2 more feet to add to the depth of the coat closet. I’m proposing rearranging Her office/closet/bath to achieve this.
- Her office: I think one entrance to the bath near Her Office will be sufficient. I’d like to consider reconfiguring these spaces a bit. Making Her office a bit narrower might allow for that change.
- His Office: We believe His Office may need another couple of feet in length. This change that would alter exterior border of the home. We think we need to eliminate the fireplace in favor of cabinets/bookshelves that would also house a TV.
- Kitchen/Back Kitchen: (I want to shift some of the appliance location in the kitchen and back kitchen. I need some input from Amy before solidifying those locations.)
2. Eliminate the Flex Room/Dining Room.
- Reconfigure the north side of the house by moving His Office into the general location of the Flex Room.
- Shift the Foyer and Staircase to the west.
- Reconfigure the Guest Suite to fit next to Stairway. (I made no attempt at that.)
3. Move only the Guest Suite to the lower level.
- Move only the Guest Suite to the lower level.My assumption is this would decrease costs by reducing the footprint of the main level. Lower level unfinished square footage would be decreased.
- Keep the Flex Room/Dining Room.
Random thoughts that may not be needed at this stage:
- Guest Suite: Pocket door to Water Closet instead of swing door?
- Guest Suite: Is there a door to the guest bath from the bedroom?
- West Gallery: Linen closet may be built-in cabinet (depth?) instead of standard closet?
- Great Room: Size seems ok. We will use end table at ends of couches.
- Great Room: Does the size of the fireplace affect the size of built-ins?
- Outdoor Living: Possible outdoor screens on south and east?
- Outdoor Grilling Patio: Does firepit need to be decided now? Built-in smoker? Built-in grill?
- Inside Dining: May change hutch to built-ins, furniture style.
- Kitchen: Is the island 5×12?
- Kitchen: Remove microwave drawer?
- Kitchen: Shallow cabinets under island overhang.
- Kitchen: Cabinet towers on ends of range wall
- Kitchen: Fridge wall, iffy about ovens, maybe an appliance garage for a coffee bar.
- Back Kitchen: Love the pocket doors
- Back Kitchen: Love thes grilling door.
- Back Kitchen: 30″ pantry cabinet for appliances on east wall, north end.
- Back Kitchen: 48″ workstation sink with landing space either side.
- Back Kitchen: Dishwasher to the left of Sink.
- Back Kitchen: Location of ice maker?
- Back Kitchen: Location of microwave/ovens?
- Back Kitchen: Blackened section opposite of freeze dryer cabinet? Could be used for cabinet?
- Owner’s Bedroom: Remove morning bar and add back to laundry.
- Owner’s Bedroom: Configure window/door wall so that the exit is on the west side. Chairs could be together.
- Owner’s Bedroom: Blackened area next to dresser?
- Owner’s Bath: Wheelchair access to shower?
- Owner’s Bath: Is the tub extra long? (Kendall is the primary user.)
- Owner’s Bath: Understand blackened areas around shower and linen cabinets.
- Owner’s Bath: Is the full-height cabinet near the vanities 18-24″?
- Owner’s Bath: Move makeup area out of niche?
- Owner’s Bath: Pivot door on WC for safety? Other ideas?
- Owner’s Closet: Keep north wall of Her side available for safe/chest of drawers (already own)
- Owner’s Closet: Push west wall out about 24″. Take space from Luggage closet. Change luggage closet to shallower broom closet.
- Laundry: Move sink to west wall. Upper and lower cabinets in lieu of broom closet. (Door might impede robot floor vac.)
- Laundry: Full-depth cabinet in corner that extends down to counter.
- Laundry: Hanging section moves to left of W/D stack.
- Laundry: Traditional cabinet depth for hampers in place of hanging section.
First draft:
