I like the kitchen prep area.
I’d extend the laundry room into the dead-end hallway. I’d also consider bumping the laundry room into the primary bathroom by 1-2 feet. I spend a lot of time in my narrow laundry room and wish it was wider. The machines never sit as far back as they do on a floor plan view.
So the dimensions you show with the arrows are incorrect. Most of those openings are 42”, tops. Countless people on this sub talk about liking their island to not have appliances or sinks. Just one solid work area. No heat, no splashes. I shifted your island out a bit to get to 48”. I shifted the dining table to the right so it wouldn’t be bisected by the ceiling height change. I moved the oven into the prep area. I would make the area to the left a butlers pantry with counter to ceiling glass doors. You have plenty of other storage.
I completely reworked your entryway and guest room area. It was going to be really unattractive to walk in and have closets on either side with two doors directly ahead. Now you have two wider walls where you can hang art or put an entry table. I made the guest room more of a second master. This will be nice if you ever become unable to do stairs. It’s not ADA, so you’d have to decide if you wanted to figure that out. It could probably be done if you give up your bar area in the game room for a roll in shower. You could extend into the bedroom but you’d probably need to move the toilet to get a bigger shower. Even as is, I’d do a zero entry shower in there.
https://preview.redd.it/xkrm6ohnmi8d1.png?width=2388&format=png&auto=webp&s=f29e2272f78d95e67927c66ead07ebe22db182c4
This redraw fixes my biggest issue with the original plan, which is the weird almost-ensuite downstairs. I think you could take it a bit further and bump the now-ensuite into the space where the sink is in the game room, and move from the enclosed sink to a half-depth counter all along that wall with a sink in it, adding some bar features, lower-cabinet storage (games! snacks!), and a place for people to set their drinks while they're shooting pool.
Most of my other nits are small details. For example, I'd place the pool entrance directly across from the game room sliders instead of askew. And I would use double-width paving stones along the back wall instead of square—if you have too narrow a walkway, people will have the choice of either rubbing against the wall or walking on the grass. And pay attention to your corners to make sure they're paved for how people naturally want to walk, to avoid creating "convenience paths" in your grass accidentally.
Finally, I don't think you actually have the necessary space for two chairs in the water courtyard as pictured. If you extend the third horizontal paving stone (the one with the "water courtyard" label) to the right, then that should be enough for a comfortable space with both chairs and space to get in and out.
Thanks for this! These changes make a lot of sense. I like the idea of an island as a work area only. But moving the stove where you have it creates a bad work triangle.
I like your rework of the entryway, and making the guest room more of a second master.
Surprisingly, a straight line is the most efficient set up for a kitchen and it should go fridge, sink, stove because you take food from the fridge to the sink to wash/trim before taking it to the stove. Just think of it as a very flat triangle. What you could also do is just have a smaller prep sink in the island, but three sinks just seems excessive. If you wanted to reduce the flex room, you could swing the fridge onto the wall facing the island. So. Much. Counter space.
https://preview.redd.it/i5w5oicmfk8d1.png?width=2388&format=png&auto=webp&s=27b3c68a3651dfe74a671b71768500e7c6e9ec77
A few things I’d consider:
Your entryway is unnecessarily large, and it opens to a view of bathrooms.
The game room will be NOISY. Consider swapping it with the flex room, so the noise can be contained by a door.
Speaking of noise, the “open to below” area will mean sound will travel and may be a nuisance.
I don’t trust the scale of some of the furniture — that dining table seems especially narrow compared to the couch, for example. I would double check the accuracy.
The kitchen counter and island end too close to the exterior wall leading to the covered patio. That will cause bottlenecks with your traffic flow.
A 5000 sq ft house with only four bedrooms seems odd to me.
If you (or a future buyer) ever want to age in place, get rid of the enclosed toilets. And if you keep the enclosed toilets, at least add a small sink.
This is honestly pretty good. It's a great starting point for an architect to refine down into something that works really well.
There are lots of minor things that I could nit-pick but a competent architect will do that for you so there's not much point. If you have the budget to build a house like this then you have the budget to hire a really good one.
Conceptually this works, you have good instincts.
Exactly my thoughts. If a client brought this to me, I'd have an easy starting place. I'd refine the main level guest suite, kitchen, and a few clearances here and there, but it is pretty solid overall, would make a great house to live in, and depending on the finish materials chosen could be quite a showstopper.
Also - don't mind the nay-sayers on the exterior design. I think it looks great. Not everyone enjoys a simple modern aesthetic. And it's actually quite difficult to organize an interior plan to work well with a window layout that is so precise and symmetrical.
As specific comments, a house this size should have a proper walk-in pantry. When planning laundry rooms, plan for units that are 27-28" wide and 32-34" deep, then leave 6-8" space behind them for the dryer ducting. That means you need 40-42" minimum depth, plus minimum 36-42" clearance out front of the machines. If you really need/want a laundry room with less depth then you have to plan for high-end built-in counter-depth units that fit in a standard 24" base cabinet run of counters. Dryers are ventless. Some people love these machines, some people hate them. You also have that large flat roof area above the game room... I'd probably look at moving the primary suite over to this side so it can have a large outdoor space. Or just change around the layout of the two secondary bedrooms so that there is hallway access to the area at least.
anyway, great job, have fun refining your concept!
I have a comment about the bedrooms: they're not very flexible. That is, there's so many fixed elements (doors in particular) that there's only one place to put the bed and then ... nothing.
I feel like the house is generally cavernous. Huge square footage but no features. I'm not a fan of such open-plan spaces because I don't find them practical (family of five).
All that open space means you've severely limited your storage options. You've had to dedicate 600sqft to a storage room which risks being a junk room within weeks.
Have a think about where stuff lives in this house - yes the obvious coffee machine and bikes, but also Christmas decorations and bed linen and tennis rackets and winter coats and swimsuits and towels and books and charger cables and fancy glasses and so on.
As someone also in a family of 5 I think that there is limited storage as well in such a big space. I suggested pantry area, they thought they have a lot of cupboards (lots of storage stuff in kitchens/pantries aren't just for small cupboards-think small appliances that aren't used much, etc). Storage, summer stuff, winter stuff, sports stuff, a donation bin, recycling, all those types of things need space. If I were designing a house I would look at storage first lol
The storage comment feels a bit nit picky. The plan has coat closets, linen closets, and kitchen cabinets which would take care of the linens, coats, towels, and glasses. Most people store their Christmas decor in a storage area like the basement. Books often are on bookshelves that just might not be featured in the furniture, swimsuits in dressers, and charger cables in bedside tables or drawers elsewhere in the house. The house has space for all of those things.
My general opinion is that furniture goes against walls, particularly storage furniture. When you eliminate walls, you reduce storage options. It's just something to have in mind in the early stages of planning.
I think this is really nice.
My only thoughts are about the two bedrooms upstairs… is there a reason why the upper left hand space is just a roof?
If you are willing to build on that roof space, I’d push the bedrooms into that space, and put the bathrooms/closets between the bedrooms for a bit of sound insulation between the 2 rooms.
I’m assuming these two rooms are for teens and/or young adults? If so… not sharing a wall will provide a bit more privacy.
Edit: here’s a (very crude) visual of what I’m talking about, which also includes a shared balcony for the kids. Also, corrected “upper right” to “upper left”, which is what o meant.
https://preview.redd.it/jbnj67dvni8d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a989344dec5b39875eccfcd4a315954632de231
Thanks for the feedback. I could build on the roof space. The sound insulation is a good idea. The shared balcony is an interesting idea, but it would look directly into my neighbor's bedroom window.
The balcony is just an extra idea for fun… not at all mandatory. I’m operating under the assumption that you have teens/young-adults so I thought it might be nice for them to have a private outdoor space (though chances are they or their friends would use it to smoke weed at some point, so depending on how you feel about it, that may or may not be a good idea).
My thinking with spaces like this is always that children are having to live with their parents much longer than they used to due to the COL being so high… a lot of adult children will live with their parents well into their 20’s in order to save and get a start in life. So once you’re talking about full grown adults all sharing a home… having generous, private spaces is a huge godsend in terms of making the situation comfortable for everyone.
Amazing initiative. Sensible layout.
Skipped the butlers pantry?
I found that some single storey plans have two ensuites these days.
That downstairs bedroom by the game room would be acting as the guest room, I assume?
I think larger windows on the facade would be more aesthetic unless the current number is significant?
Might want to consider adding a half bath in the basement and maybe a small sitting area when you get to the top of the stairs on the second floor over looking the living area below. Great layout thought!
Interested to see the outdoor infrastructure/ pool house as well. But looks very livable. Is there a view from the roof deck? If not, you might want to focus your attention on more convenient outdoor space
I think this a great start. I can tell you’ve thought a lot about it and have done some research.
I might would change the look of the windows on the outside. But I don’t hate it as it is now. I think this looks good!
I think the first floor looks pretty good, as does the basement (though I'd add a powder room down there if possible). The second floor could definitely use a few tweaks though.
First, Instead of having extra hallway leading to your laundry room, you could instead have a longer laundry room with extra counter space for folding and additional storage. Second, instead of giving each of the smaller bedrooms a cramped ensuite bathroom, create one larger hallway accessible bathroom for those bedrooms to share. This setup would also eliminate the need for the head of either bed to share a wall with the bathrooms.
Below is an image showing the improved laundry room and four ideas for a two bedroom, single bathroom configuration. Note that the bedroom and bathroom setups for A&C are interchangeable.
https://preview.redd.it/kt2jhj295k8d1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=17a3ddcde6d4f554bad579fa00036a52c3b2517c
Thanks. Your change to the laundry area makes senese.
I want each bedroom to be ensuite. This is definitely the trend in new homes where I live. However, I could expand out over the roof area to make things less cramped.
Having an ensuite in every bedroom is definitely trendy right now! To me personally, they don't seem very practical (not necessary for the number of people living in the house, more to clean, smells coming into bedrooms), but you should do what you want with your house and it sounds like you really like them.
Expanding over the roof area sounds like a good way to keep the ensuites without them being so cramped. You could also try flipping the master to the other side or shrinking it. I'd suggest playing around with using reach-in closets instead of walk-ins because they usually provide an equal or greater amount of storage space within less square footage.
A few observations no particular order...
The front windows in the 3D rendering show quite generous reveals, but these are not shown on the plan
There is a general lack of differentiation between internal and external walls. Making this distinction will make the plans read more clearly and lend a sense of credibility to the scheme
There are very few WCs for a house this size, and in particular guest WCs of which there is only one, on the 1st floor. I think there should be at least one other that might go in the basement for people using the cinema. One could also go in the laundry room on the second floor for use by people using the roof terrace.
This is a big, quite expensive-looking house arranged principally over three floors - not counting the roof terrace. I'm surprised there is no lift which would make it suitable for all generations who might live here or visit. I think it would be a shame if a wheelchair user had to miss out on the cinema, especially if everyone else is going down there. It's not clear from the drawings whether a wheelchair user can get to the front door of the house. A lift will also help with cleaning, enabling equipment to be moved between floors as necessary
I think there might be scope for a staff flat in the basement with perhaps two bedrooms. Having a nanny living on site is clearly advantageous and it seems a shame that while there's space in the basement footprint for this, it's not being used. There would be scope to have light wells down the left flank of the house to provide natural light and ventilation. If you have a lift in the building the laundry room could be moved to the basement and better use made of the second floor space it currently occupies.
If you have the time and inclination I suggest you read any of the essays in Colin Rowe's book, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa which you can access online here: [https://archive.org/details/mathematicsofide0000rowe/page/n10/mode/1up?q=transparancy](https://archive.org/details/mathematicsofide0000rowe/page/n10/mode/1up?q=transparancy)
I think I will add a WC in the basement. I like the idea of having an elevator - a number of people have suggested that. I'm not sure yet how I could incorporate it in the existing design. I will check out those essays. Thanks
Honestly if it’s a dream house add an elevator. Carrying groceries up from the garage will get old fast also an elevator makes it easier to age in place unless you plan on only living on the first floor. My aunt was confined to a wheel chair towards the end of her life and when she would come stay with us we had to wheel her up a big hill to the back yard to bring her in through the door wall cause we couldn’t carry her up from the basement garage to the first floor, the front steps were also a no go. Elevator would have made our lives so much easier.
My parents eventually had to sell because they could no longer do the stairs.
Not in the existing design but the best spot for it.I would enclose the small area of the fountain to the right of the chairs it’s the perfect spot cause in the basement it’s in the garage, opens on the first floor into the flex room close to the kitchen and, opens into the hallway near the laundry room on the second floor. The only place it won’t take you is the roof deck.
Not a great drawing but you get the idea hopefully.
https://preview.redd.it/xu4711wh7n8d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e04a4cdbd9d570cff7c2614ef78e635c4d6baa1a
Thanks for that suggestion. Yep, that is about the only place I could put it. I don't like that is reduces the size of the courtyard. Also not sure if it would look strange and unbalanced on the front elevation.
Yes it might look off balance but you could always pull the second floor forward to match but you’d have to support it . Also I think the convenience of having an elevator is worth it being off balance.
I'm in the process of designing my dream home. My plan involves tearing down the existing 1950s colonial house to make way for a new, modern residence.
I haven't hired an architect yet, as I want to try my hand at designing it myself first to ensure it includes the features most important to me. My vision is for a home that exudes tranquility and relaxation, has a good flow for entertaining, and is flexible enough to accommodate our evolving family needs.
The property consists of a 20,000 sq ft lot with a tennis court, swimming pool, pool house, and city views to the north and east.
I would greatly appreciate feedback on the floor plan. Anything you would change, add or remove? Thank you.
I would add solid doors to the game room. If one set of people are playing a loud game, and one set of people want to use the living room, you are both going to annoy each other.
You might want to plan where packages will be left outside by Amazon, FedEx etc. Consider making a spot that is out of sight from the street. Also, trash and recycling cans need a home.
Where is the pantry? If your forever home put in an elevator. Perhaps lot grade but garage on separate floor from main level is a pain. Up the stairs with groceries.
The courtyard is my favorite part. I also want a nice courtyard with some type of stream going on. I don't like your elevations though... you need more architectural elements.
I’m speechless. This is a beautiful dream home. My only note is that the outside could use some character (comes off sterile/office building). But the inside is a chef’s kiss.
Some spaces are unnecessarily large while others are tight. The entry area is massive while the laundry is tight. I’d think about how you’ll use the space daily make the laundry room larger by expanding into the hall and the master bath. (Move the makeup vanity to the opposite wall between the dual sinks. Slip the tub into an expanded shower area all behind a glass wall.) this will give you enough space that you could actually move in the laundry area and sort/fold clothes right in the space. I’d also add a door directly into the master closet so that you can go between them effortlessly. Did this in my house and it was a game changer. Even added hooks near the laundry bins in my closet to hang items that have been worn but don’t need to be washed. I no longer have any loose clothes in my bedroom. The half bath on main floor is redundant IMO. Rooftop deck is brilliant. Love the elevation and the water feature at the front entry. And the kitchen/prep space flowing into the family and dining areas is among the best I’ve seen. I’d probably shrink the square footage down 20% overall because you could get everything you have and reduce construction and operating costs without loosing much value in the home. 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼
A few main thoughts:
* The “open to below” is a real waste I feel. Could easily be another bedroom while eliminating all the noise that’ll travel and also it’ll be incredibly hard to cool your upstairs if you have such a huge open space
* The living room+ktichen+game room+dining room is too open concept for me. Noise will travel so much and your game room really won’t be enjoyable. I’d consider putting up a full wall to the game room so you can also flex it as another bedroom to future buyers
* There is a lot of open space in weird places. Everyone mentioned the entry way but the downstairs bedroom has a super odd open space where you basically are in a mini-room that leads to two bathrooms? Why not combine them and make a larger closet with the extra space?
* The upstairs extra bedrooms don’t need to have a bathroom each I feel and it would save you so much extra cleaning time to just combine to make one shareable bathroom
* Everyone commented but the entry way should be moved to enter into the main house instead of a weird empty space looking at two bathrooms.
Overall though, better design than half the ones submitted on here!
Thanks for the feedback. The vaulted ceilings will have a dramatic effect since there are mountain views to the north. Good point on the noise and cooling issues.
I'm reworking the entry and downstairs bathroom to address those issues.
Ensuite bathrooms for each bedroom seem to be the trend, at least where we live. I wouldn't want to hurt future resale value by not having them.
Not trying to sound lazy, but as someone who lives in a home where there’s stairs from the garage to the living area, hauling groceries gets really old really fast. If you’re spending that much $ I’d say try to put in a dumb waiter somewhere to help with that. Preferably big enough for a box from Costco. They’re not lined up yet but somehow going from mud room to butlers pantry to laundry room would work really well.
That's an interesting suggestion, thanks. I'm trying to add a 3 stop elevator to the plan. If that doesn't work, this would be a good alternative. I will post my updated plan soon.
My only feedback is around the office. Most of this depends on whether you work from home/need privacy or quiet when you work.
I work from home full time and my first house had the office by the entryway and it was not fun. Granted I also have kids. Just a word of caution, if you need solitude while you work that set up is tricky. My office now is at the back of the house and it has made a world of difference.
Yep - that was just one of my “you don’t know until you live it” pieces of advice. I see a lot of floor plans with offices by the entryway and never thought twice about it until I had to work from one. It most work for most, but lord, it was a disaster for me.
Second floor master has 2 needless doors on way to bath. First floor bedroom has needless hallway and extra door to bathroom when a powder room is adjacent for public access. The look of the building is of course subjective, but not residential looking at all.
Stairways are more interesting and arguably safer when not in a long continuous 'fall of death' length.
Stairs up from garage into living area is a deal breaker for me. 5k sq ft is a lot/silly. I could pick this apart for days but everyone else is doing well.
I would swap the kitchen and front first floor bedroom/office. The south side of the house gets the most light and if you put computer screens in that room as depicted you are going to have to draw the shades all day.
Also the gameroom on floor1 and the basement theater seem redundant.
Having to cross a water courtyard to get to the front door will be confusing and uninviting for visitors.
Cleaning the windows on the stairs will be extremely difficult and scary.
The noise from the game room will make conversation in the living room very difficult.
I would not put the stove on the island unless you are doing cooking demonstrations for guests. In fact the whole kitchen work triangle could be better worked out.
Sure- but offset and downsize your sink. This will be your prep sink not your scullery sink. The scullery sink will be in the pantry. No dirty dishes on your island.
Is your dream home required to be on a sloped property?
Personal taste, but I prefer to have my parking and living areas on the same level. Even in your dreams, you're going to get very tired of hauling everything from the garage to the kitchen...
I'd consider swapping the garage and the flex room... Put your gym in the basement/lower level, redo the entry to allow for a main level garage and owner entry.
IMO open to below areas are expensive to heat/cool and every single noise from the first floor goes to the second visa versa. Lived in one and hated it. Not cozy. There was no way to make the family room cozy.
IF there is a car fire in the garage, you are for sure cutoff from that garage side door and possibly cutoff on the stairway because it leads up over the garage. Especially if your watching a movie in the home theater with doors shut, and the EV's are having a BBQ while charging. Good luck getting out alive.
Stacked washer and dryer with a utility sink for your mudroom? Don’t drag the mess through your house.
At 5000 square feet and three floors, you may want to consider an elevator. Carrying groceries, being in a wheelchair, crutches, or injured makes this house a task and a half.
Recommend you reconsider the laundry room location because of the noise and vibration. Basement location might suit you better.
Also make sure you can get the home theater furniture through the doors.
It looks like an office building.
I thought medical centre, but yes it doesn't look residential to me.
Yes, suburban offices of some sort.
Came here to say the same thing!
“Hello. I’m checking in for my cataract surgery. Do I have the right place?”
Agree. The outside is soulless.
Yeah, friending on the zoning rules it might be tough to replace a colonial with a building that looks like this
I had the same thought
Where is the annex with Kelly
I agree the front needs more thought. Trying to get the floor plan right first.
I think that might be fixable with landscaping or some other more homey details?
Came here to say this
I like the kitchen prep area. I’d extend the laundry room into the dead-end hallway. I’d also consider bumping the laundry room into the primary bathroom by 1-2 feet. I spend a lot of time in my narrow laundry room and wish it was wider. The machines never sit as far back as they do on a floor plan view.
Very good point, thanks. I will do that.
Also it could use a pantry!
Our laundry room is too narrow too, if I could go back I would at least double it!
So the dimensions you show with the arrows are incorrect. Most of those openings are 42”, tops. Countless people on this sub talk about liking their island to not have appliances or sinks. Just one solid work area. No heat, no splashes. I shifted your island out a bit to get to 48”. I shifted the dining table to the right so it wouldn’t be bisected by the ceiling height change. I moved the oven into the prep area. I would make the area to the left a butlers pantry with counter to ceiling glass doors. You have plenty of other storage. I completely reworked your entryway and guest room area. It was going to be really unattractive to walk in and have closets on either side with two doors directly ahead. Now you have two wider walls where you can hang art or put an entry table. I made the guest room more of a second master. This will be nice if you ever become unable to do stairs. It’s not ADA, so you’d have to decide if you wanted to figure that out. It could probably be done if you give up your bar area in the game room for a roll in shower. You could extend into the bedroom but you’d probably need to move the toilet to get a bigger shower. Even as is, I’d do a zero entry shower in there. https://preview.redd.it/xkrm6ohnmi8d1.png?width=2388&format=png&auto=webp&s=f29e2272f78d95e67927c66ead07ebe22db182c4
This redraw fixes my biggest issue with the original plan, which is the weird almost-ensuite downstairs. I think you could take it a bit further and bump the now-ensuite into the space where the sink is in the game room, and move from the enclosed sink to a half-depth counter all along that wall with a sink in it, adding some bar features, lower-cabinet storage (games! snacks!), and a place for people to set their drinks while they're shooting pool. Most of my other nits are small details. For example, I'd place the pool entrance directly across from the game room sliders instead of askew. And I would use double-width paving stones along the back wall instead of square—if you have too narrow a walkway, people will have the choice of either rubbing against the wall or walking on the grass. And pay attention to your corners to make sure they're paved for how people naturally want to walk, to avoid creating "convenience paths" in your grass accidentally. Finally, I don't think you actually have the necessary space for two chairs in the water courtyard as pictured. If you extend the third horizontal paving stone (the one with the "water courtyard" label) to the right, then that should be enough for a comfortable space with both chairs and space to get in and out.
Good points, thanks!
Thanks for this! These changes make a lot of sense. I like the idea of an island as a work area only. But moving the stove where you have it creates a bad work triangle. I like your rework of the entryway, and making the guest room more of a second master.
Surprisingly, a straight line is the most efficient set up for a kitchen and it should go fridge, sink, stove because you take food from the fridge to the sink to wash/trim before taking it to the stove. Just think of it as a very flat triangle. What you could also do is just have a smaller prep sink in the island, but three sinks just seems excessive. If you wanted to reduce the flex room, you could swing the fridge onto the wall facing the island. So. Much. Counter space. https://preview.redd.it/i5w5oicmfk8d1.png?width=2388&format=png&auto=webp&s=27b3c68a3651dfe74a671b71768500e7c6e9ec77
Yep, that would create a whole lot of counter space.
A few things I’d consider: Your entryway is unnecessarily large, and it opens to a view of bathrooms. The game room will be NOISY. Consider swapping it with the flex room, so the noise can be contained by a door. Speaking of noise, the “open to below” area will mean sound will travel and may be a nuisance. I don’t trust the scale of some of the furniture — that dining table seems especially narrow compared to the couch, for example. I would double check the accuracy. The kitchen counter and island end too close to the exterior wall leading to the covered patio. That will cause bottlenecks with your traffic flow. A 5000 sq ft house with only four bedrooms seems odd to me. If you (or a future buyer) ever want to age in place, get rid of the enclosed toilets. And if you keep the enclosed toilets, at least add a small sink.
Yeah walk in the front door to see a bathroom. Yuck
Thanks for your feedback. Good points. I suppose the office could be counted as a bedroom, but we have no need for more than four bedrooms.
+1. Your entry is almost as large as my living room. Consider French doors in your office especially it’s so close to game room.
You might not, but (thinking about future resale) most people interested in buying a 5,000 square foot home may want/need more than four bedrooms.
how can he reduce the entryway thoug?
I don't really see the point in having a powder room that is right next to a non-ensuite full bath.
Look again. It is en-suite. There’s just an additional unnecessary door from the entrance hallway into the bedroom portion.
This is honestly pretty good. It's a great starting point for an architect to refine down into something that works really well. There are lots of minor things that I could nit-pick but a competent architect will do that for you so there's not much point. If you have the budget to build a house like this then you have the budget to hire a really good one. Conceptually this works, you have good instincts.
Exactly my thoughts. If a client brought this to me, I'd have an easy starting place. I'd refine the main level guest suite, kitchen, and a few clearances here and there, but it is pretty solid overall, would make a great house to live in, and depending on the finish materials chosen could be quite a showstopper. Also - don't mind the nay-sayers on the exterior design. I think it looks great. Not everyone enjoys a simple modern aesthetic. And it's actually quite difficult to organize an interior plan to work well with a window layout that is so precise and symmetrical. As specific comments, a house this size should have a proper walk-in pantry. When planning laundry rooms, plan for units that are 27-28" wide and 32-34" deep, then leave 6-8" space behind them for the dryer ducting. That means you need 40-42" minimum depth, plus minimum 36-42" clearance out front of the machines. If you really need/want a laundry room with less depth then you have to plan for high-end built-in counter-depth units that fit in a standard 24" base cabinet run of counters. Dryers are ventless. Some people love these machines, some people hate them. You also have that large flat roof area above the game room... I'd probably look at moving the primary suite over to this side so it can have a large outdoor space. Or just change around the layout of the two secondary bedrooms so that there is hallway access to the area at least. anyway, great job, have fun refining your concept!
Excellent points, thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for the feedback!
I have a comment about the bedrooms: they're not very flexible. That is, there's so many fixed elements (doors in particular) that there's only one place to put the bed and then ... nothing. I feel like the house is generally cavernous. Huge square footage but no features. I'm not a fan of such open-plan spaces because I don't find them practical (family of five). All that open space means you've severely limited your storage options. You've had to dedicate 600sqft to a storage room which risks being a junk room within weeks. Have a think about where stuff lives in this house - yes the obvious coffee machine and bikes, but also Christmas decorations and bed linen and tennis rackets and winter coats and swimsuits and towels and books and charger cables and fancy glasses and so on.
As someone also in a family of 5 I think that there is limited storage as well in such a big space. I suggested pantry area, they thought they have a lot of cupboards (lots of storage stuff in kitchens/pantries aren't just for small cupboards-think small appliances that aren't used much, etc). Storage, summer stuff, winter stuff, sports stuff, a donation bin, recycling, all those types of things need space. If I were designing a house I would look at storage first lol
The storage comment feels a bit nit picky. The plan has coat closets, linen closets, and kitchen cabinets which would take care of the linens, coats, towels, and glasses. Most people store their Christmas decor in a storage area like the basement. Books often are on bookshelves that just might not be featured in the furniture, swimsuits in dressers, and charger cables in bedside tables or drawers elsewhere in the house. The house has space for all of those things.
My general opinion is that furniture goes against walls, particularly storage furniture. When you eliminate walls, you reduce storage options. It's just something to have in mind in the early stages of planning.
Oh also is the compass misaligned? Because the design seems to ignore it completely.
I think this is really nice. My only thoughts are about the two bedrooms upstairs… is there a reason why the upper left hand space is just a roof? If you are willing to build on that roof space, I’d push the bedrooms into that space, and put the bathrooms/closets between the bedrooms for a bit of sound insulation between the 2 rooms. I’m assuming these two rooms are for teens and/or young adults? If so… not sharing a wall will provide a bit more privacy. Edit: here’s a (very crude) visual of what I’m talking about, which also includes a shared balcony for the kids. Also, corrected “upper right” to “upper left”, which is what o meant. https://preview.redd.it/jbnj67dvni8d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a989344dec5b39875eccfcd4a315954632de231
Thanks for the feedback. I could build on the roof space. The sound insulation is a good idea. The shared balcony is an interesting idea, but it would look directly into my neighbor's bedroom window.
The balcony is just an extra idea for fun… not at all mandatory. I’m operating under the assumption that you have teens/young-adults so I thought it might be nice for them to have a private outdoor space (though chances are they or their friends would use it to smoke weed at some point, so depending on how you feel about it, that may or may not be a good idea). My thinking with spaces like this is always that children are having to live with their parents much longer than they used to due to the COL being so high… a lot of adult children will live with their parents well into their 20’s in order to save and get a start in life. So once you’re talking about full grown adults all sharing a home… having generous, private spaces is a huge godsend in terms of making the situation comfortable for everyone.
Amazing initiative. Sensible layout. Skipped the butlers pantry? I found that some single storey plans have two ensuites these days. That downstairs bedroom by the game room would be acting as the guest room, I assume? I think larger windows on the facade would be more aesthetic unless the current number is significant?
The prep kitchen is a butler’s pantry.
Thank you, I see it now.
Yes, downstairs bedroom would be guest room. I was thinking about that regarding the windows. Thanks.
That's pretty wild man, what does your budget look like?
Doable in nowhere Texas
$2.5-$3M
Might want to consider adding a half bath in the basement and maybe a small sitting area when you get to the top of the stairs on the second floor over looking the living area below. Great layout thought!
Yep, good points. I like the idea of a sitting area on the second floor. Not sure how I can make it fit. I will add the basement half bath.
You could borrow some space from the open to below area, you’ll still get the grand effect of the clear story if you make extend the landing out 7 ft
If I extend the landing out 7 ft more, I will only have a 10 ft open to below area. Is that what you meant?
Interested to see the outdoor infrastructure/ pool house as well. But looks very livable. Is there a view from the roof deck? If not, you might want to focus your attention on more convenient outdoor space
There is a city view to the north and east from the roof deck.
I think this a great start. I can tell you’ve thought a lot about it and have done some research. I might would change the look of the windows on the outside. But I don’t hate it as it is now. I think this looks good!
Thanks! I will change the windows.
I think the first floor looks pretty good, as does the basement (though I'd add a powder room down there if possible). The second floor could definitely use a few tweaks though. First, Instead of having extra hallway leading to your laundry room, you could instead have a longer laundry room with extra counter space for folding and additional storage. Second, instead of giving each of the smaller bedrooms a cramped ensuite bathroom, create one larger hallway accessible bathroom for those bedrooms to share. This setup would also eliminate the need for the head of either bed to share a wall with the bathrooms. Below is an image showing the improved laundry room and four ideas for a two bedroom, single bathroom configuration. Note that the bedroom and bathroom setups for A&C are interchangeable. https://preview.redd.it/kt2jhj295k8d1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=17a3ddcde6d4f554bad579fa00036a52c3b2517c
Thanks. Your change to the laundry area makes senese. I want each bedroom to be ensuite. This is definitely the trend in new homes where I live. However, I could expand out over the roof area to make things less cramped.
Having an ensuite in every bedroom is definitely trendy right now! To me personally, they don't seem very practical (not necessary for the number of people living in the house, more to clean, smells coming into bedrooms), but you should do what you want with your house and it sounds like you really like them. Expanding over the roof area sounds like a good way to keep the ensuites without them being so cramped. You could also try flipping the master to the other side or shrinking it. I'd suggest playing around with using reach-in closets instead of walk-ins because they usually provide an equal or greater amount of storage space within less square footage.
A few observations no particular order... The front windows in the 3D rendering show quite generous reveals, but these are not shown on the plan There is a general lack of differentiation between internal and external walls. Making this distinction will make the plans read more clearly and lend a sense of credibility to the scheme There are very few WCs for a house this size, and in particular guest WCs of which there is only one, on the 1st floor. I think there should be at least one other that might go in the basement for people using the cinema. One could also go in the laundry room on the second floor for use by people using the roof terrace. This is a big, quite expensive-looking house arranged principally over three floors - not counting the roof terrace. I'm surprised there is no lift which would make it suitable for all generations who might live here or visit. I think it would be a shame if a wheelchair user had to miss out on the cinema, especially if everyone else is going down there. It's not clear from the drawings whether a wheelchair user can get to the front door of the house. A lift will also help with cleaning, enabling equipment to be moved between floors as necessary I think there might be scope for a staff flat in the basement with perhaps two bedrooms. Having a nanny living on site is clearly advantageous and it seems a shame that while there's space in the basement footprint for this, it's not being used. There would be scope to have light wells down the left flank of the house to provide natural light and ventilation. If you have a lift in the building the laundry room could be moved to the basement and better use made of the second floor space it currently occupies. If you have the time and inclination I suggest you read any of the essays in Colin Rowe's book, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa which you can access online here: [https://archive.org/details/mathematicsofide0000rowe/page/n10/mode/1up?q=transparancy](https://archive.org/details/mathematicsofide0000rowe/page/n10/mode/1up?q=transparancy)
I think I will add a WC in the basement. I like the idea of having an elevator - a number of people have suggested that. I'm not sure yet how I could incorporate it in the existing design. I will check out those essays. Thanks
Honestly if it’s a dream house add an elevator. Carrying groceries up from the garage will get old fast also an elevator makes it easier to age in place unless you plan on only living on the first floor. My aunt was confined to a wheel chair towards the end of her life and when she would come stay with us we had to wheel her up a big hill to the back yard to bring her in through the door wall cause we couldn’t carry her up from the basement garage to the first floor, the front steps were also a no go. Elevator would have made our lives so much easier. My parents eventually had to sell because they could no longer do the stairs.
I agree. I'm trying to figure out a way to incorporate an elevator into the existing design.
Not in the existing design but the best spot for it.I would enclose the small area of the fountain to the right of the chairs it’s the perfect spot cause in the basement it’s in the garage, opens on the first floor into the flex room close to the kitchen and, opens into the hallway near the laundry room on the second floor. The only place it won’t take you is the roof deck.
Not a great drawing but you get the idea hopefully. https://preview.redd.it/xu4711wh7n8d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e04a4cdbd9d570cff7c2614ef78e635c4d6baa1a
Thanks for that suggestion. Yep, that is about the only place I could put it. I don't like that is reduces the size of the courtyard. Also not sure if it would look strange and unbalanced on the front elevation.
Yes it might look off balance but you could always pull the second floor forward to match but you’d have to support it . Also I think the convenience of having an elevator is worth it being off balance.
Good idea to pull the second floor forward.
I'm in the process of designing my dream home. My plan involves tearing down the existing 1950s colonial house to make way for a new, modern residence. I haven't hired an architect yet, as I want to try my hand at designing it myself first to ensure it includes the features most important to me. My vision is for a home that exudes tranquility and relaxation, has a good flow for entertaining, and is flexible enough to accommodate our evolving family needs. The property consists of a 20,000 sq ft lot with a tennis court, swimming pool, pool house, and city views to the north and east. I would greatly appreciate feedback on the floor plan. Anything you would change, add or remove? Thank you.
I would add solid doors to the game room. If one set of people are playing a loud game, and one set of people want to use the living room, you are both going to annoy each other.
Good point, thanks.
it looks great tbh
You might want to plan where packages will be left outside by Amazon, FedEx etc. Consider making a spot that is out of sight from the street. Also, trash and recycling cans need a home.
Very good point, thanks! Trash and recycling will be on the east side of the house.
Where is the pantry? If your forever home put in an elevator. Perhaps lot grade but garage on separate floor from main level is a pain. Up the stairs with groceries.
We might add a dumb waiter for the groceries.
That's a lot to clean
Maid service
The courtyard is my favorite part. I also want a nice courtyard with some type of stream going on. I don't like your elevations though... you need more architectural elements.
Mine too. Yep, the elevation needs more design work.
I’m speechless. This is a beautiful dream home. My only note is that the outside could use some character (comes off sterile/office building). But the inside is a chef’s kiss.
Thanks lawrenja! I agree the outside needs some work.
That roof top deck screams *hot tub* lol
I like it.
Thanks
Some spaces are unnecessarily large while others are tight. The entry area is massive while the laundry is tight. I’d think about how you’ll use the space daily make the laundry room larger by expanding into the hall and the master bath. (Move the makeup vanity to the opposite wall between the dual sinks. Slip the tub into an expanded shower area all behind a glass wall.) this will give you enough space that you could actually move in the laundry area and sort/fold clothes right in the space. I’d also add a door directly into the master closet so that you can go between them effortlessly. Did this in my house and it was a game changer. Even added hooks near the laundry bins in my closet to hang items that have been worn but don’t need to be washed. I no longer have any loose clothes in my bedroom. The half bath on main floor is redundant IMO. Rooftop deck is brilliant. Love the elevation and the water feature at the front entry. And the kitchen/prep space flowing into the family and dining areas is among the best I’ve seen. I’d probably shrink the square footage down 20% overall because you could get everything you have and reduce construction and operating costs without loosing much value in the home. 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼
Thanks Danoli, excellent suggestions. I made those changes. I'll post my updated floor plan soon.
A few main thoughts: * The “open to below” is a real waste I feel. Could easily be another bedroom while eliminating all the noise that’ll travel and also it’ll be incredibly hard to cool your upstairs if you have such a huge open space * The living room+ktichen+game room+dining room is too open concept for me. Noise will travel so much and your game room really won’t be enjoyable. I’d consider putting up a full wall to the game room so you can also flex it as another bedroom to future buyers * There is a lot of open space in weird places. Everyone mentioned the entry way but the downstairs bedroom has a super odd open space where you basically are in a mini-room that leads to two bathrooms? Why not combine them and make a larger closet with the extra space? * The upstairs extra bedrooms don’t need to have a bathroom each I feel and it would save you so much extra cleaning time to just combine to make one shareable bathroom * Everyone commented but the entry way should be moved to enter into the main house instead of a weird empty space looking at two bathrooms. Overall though, better design than half the ones submitted on here!
Thanks for the feedback. The vaulted ceilings will have a dramatic effect since there are mountain views to the north. Good point on the noise and cooling issues. I'm reworking the entry and downstairs bathroom to address those issues. Ensuite bathrooms for each bedroom seem to be the trend, at least where we live. I wouldn't want to hurt future resale value by not having them.
[удалено]
The eleven televisions boiled my brain.
Not trying to sound lazy, but as someone who lives in a home where there’s stairs from the garage to the living area, hauling groceries gets really old really fast. If you’re spending that much $ I’d say try to put in a dumb waiter somewhere to help with that. Preferably big enough for a box from Costco. They’re not lined up yet but somehow going from mud room to butlers pantry to laundry room would work really well.
That's an interesting suggestion, thanks. I'm trying to add a 3 stop elevator to the plan. If that doesn't work, this would be a good alternative. I will post my updated plan soon.
Can I refill my prescription here ?
Yes, 2nd floor suite 201. Lol
Game room and gym on the main floor? You 16?
nothing wrong with that
Nothing at all!
If you like it, that's all that matters. Reddit isn't going to understand your point of view and inspiration. With that being said, it's an eyesore.
House has no style whatsoever.
5,000 sq ft? Hoping it remains a dream. What a waste. An uninspired waste, at that.
Means nothing without a building section
My only feedback is around the office. Most of this depends on whether you work from home/need privacy or quiet when you work. I work from home full time and my first house had the office by the entryway and it was not fun. Granted I also have kids. Just a word of caution, if you need solitude while you work that set up is tricky. My office now is at the back of the house and it has made a world of difference.
Thanks. The office location is exactly where it is in the current house. Seems to work fine for me, but I don't have young kids.
Yep - that was just one of my “you don’t know until you live it” pieces of advice. I see a lot of floor plans with offices by the entryway and never thought twice about it until I had to work from one. It most work for most, but lord, it was a disaster for me.
Wasted hall space upstairs
Second floor master has 2 needless doors on way to bath. First floor bedroom has needless hallway and extra door to bathroom when a powder room is adjacent for public access. The look of the building is of course subjective, but not residential looking at all. Stairways are more interesting and arguably safer when not in a long continuous 'fall of death' length.
Stairs up from garage into living area is a deal breaker for me. 5k sq ft is a lot/silly. I could pick this apart for days but everyone else is doing well.
I would swap the kitchen and front first floor bedroom/office. The south side of the house gets the most light and if you put computer screens in that room as depicted you are going to have to draw the shades all day. Also the gameroom on floor1 and the basement theater seem redundant.
Having to cross a water courtyard to get to the front door will be confusing and uninviting for visitors. Cleaning the windows on the stairs will be extremely difficult and scary. The noise from the game room will make conversation in the living room very difficult. I would not put the stove on the island unless you are doing cooking demonstrations for guests. In fact the whole kitchen work triangle could be better worked out.
Good points. I'm swapping the stove and sink locations.
Sure- but offset and downsize your sink. This will be your prep sink not your scullery sink. The scullery sink will be in the pantry. No dirty dishes on your island.
That makes sense, thanks.
Is your dream home required to be on a sloped property? Personal taste, but I prefer to have my parking and living areas on the same level. Even in your dreams, you're going to get very tired of hauling everything from the garage to the kitchen... I'd consider swapping the garage and the flex room... Put your gym in the basement/lower level, redo the entry to allow for a main level garage and owner entry.
Yes, it is on a sloped street.
IMO open to below areas are expensive to heat/cool and every single noise from the first floor goes to the second visa versa. Lived in one and hated it. Not cozy. There was no way to make the family room cozy.
Good point, thanks.
IF there is a car fire in the garage, you are for sure cutoff from that garage side door and possibly cutoff on the stairway because it leads up over the garage. Especially if your watching a movie in the home theater with doors shut, and the EV's are having a BBQ while charging. Good luck getting out alive.
Oh my, never thought of that. Hopefully the smoke alarm and fire sprinkler system will give us enough time to get out!
All that money and visible garage doors.
Stacked washer and dryer with a utility sink for your mudroom? Don’t drag the mess through your house. At 5000 square feet and three floors, you may want to consider an elevator. Carrying groceries, being in a wheelchair, crutches, or injured makes this house a task and a half.
Good idea. We have room for it. Looking for a way to add an elevator.
Unusual dream you have there. More toilets than there are bedrooms. Perhaps you should dream of a cure for your families digestive issues.
LOL
I love the fact that it has a deck, the illustration however, doesn't do it for me. Maybe change the windows, add some wood or contrasting textures.
Yep, working on that.
The 5’ between the patio and the tv wall in the Great Room…. seal it up. It’ll give the Game Room a better feel.
Thanks, I'm considering that.
Not sure of your living situation, but guests or kids using the roof deck over the master bedroom could be disruptive.
Good point. I don't think it will be a problem for us.
that garage should be 24 feet wide if you are actually going to park two cars in there.
We currently have the exact same size garage. Seems to work ok for us.
Open to below=more downstairs noise getting to the bedrooms.
For 5000 sqft not much sitting room in the great room. I see other changes that need to be made. I'd rethink why so many diff rooms
No street appeal. Why so many windows? I don't like the windows
Are you a kid? I hope.
Recommend you reconsider the laundry room location because of the noise and vibration. Basement location might suit you better. Also make sure you can get the home theater furniture through the doors.
Why do the bathrooms and closets get the prime real estate (outside corners)? Why is there no sound barrier between the bedrooms?
Good points. I'm reworking the upstairs bedrooms.
Too big to be comfortable
You need more space for kitchen stuff-pantry/butler's pantry.
Lots of storage in the prep area.
lol sure.
Never put your clothes closets in the shitter
Which room is for the sex swing?
The laundry is on the top floor? Doesn't seem do practical? Lots of redundant doors for ensuites. Otherwise it's slick
That’s the floor the clothes live on tho..
Oops. I air dry my stuff outside. Didn't consider you might use a dryer machine.