Starting with the dream

Even though I looked at approximately five bazillion house plans on the Internet/in magazines/in books, I never found the perfect one. I think it's probably easier to find a plan when your options are limited. If you're building on a regular city lot, with a street in front and a backyard in back, well, you just look for a plan that you like and there you go.

But when you're building in a field where there are views out every window, when you know that to the south will be where the girls will play, to the east is where the gorgeous sun will be rising, to the north is the fruit orchard, and to the west is where the garden is growing--it's a lot harder coming up with plan.

A lot.

To complicate matters slightly, there is the whole "having a budget" and wanting to minimize our carbon footprint. It's enough to make my head spin.

Ultimately we knew we'd just have to hire someone to draw up plans for us. We interviewed a few different designers and chose the guy who specializes in Bungalow style homes--as opposed to the guy who specialized in Modern but said he could design Craftsman because "it's not that hard." Even though we're leaning more towards the Craftsman style than the Bungalow style, they have enough commonalities that we knew we would be speaking the same language.

We talked with Todd, our designer, and I pulled out The File that holds all the ideas and dreams that I've been storing up for ten years. Ten years of magazine pull sheets, ten years of sketching, ten years of determining what exactly I wanted in a house. Of course, a lot of ideas have been thrown out over the years because what I liked ten years ago isn't necessarily what I like today. And after living in my own house for seven years I have learned what works and what doesn't.

What doesn't work?

• A laundry room in the garage. I hate this about our house, but I have had THREE men visit our house and mention what a great idea it is to have a laundry room in the garage. Yeah, boys, you can do my laundry for me when it's 25 degrees in the garage.
• Hanging cabinets in the kitchen that obstruct our view. We couldn't tear them out though because we wouldn't have any place to store our plates otherwise.
• Carpet in the dining room. We managed it for five and half years and then finally replaced it with wood floors (LOVE THEM).

Other than that, we really like our house. All 1440 square feet of it. I honestly could live here for the rest of my life, but moving to the Family Farm is where we're headed. There are pluses and minuses to moving, but right now I'm focusing on the pluses (because the biggest minus is leaving town, and can't think about that right now). It's exciting, but also nerve wracking, trying to decide what you want a house to have. A house that you will more than likely live in for the rest of your life. We want to make smart decisions that we won't regret as soon as we move into the house. Decisions like:

• Having a kitchen island, with bar stools, where the kids can eat
• Having barn doors separate the office from the dining room (I'll have to scan the picture I have...it's one of the things I'm most looking forward to)
• Having a pantry
• Having a master bedroom on the main floor with an old-fashioned claw foot tub in the master bathroom
• Having lots and lots of built-in bookshelves
• Having an interior wall for the piano
• Not having areas that will be hard to clean

Last week we got some preliminary designs, and we've been poring over them every day. We're still trying to decide which direction the front of the house should face (we're thinking west), and then also decide where to put the garage and driveway. The biggest issue right now is square footage. We love what Todd came up with, but we could never afford it. Without a basement it's almost 3000sf, and we are tentatively planning on putting in a basement even though concrete has skyrocketed in cost. I'd rather not have a house payment that prevents us from ever going on vacation. Or, you know, buying food.

Nevertheless, a dream starts somewhere. Best to start big and then tailor it back from there. When Rachel was over earlier this week, we brainstormed about house possibilities and things that work and don't work (as Sawyer and Sydney played and reminded me that I TOTALLY want a place for kids to play that isn't my living room!). It's good being able to bounce ideas around with someone else, and hear from others about house features they love or wish they could change.

So...in the spirit of gathering wisdom, I'm asking for advice.

Even though I know that people live differently in their homes, I'd love to hear what features you love/hate about your house. Things like: is it really worth it to have two sinks in the master bathroom? Is having a sink in the kitchen island something you wish you had, or couldn't live without? Do you think a mud room needs to be separate from the laundry room? Do you think the laundry room should go upstairs with most of the bedrooms (a big debate in our house right now because our main floor needs square footage trimmed off, but I feel panicked about the very thought of putting the laundry room so far away from the kitchen)? If we end up having three kids, what sized bedroom is optimal for sharing (we had planned on three bedrooms--plus ours--but that will probably have to be trimmed down)?

Here's your chance to impart your housely wisdom on a very receptive person. No idea is a bad one. Except carpet in the bathroom...that's a bad idea. Otherwise, I'm taking it all in.

*****

(c) 2008 Creature Bug. All rights reserved.

Comments

[amy wood]

How exciting! We have a craftsman and I love it! One of the things I love the most is the wide open archways going into each room. They have cool cutouts in them. Maybe I can find a picture and send it to you. I think laundry on the same floor as the bedrooms is a great idea. Or if you do decide on a basement, we have ours in the basement with a laundry chute on the main floor. That's handy and the laundry mess is always out of the way. A playroom would be awesome! If you had a playroom then the bedrooms wouldn't have to be so big. I've always wanted an island with a sink! I can't wait to see the final product!

[Inkling]

Yes, playroom is the best thing about our house. It keeps the toys corralled so the bedrooms don't get cluttered--and then you can fit two kids in a room easily. I love having the laundry room next to the bedrooms, but I find I do not fold clothes in there--I fold them on beds, even though I have counter space. It's too isolated. I think two sinks is definitely worth it, because one slows mornings down, and I think above all, a bar with NOTHING on it is essential--perfect for serving at parties, easy to clean, and opens the kitchen up. You know I love my house. Bad things: plumbing upstairs that can be heard in the living room. Sliding glass doors to the backyard (dirt in the tracks, I wish we had French doors). Windows too high to clean easily that birds fly into. A stairway that is too wide for a baby gate. Egad, I didn't know I had so much to say! I'd love to see your plan.

[The Peilas]

May we suggest prefab? http://www.fabprefab.com/
http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/fablisthome.htm

and
http://www.mkd-arc.com/

much greener then traditional construction.
Cheaper too, only problem is it's a bit in the modernist asthetic, which
we love, but not everone does..

make sure to check out the breezehouse..

[The Peilas]

forgot these links.. ooops

http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/fablist/146-Breezehouse-fablist/sunsetbreezehouseMay05-interior.htm

[Amy]

Since we just remodeled our house, I have LOTS of ideas. Our house is very modern and the thing I really love about the floor plan is that the kitchen is open to the dining room, family room and living room. We entertain a lot, and no matter where people are hanging out, I can still talk to them even when I'm cooking. Our house is 2700 square feet which is plenty big for the 4 of us. We even have a guest room and guest bath which is great since I have so much family out of town. I would say if you can at all do it, build the basement. I wish wish wish wish we could have afforded to do that. As for kids rooms, that's the part of the house that we didnt touch, so one is 11 x 12 and the other is 12 x 13 (I think.) They don't share, but since I'm currently pregnant eventually one of them will. (I really want to keep the guest room due to the aforementioned family. Probably once they are teenagers I'll have to give it up). I think that size room, esp the smaller one, is pretty small for sharing. Bunk beds work, but it's hard to fit two twin beds, esp. trying to work around closets and windows. And the problem with bunk beds is the climbing up and down in the night to use the bathroom. Plus changing bunk bed sheets is a nightmare!
One thing that has been a huge problem for us is the heat. We cheaped out and used our old system which is really not big enough for this size house. Also we only have one thermostat, and the temperature upstairs is at least 10 degrees warmer than downstairs. Its very difficult to change that once the house is built.
What else? Oh, I don't have a laundry room, I just have a closet for the washer and dryer in a hallway and this is actually no big deal. If you want to save on space you might try something like that. We don't have a mud room either, but then again, we don't have a lot of mud in Socal! Double sinks are definitely necessarily for the master bath. I"m not a bath person so we just did a huge fancy shower in the master which saved a lot of space too, but it sounds like you like your baths!
Good luck, it all sounds really exciting! F

[Kimberly]

We are looking at plans right now, and the deal breaker for me is if the laundry room is up stairs with the bedrooms. I grew up in a house where we had to go up and down the stairs with baskets of laundry and it stunk! Just imagine being 8.75 months pregnant and hauling laundry up and down the stairs.
A play room is a must! That is the other thing we are looking for right now.
As for the two sinks in the master, hmm are ou guys ever getting ready at exactly the smae time doing exactly the same thing? I wouldn;t worry about it if you need some budget room.
And my final opinion (aren't you glad you asked) is that our laundry room has turned into our mud room and I hate it. If by chance I have not put all the laundry away it turns into dirty clean clothes.

Just a thought.

How exciting for you!

Kim

[Nathan]

I do architecture...not an expert.

Think about which rooms you will spend the most time in? Think about the way you want things...not what will impress others.

Windows and views won't be as important after a few months.

Mud room by the laundry is better. Laundry near the bedrooms or on the same floor.
Get the kitchen way close to garage.
No to two sinks...give you more room for bathroom/closet/etc.

I'm sure it'll be a great house if you've done that much research.

Cheers.

[Kim]

The thing I LOVE about our home is the laundry on the second floor. It's not an official laundry room, simply an oversized walk-in closet in the hallway. Just enough room to walk in, store baskets of clothes out of sight as I'm working on them, and close the door! However, if you have your bedroom on the first floor, you will still be traveling up and down the stairs with your personal laundry. The kitchen towels are easy to transport, and there are fewer loads of those to run.

[=^..^=]

We have a 4000 sq ft craftsman and it's a bit too big for me. Lots of places to clean - no time to do it. Our previous house had the laundry room upstairs and I loved it. Easy to put everything back where it goes without climbing stairs to do it. With the laundry downstairs now, clean things just get piled on the stairs and sometimes, before the kids have actually taken their pile upstairs, they've worn all of the clean clothes from the pile and the "clean clothes" they wear FROM the pile are usually covered in cat hair. I'm sure all of the teachers at school think I'm a terrible mother. But it's all because of the stupid washer being downstairs.

Yes, if your wash room is downstairs - MAKE IT A SEPARATE ROOM FROM YOUR MUDROOM....unless you enjoy removing piles of debris from the top of your washer before you can use it. The appliances become a "catch all" for anything anyone has in their hands when they come in.

[Alida]

This is an actually list of must haves I've complied for our soon(1-2 years)to be master suite.

1. bench seating in the shower (so I can shave my legs comfortably) made out of whatever tile we choose for the shower.

2. Bidet or bidet seat on toilet. (trust me on this one.)

3. Tankless water heater. Able to heat 3 gallons per minute, run two shower and the dishwasher simultaneously...oh yeah, plus a very green option.

4. toilet that mounts to the wall not the floor. Very easy to clean around and (gasp) underneath.

5. Separate compartment for the toilet.

6. Walk in closet with plenty of lighting and room to dress in.

Things I love about our newly remodeled kitchen.

1. The coffee area.
2. Very nice work triangle
3. Counters, counters, counters

Things I love about my home.

1. The views
2. The fireplaces

I'm so excited for you guys. This is so awesome. Best of luck to you guys, what a great adventure!

[Jess]

Wow, barn doors and a claw-foot tub and built-in bookshelves? It sounds absolutely beautiful! Can't wait to see your ideas! My parents built their second house in 2002 and I think it's wonderful. My mom has a sunroom with two walls that are all windows and it's my second-favorite room in the house. My favorite is the cathedral-ceiling living room with a fireplace built using stones from their property. Again, one wall is all windows.

I'd love to get together if you're in town in June! Yay!

[Jess]

Wow, barn doors and a claw-foot tub--*and* built-in bookshelves!?! It sounds absolutely beautiful! Can't wait to see your pictures! My parents built their second house in 2002 and I think it's wonderful. My mom has a sunroom with two walls that are all windows and it's my second-favorite room in the house. My favorite is the cathedral-ceiling living room with a fireplace of stones from their property. Again, one wall is all windows. The whole house is very open and light and airy.

I'd love to get together if you're in town in June! Yay!

[Margaret]

Our house is about 2200 square feet and is just right for us. Cosy yet roomy enough that we can all have our own space. As I sit in our den on the computer, I can hear Alison playing the piano passionately in the living room. I like two sinks in the master bathroom; we have that, and it does come in handy at times. We have a bonus room which is the kids' family room--games, a computer, books, a futon (for friends to sleep over) a TV/VCR. I don't have a kitchen island though so I can't comment on that. The property sounds fantastic!! I can't wait to hear how this develops.

[Cathy]

Hey Steph,

I would definitely opt for the laundry room on the second floor, even though it was a bit of a strech (new concept) when we built our house again. Think about it--the only laundry that you generate from downstairs are the kitchen towels and wash cloths. Another feature that we love was the separate toliet/tub/shower and sink and mirror area in our kids bathroom. One could be showering, but the other still could be getting ready without having to wait for a portion of the bathroom. We did not put double sinks in the master bath because I was a stay-at-home mom when we built the house so Arlen and I got ready at different times and we thought we could use that space differently. It is a big regret now that we are both members of the workforce. One more MAJOR regret is that we cut the fireplace in the family room to save money. Hope this helps. Cathy

[Cathy]

Oh--one more thing--we upsized every window in the house. Never underestimate how little light we get here in the Northwest during the winter! CE

[Karen]

I come to leave a message and then get caught up in all the other thoughts, I lose time!!! So I came straight here!

Think about were you want the light switches. I know sounds funny. But seriously!! This house drives me nuts. I have to walk all over rooms to get the lights on....and the placement of electrical outlets....just a thought!! :)

I do have to echo the thoughts of the others about the laundry. Ours is as you enter through the garage...the floor gets dirty fast, so if I drop somethign I have to think. Do I need to rewash it??? But I do LOVE having it inside!!!! Upstairs would be WONDERFUL!! Out of site of most visiters...oh, just lovely.

I think placement of windows is important too. You want to be able to peek at the kids while your moving around the house...

Did I say we are going to miss you?? But we aren't thinking that yet, right!!

[ally bean]

We had our home built nine years ago and are now in the process of having the kitchen redone. That is where we cheaped things out by taking a builder grade planned kitchen. It has been a bust-- poorly organized with shabby cabinets and mediocre appliances. Hence, the redo with a certified kitchen planner and speciality remodeling company.

Things no one has mentioned that we like are: interior doors with extra sound proofing in them-- insulation within all the interior walls as a form of soundproofing and way to reduce utility costs-- a screened-in porch.

And, as one final note, I'd never put a laundry room on the second floor because I know no one who has liked it there. Here is what I've been told. Unless your floor is reinforced the washer will shake the floor/ceiling when it spins dry. And if by chance, the washer leaks, there is a mess to have repaired. And if you like to hang anything outside to dry you have to drag the wet something downstairs and then back up again.

Our laundry room is also our mud room and is between the garage and the kitchen. It is perfect there for us.

Oh, and two sinks in the master bath-- definitely.

[Cousin Donnelle]

You probably heard me say this a million times, and I don't know if your budget will allow for it, but I love our play room upstairs, you know, AWAY from the living room where we watch TV. Way Good Idea. I also love our great room layout on the main floor. The only thing about our house I don't love is the small living room, but it was one of those sacrificies we made. Love, Donnelle

[Aunt Jane]

Yes to 2 sinks in master bath.
No to sink in kitchen island.
Bathroom close to outside door for kids to run in from outside. grownups too.
Laundry room near kitchen.
Love having master bedroom on main floor.
Love the hardwood floors.

[Ariadne]

You are very lucky to be able to design your own home. I will probably be renting for a very very long time, and every apartment seems to have at *least* one or two terribly inconvenient aspects to its design (eg, ceiling heating, ceiling lamps at tall-person eye-level, or ovens so small you can't even fit a large pizza inside). :)

My design contribution: a whiskey and chocolate cabinet, preferably somewhere the kiddies can't reach. ;)