So you're building your dream house...and....

I'd like to know what it looks like.

I'm more interested in the architecture, room layout, what do you need in a kitchen, etc etc vs location location location.

For us we'd like a few acres up to 10 and still be within an hours drive of a major city. But it's the look of the house where I draw a blank. I have a basic idea but can't envision it fully. And since I have a few years to reach my goal of building it lol, I'd love to play with the idea in a forum discussion here. Perhaps your idea of the perfect house includes something I've not thought of. And well, when it does get built, I'd like to say I considered everything I could before construction. I don't want the expense or regret of having left something out.

Small details may change once we can build custom, as in we won't have tiny tots and babies but growing kids. But even then I think I'd still keep in mind little feet because I'd like to enjoy visits with the grandbabes someday.

I'm thinking since I am a book collector and plan to homeschool a library is a must. I'd like one lined with wall-to-wall books adjoined to a home office (I'd like divide the 2 by pocket doors) and have 2 wooden framed futons in there for the rare overnight guest (no need for a whole guestroom for us!).

I don't need stuffy formal but I do want all the rooms (living room plus dining room) because it's still nice to have a TV in separate living areas when you live with several people to lessen disagreements over what to watch lol, so I like both a living and a familyroom.

I like wood floors throughout main areas and in 1/2 baths, full baths I'm thinking tile. But I don't need it done so fancy that they are heated floors lol.

I like a fireplace but would only need 1 and even then it may be built into the kitchen to actually use for cooking. It's not like we're cozying up to the fireplace here in Texas lol.

I used to think I wanted 2 stories. You've heard the saying---cheaper to build UP than out. But shoot I don't really enjoy stairs. I can't tell you how many up and down treks I make just to put items in their rightful place. If I'm building custom (and for the purpose of this thread don't have to think about the cost) then I want a single story. Now I wouldn't mind a useable attic space with stairs to that behind a nice door, gables off the attic to give more appeal to the house architecture.

I think I like the victorian farmhouse look the most.

I'm not sure if I have a preference over dark polished wood floors or if the pitted and aged look would be better. I definitely prefer carpet in bedrooms.

I don't want a juccuzi tub, have one now and don't like them. I don't need a separate tub/shower. I don't need a clawfoot tub (unless of course I could find one with enough of a slant on the ends to make it comfortable to recline in).

Hmmm....10 foot ceilings yes. Not of fan of the vaulted ceilings or 2 story entry ways. I don't want to paint either thank-you.

Should bedrooms all be on the same side of the house? What should be the first view from the entry door to the back of the house?

I don't want a massively open modern floorplan. I at least prefer half walls or columns to divide areas. I don't want the kitchen competely open, no walls means I have less above cabinet storage.

This is such a messy hodgepodge of ideas. I'm just trying to throw them out there and get them down as they come to me.

Please, share your ideas. Sometimes I can be easily swayed to another viewpoint with some convincing. :)

My Dream House...

A large surrounding porch is a must. Perhaps, all the way around the house. I need to see what's around me.
A kitchen that overlooks the backyard/scenery through large windows. It needs to have soft floors because, as I get older, my feet hurt more. I'm thinking bamboo or some other softer medium. It needs areas for prep work and will include an island work station with a sink.
No 2nd floor. My house will be all one level. I don't care for stairs, either.
A meditation room must be included. A place to unwind for a few minutes or an hour. No books, TV, music, etc. Perhaps a Japanese tea house outside.
A media room. A place to watch movies on a very big screen, play video games, listen to music. Again, no books in that room.
A library. A gentleman's library with leather chairs, art and dark wood paneling on the walls, and Oriental rugs on the floor.

Other than that, I prefer an Asian style of furnishing and layout. But modernized. I don't fancy company eating while seated on the floor. LOL

Oh! And all the windows will have cats seats, inside and out.

Deep windowsills/ cat seats/people seats. by tall windows. Some windows on all sides, like to be able to look out.
Sunshine in the kitchen in the morning.
Porch all sides. One area screened. A room with big windows for winter sunning, with a fireplace., ceramic floor.
Medium floor color, dark is too dark altho maybe it works if you have excellent lighting. I read that light floors are unnatural looking.
A desk in the kitchen area for home management paperwork and the compy to check in on DG all day.
Kitchen somewhat central with some bedroom space either side. Having all bedrooms together may be not the most restful in all situations. then bathroom for each area.
Just some semi random thought...

Hmmmm....if it's our dream house....

Location...Must have a view of a lake and surrounding trees...and mountains in the background would just be an added bonus! All one level...I love 2 stories but my knees hate the satirs first thing in the mornings these days!

I like natural materials...like wood and stone so those would have to be incorpaorated in the the exterior. A wrap around porch is a must have here too! A nice cozy stone fireplace with a beautiful handmade wood mantel inside!

The kitchen & great room would all be one big open space in the center of the home. When you entered the house, this is where you would be. My DH is the cook so kitchen design would be his baby. But I know he love to have an inside grill.

Bedrooms off on each side I like them spilt up too. They have to be really big and each have their own bathroom and walk in closet.

A game/ media room. Another space for quiet things would be nice too.

Windows would be tall & have totally unobstructed views of all the things nature has. Nice wide window seats with cushions in living space and bedrooms.

A huge stone porch out back open to beautiful garden rooms...at least a couple of arbors and small ponds for birds and other criiters to use.

Just a few of the things I would love to have.

That's 2 votes for all bedrooms to have their own bath. Really? I grew up in a family of 9 total and we had 1.5 baths. Not saying THAT is ideal LOL but I can tell you as Mom of the house I don't want to be cleaning one bathroom per kid. And I didn't add I prefer one kid per bedroom. I do think that's important especially as they age, for their own privacy and my sanity haha. But I'm thinking 3 kids could easily share 1.5 bathrooms between them?

Splitting bedrooms. Yes, that's what my DH thinks to. I thought it'd be weird on the layout. Or at best I couldn't keep as close a watch on the kids that way but hmmmm that has perks (being able to sleep through the night being one!).

Thanks for these good suggestions!

Wrap around porch, something I want to. But do you worry about the shaded light that would cast in all your windows? It wouldn't be as bright as having no porch....

Oh, I want a whole long narrow room for a pantry. I want to live in the boonies and have things stocked up, I don't want to be in the middle of making something only to realize we have absolutely no flour for example LOL.

Oh...we are empty nesters...

Skylights would help with lighting issues.

OK I'll amend my porch to allow some open decking for better sun for the houseplants of course.

There draw backs to skylights...I always wanted a skylight until we bought a house that had one in the great room. I grew to hate it. Made it very hot during the summer & it always open unless you can afford to have remote control custom blinds put on them. They must be high quality or the rain hitting on them is very irritaing and of coures they can develope leaks!

Since money is not the object here, may I suggest shades for the skylights? They do make them. I like the kind that go between the double panes.

nanny, good points! yes, leaking would not be good.

of course everyone I want to hear about YOUR dream house because it gives me ideas I may have missed for dreams of my own someday.

BUT if I plan to have a usable attic for storage (I hate trekking to the garage for that stuff, plus not climate controlled), skylights won't work.

I think I could live with the diffused light inside the house except that if I am doing about 3,000 square feet all on ONE floor and can't do skylights AND lol want a huge porch hmmmmmm I worry about the lighting issues???? Maybe they aren't an issue?

But I'd hate huge change orders once in construction. I'm sure an architect at the time will address all these issues. But like I said. I'm just playing for now. The more I can narrow down in my head over the next few years the quicker (and cheaper) the process will be.

I hope. hehe.

I would want the bedrooms all on the same side of the house, or in the same section. The library or some other space between the master and other/kids bedrooms would add to more privacy for parents. Even a bathroom and walk in closet is a great sound separator. Consider emergencies such as fire or an intruder...

YES! You are thinking on the same page as me...I was thinking to layout walk-in closets and bathrooms between kids rooms and parents room so you don't have the noise factors. DH was saying we should make them 3 bathrooms instead of utilizing a 1/2 bath. That way you have 1 for girls, 1 for boys, 1 for parents. And guests of course can use the one most located to the main rooms lol.

What do you think on pantrys? Both for the kitchen and also for linens. I notice they are all OUTSIDE the bathroom but I'm thinking it would be nice to have them IN the bathroom where you actually use the towels, extra TP, etc.

Where should a laundry room be? Off the kitchen? By the back door (in case of pool swimming)? Do people need mudrooms?

Does anyone know the architecture of the 2009 HGTV dream home that was built in Sonoma CA? I THINK it was called Victorian farmhouse? DH thought it was just a farmhouse.

That is an exterior dreamhouse for me. I even liked the siding being simple white and no shutters. It's the first house I've ever seen that looked excellant without shutters and that sticks with me.

Would you have put shutters on it? Because that still could have looked good. But the simplisity and also the ease of repainting it came to mind for me.

I'm always thinking of keeping maintenance at a minimum. For instance the white won't fade so won't need repainting as often, metal or tile roofs don't need replacing as often, etc.

That house painted ceilings the same color as each room. Which I admit LOOKED great. BUT I groan at the idea of having to repaint each ceiling the next time you change colors. Or how silly crown moulding would have looked dividing the ceiling wall line.

Would you want or even need crown moulding? I've never seen a house that had crown the same in all rooms. Most only use it in main areas. I would think if I was going for that I'd want it in all.....

I'd like white baseboards and doorframes but would stain the doors. I'd want old-fashioned looking doorknobs that have the faceplates with a keyhole in them (love those), and I think I'd choose black as predominant hardware finish.

Favorite color for kitchen cabinets?

Capaccino. I love the dark woods. paired with a darker flooring, it would be awesome. (for me, anyway ^_^)

You may have said and I forgot. How many bedrooms are you thinking?

Thinking 4. We have 5 now but use one as an office. Planning on 3 kids total.

I like dark woods myself. Not an oak fan but only because I grew up with everything oak LOL.

Hey what do ya'll think for window coverings? Shades, vinyl blinds, wood blinds, wood interior shutters?

I never would have thought of shutters but many homes in the neighborhood have them and they really make a pretty statement from the street view and provide much privacy BUT they would be hard if not impossible to take down for a rinse. We have wood shutters and I bathe those in the bathtub and then quickly dry them with a towel to rehang. Pain to do but does the job. I don't like how vinyl shutters look cheap and can break easily. I love how shades stay dust free and are completely light blocking but sigh they don't look that attractive do they? Mom got some fancy ones with a lace fringe edge but they didn't have much tension to roll up tightly so always hung at least at the mid-way point, wouldn't retract all the way to the top.

Opinions on those?

When we house shopped we saw a home that paired blinds with curtains and our realtor (young guy) was impressed, said he'd never thought of that. I could have made some comment drawing attention to the windows, I don't recall, which would have caused him to notice, likely being a man he'd never looked at window treatments before lol.

But I've always except in rentals paired a covering plus a curtain....

I like the honeycomb shades. They come in many colors and styles. I'm partial to the ones that can be moved to different locations on your windows. Such as, expose the top portion of the window and cover the bottom or vice versa.

I've never heard of those before! Hmmm...

Go to Hunter-Douglas and look at theirs. Neat ideas.

thank-you!

Someone in a kitchen thread mentioned how their dream kitchen would have full extension drawers. While I hadn't even thought about that feature it IS one I'd want. I don't care if the cabinets are custom. And what do they call that feature where the drawers all slide shut silently on a cushion of air lol? I'd want those.

What of appliances. Do you care if it's American made or do you go solely for best price, as in LG brand? They certainly are enticing on their prices.

Do you have to have stainless? I worry it's a look that will date it in a decade. DH argues that stainless is what real chefs have used in their kitchens for decades. What do you think?

I'd like my DW raised up about a foot off the ground. It will add problems of how to do the counter above it? But it will making loading and unloading much easier.

DH pointed out you don't need a lot of upper cabinets. I said to store stuff, small appliances etc. He says it would be safer to have large cookie sheets and heavy items BELOW and above is just cups and plates, how many of those could you have. Hmmm a new view point I can appreciate.

What do you think? How's your kitchen look in your dream house?

What do you think? How's your kitchen look in your dream house?

Tir:
In my dream house ------my kitchen has a nice handsome chef (nutritional minded and heavy on the innovation) and a person who loves a neat and sparkling kitchen on staff and living right next door.

I was lucky wnough to find a house with a kitchen that I like. The drawers are okay but it's the shelves I really like. They pull out!

missingrosie-- that reminds me--My dream house come with dream neighbors--Sarah Moulton for cooking buddy.

And there is no wasted space. This shelf goes along side the dishwasher and the bottom one pulls out, too.

Pantry are a most have!! We finally have one in this and LOVE it!!

Storage in the bathrooms too for sure! Why do they put 1 teeny tiny little closet in the halll to serve as the linen closet. We know a man did that......LOL!

I think mud rooms are great! I would love to have one of those...with or without kids!

I like having the laundry close to the bedrooms where the clothes will be put up instead have dragging everything all over and then back. Ours is upstairs and I love that.

I like rich looking woods or the rustic look of used barnwood.

I like wood shutters myself...wish I had them here.

One more thing. (There always is! LOL) If you have an upper floor...a laundry chute!

LOL missingrosie and sally!

I'm lucky, DH loves to cook, even wants a restaurant someday. He said I can design everything BUT the kitchen. I tell him he'll be able to design his restaurant kitchen AND he'll be living there so I might as well do the one at home hahahaha.

I like to cook to just hard with little ones hanging on me lol. And I'm a by the book type (recipe) and he's a experimenter so that makes him more chef than me hahaha. :)

kwanjin, I love that storage system to! See what I mean, sometimes you find a kitchen where someone really thought it out and other times you're like WHO designed this? I also was thinking if I had an upstairs (but don't plan to next house) I'd have a dumb waiter (is that what they are called?) to save me time in getting stuff up and down.

(As in thos dinky linen closets off a hall lol, done by a man for sure)!

I just gutted my kitchen and redid it. Small house and small kitchen but the thing I like the best is that everything is withing reach. I can get things out of the dishwasher and one step to be put away in the cupboards. One step from frig to stove with plenty of counter work space in between. Sink on across from stove for quick soaking of pots and pans.
My lower cabinets all have slide out drawers; love them! One above cabinet has very simple black and white stained glass doors and you see them from the dining room through the kitchen entry. I planned a large corner cabinet that I use with three kitchen size plastic garbage containers. One holds lg bag dog food; the other two are recycling. Close that hindged corner door and they are out of sight, but at my fingertips.

Refrigerator with bottom freeze; where has this been all my life?

I did everthing just right; for me (except I forgot a light over the sink) Duh! Remembered them under counters and above but forgot that one.

Since I live alone and am retirement age and this IS my dream kitchen!

Under cabinet lighting, oh yes, smart!

Yes, I've come to appreciate that I don't want such a huge kitchen with appliances all far apart. If the kitchen IS large I'd prefer an L corner where all the appliances are and then storage around the other side of the room.

I grew up in the 80's and we had a freezer bottom. Man I was embarrassed. We were the only ones with this old fridge like that. :(

And low and behold I appreciate the genius of that design now and am in a few moments having one delivered :)

I have a few criteria for my dream home but this is the probably my one "must-have". The bathroom must be completely tiled/waterproof with a drain in the floor It will also have a faucet that will accept a garden hose. When it comes time to clean the bathroom, it will get hosed down. I really get grossed out cleaning around the toilet etc.

I thought that this idea was really inventive and then we were talking with some friend who just returned from living in Abu Dhabi. They said that this type of bathroom is standard over there.

We're also pretty sure that we'd like to use cordwood/stackwood construction. I'd like to make use of thermal mass to stabilize internal temperatures and have it as energy efficient as possible.

I'd like a cold room that's accessible by garden tractor from the outside but that is also accessible from the kitchen (for all the produce I'm planning on growing).

One vision I have is to have a fireplace in the bathroom so I'm not cold getting out of the shower/bath. I'm also planning on having our laundry room share a wall with the bathroom. The wall will have cupboards that are accessible from either side for the towels. Clean towels go in from the laundry room side and get taken out from the bathroom side. There will also be a chute in the bathroom that leads to the laundry room for used towels, sort of like a library book return. We're contemplating keeping all clothing in the laundry room and simply having dressing cubicles so it will cut down on the need for dressers/closets in the bedrooms.

DH's desire is that it be wheelchair accessible or can be made wheelchair accessible, not that we need that now but you never know.

That's all I can think of for now. I really want my home designed to be super practical. I don't really care as much about the looks.

I'd like stained and polished concrete floors but with radiant heat in them to keep them warm. And I'd like a mate who had the 'hots' for sweeping and tending to these floors.

My laundry shares wall with second bath..but didn't think about opening that connection!! I can tho - no pipes in there or anything. Good idea!

The laundry chute wouldn't work for me all on one level but even if on two floors..I'd still have the laundry upstairs.

My must have (silly I know) is to have the windows in the kitchen go straight to the countertops no small 7 inch wall in there to get in the way. I like the open craftman style grills so I will stick with those for better visibility. Windows open out instead of up and down. Where ever my computer and desk is, I'd have a window that runs right to the floor so that as I sit I'd be up against a full wall of glass up in the trees. No desire for a porch or anything to take me outside up there.

I like the idea of the drain in the floor of the bath - they had those in venice. But I did not like the shower hitting the toilet as often was the case .. In switzerland this arm came out of the back of the toilet ..grabbed onto the toilet seat and the toilet seat made a revolution under the arm and when it did water washed the seat and then the arm dried it!! no kidding! Scared the crap out of me the first time.

I do appreciate energy efficency ($$) and I am happy with structural insulated panel (foam) because the walls are very straight - no cracks or nail pops and walls are 20 feet long unbroken in places. House very tight. If I didn't have this, I'd consider hay bales for the mass and because I love the deep window ledges.

In the house I'd use as much glass as I can - tile on the walls and floors wherever it makes sense. I've seen sink cabinets etc.in baths made of glass and painted on the back in colors to match the floor or whatever -- really attractive (although I would have veto'd if I had not seen).

I'd have as many built ins as I could where ever I could. I'd have a Chihuly chandelier and a few of his stunning garden 'flowers' and otherworld 'plants' please.
Pocket doors to conserve space.

I have always liked 'pods' so that even tho the house may look like one house - the rooms are actually individually supported. I also like it when you have to walk outside into and thru an air controlled space (dual use space perhaps shared as a garden room as well as an entrance/exit from the sleeping quarters --so bedrooms are separate from the rest. Standing seam metal roof.

Industrial washer, dryer and laundry hanging area - including ironing space with a big window facing out by the ironing board.

Sun roof in spaces where it makes sense. Guest room with a private sleeping/sitting porch and small tv/computer space with built ins for a pot of coffee and small fridge.

Wooden ceilings so no painting and warm look as well as efficient.
separate sink to service the prep area for veggies etc.
Built in vacuum - sweep floor debris right into it.
Sprinkler / drip systems everywhere outside. Small decorated shed(s) everywhere outside to house needed 'stuff for the garden. Dare I ask for an outside toilet??? Small paths cut into the woods if I have them.

I know someone who has seen a small stream running right through a friends house. You can walk on it... it is under glass!!! it is neat ---but I don't know I'd go for it.... I'll let you know if I hear it has broken down!!

If I had a private lot ... secure... I'd have a wall in bedroom that opens completely to the outside with a full wall automated screen to keep the bugs and critters out.

And, I'd have a library with lots of sun

Speakers outside to carry music while I garden
a full house generator - seamless start

Well, off the top that's my list --I know there is lots more. Fun to think about ...Thanks for the 'getaway' Tir!

gillibean and missingrosie now those are my kind of details ladies! I love the thought and time that went into your dream plans and some of the ideas have sparked new ones for me. Some of them are just genius!

Pocket doors...not something I'd considered other than in the library but that's a good idea for other areas as well, love that.

I have those and they aren't custom. I can't remember the name of them though. I remember I was told they're "semi-custom". I love mine, maple with an I don't know what stain. When we refinished the floors, we didn't stain, only poly'd them and the color is really close.

When I think dream house, right now, we're in my dream house. It's a Victorian Farmhouse, without being too fancy. If I was to build my dream house, which I don't think we'd do, I think we'd buy an equally old house like this one. But if we couldn't do it, or a million dollars landed in our laps, perhaps we could recreate an Arts and Crafts bungalow. I want the wood everywhere, and the half walls with the wood columns. 5 panel doors and old looking doorknobs, plates and knobs. The only stairs I would want, would be the basement stairs. Our disabled daughter could be set up with her apartment type place down there. I want all the built-ins of an old house and I want all the pocket doors in an old house. I want all the hardwood floors through-out like an old house has. I want the big all the way across the front of the house front porch like this house has. I want wood siding though, not this cheap vinyl stuff put on by the previous owners. I would want wood windows, like the house is supposed to have, but in a double pane. I want stained glass somewhere. I want a farmhouse sink and the faucet that comes out of the wall. White cast iron. I'd have those reproduction really old appliances, since money is no object..lol☺Since we're re-creating an old house, I don't want a Master Bath. I've lived a long time without one and it sure won't kill me to go any longer without one. Plus, you don't find them in an old house. I think this time, if the period of it works, I'd like a slipper tub instead of the claw foot like we've got now. Double pedestal sinks. I don't want tile anywhere, I want wood throughout, but I want them to finish the floors in the baths so they stand up to moisture. 2 1/2 baths, 1 of the full being in the basement. 3 bedrooms always sell better than 2 does, and that 2nd could be set up like the spare upstairs, the other would only be a guest bedroom. For who, I don't know☺ Oh gosh, fireplaces. It gets cold in IL. I want one in the kitchen, in the living room, the dining room and at least the biggest of the bedrooms, which would be what we'd call the Master. Big windows, like the good old days. I think I've thought of everything. My kitchen wouldn't be much of anything, a nice big eat-in kitchen, but nothing fancy. No granite or marble (doesn't do anything to help a sale in this area), I'm really not fussy. I only want it period correct.

On a practical note - I'd make sure the darn lightswitches were within a foot of the entry door casement in every single room... no more leaning in and feeling around in the dark trying to find a switch that is 2.5 feet into the room mid wall or whatever. AND, I'd make sure the switch at the door also worked a lower socket on a wall most likely to serve a table and lamp.. not some crazy other socket that has nothing plugged into it and never will.

I'd also NEVER EVER put a floor vent near where I stand when I do dishes. brrrrr

No doorbells. A knocker works fine and I don't have anything taking up wall space or anything of plastic that yellows.

And, nothing on an entrance foyer wall --like the thermostat, bells, alarms, nothing -- what goes on those walls is what I want to go on them!!! HA!

No thermostat situated where any sunlight can shine on it --makes it run constantly. And a thermostat for the top level if there are two levels so I can shut down to conserve energy.

NO yellow/beige switch covers ... stick with white.

Halogens in the kitchen and I'd be sure to plan the lighting so that I have some remote small floods on walls for artwork

the floor vents.....made from wood or I'd even go for heavy duty plastic (if that is an option) NO METAL to rust!

The appliances like fridge, dishwasher...would have wooden fronts so that it would look like all cabinets.

I'd have a faucet on every single wall on the outside of the house and an electrical outlet too.

I'd have a pipe run alongside the drive or alongside any long length of land where I might someday plant so that I can have a spigot handy even on the street near the mailbox. So tired of pulling hoses.. sprinkler system would be nice.

No sinks that sit up on the countertops. All sinks built in so no caulking and no water around the sink lip. I'd like to be able to sweep everything into the sink without running into a sink lip.

NO shower doors, tracks..etc... no curtains or any shower door. Position the showerhead and make the shower large enough so that no water can spill / splash out the opening into the shower. I'd use the acrylic block instead of sheetrocked walls in the shower (Real glass blocks can yellow and the acrylic blocks look great and aren't as weighty and insulate great too. In the bathrooms, I'd use the acrylic block windows too (operational with a crank -- for privacy and can do without curtains)

Sound insulate the bathrooms, the laundry room and the loft floor (we did this and low cost and no regrets)

I'd avoid curtains anywhere. Shutters are ok if something has to be over a window. Any needed blinds would be built into the glass (between) of the window or door.

I'd have a light built into the kitchen counter front along the kick plate so that I'd have soft light in the kitchen when I need/want.

Brushed nickle (or that 'look' is fine) or stainless steel door hinges and knobs/handles --as long as silver is the color. NO BRASS or brass look -- no gold colored metal anything/anywhere - I'd stick with metals in the house construction that would complement decor that was silver, mercury glass and clear or colored glass lamps and 'stuff.'

This is fun!! Ah if wishes could materialize!! Poof!!





This message was edited Jul 3, 2009 12:34 PM

We wanted to build our dream house on our property here about 10 years ago. I studied floorplans, watched shows on tv, talked to people.

Our idea was a small cabin with a porch with a loft of 2 bedrooms. Maybe log. (our property is on a lake with a large parcel of woods attached along the river) Perfect right?

I did research on log and decieded against it. So then I went to Modular home places to "see" the floor plans on the lot. WOW, what a difference seeing the real thing is over looking at floor plans.

I did find the perfect house for the location. It was just 4 times bigger than we had planned. We have lived here now for 7 years. We still love it.

What do we like. Lots of windows, island in the kitchen, with a sink, with lots of windows. (you can watch the lake, wildlife, birds as you do dishes).
Huge closets, huge bathroom, (things I never thought were important. Larger guestroom. And a basement. I never thought I would like it, but a walkout is pretty great.

It is so much fun to plan your dreamhouse. You are getting great ideas here. Good luck to you. I hope you fullfill all your dreams.

chick
we did the same thing... had property and paid that off and then searched for log homes. But, I am crazy obsessive and I went to factories where cutting and drying goes on once we decided on a fe manufacturers. I went as far a kentucky to look. Wanted to choose a good log home company. Explored it all and decided against the log for a few reasons --mostly because it was a lot of work to oversee etc. and if something is wrong --difficult to fix. I felt we'd be in over our heads. Plus I thought I might tire of the log inside the house and if you are going to build a log home......... why put sheetrock inside......

So we went for a structural insulated panel home with the inside post and beam and wood ceilings ...so got the wood but not the log.. and I think best of both worlds. It was scary because this was before HGTV and This Old House featured SIP construction. Builder hard to find and inspections were difficult with inspectors not familiar with product. Like you I wanted two bedroom with loft and we did get that -but added more square footage than planned --- and like you put the footage into a bigger bath and laundry that I never thought I'd think important --but I am really glad we went that way. Still a small house but it works!