Feelin’ Southern

Tonight, I came across this lovely plan, and it created more of a response from BeachBoy than I am used to.  That, alone, necessitates sharing it with you.  If only it came with the lake!

We are porch people.  How much better can a porch get than that!?  I would screen the porch area off of the study as a reading space.  If it weren’t for the visual no-no, I’d screen the one off of the keeping room for evening meals. 

You can’t help but love all of the windows in this plan.  Check out the second story wall of windows to the left,  which make up part of the beautiful master bedroom! We currently have NO windows in our bedroom, so lots of light is a requirement of BeachBoy’s. 

Come on in, ya’ll! 

Main floor changes would include adding a small closet to the office so it could also serve as a guest suite.  In addition, the “media room” would be reconfigured as an extension of the kitchen and a mud room, with a door to the back yard.  This area would have a large pantry section, more cabinet space, wall ovens, and an area with benches and hooks for dropping backpacks and shoes.  To the right, the kitchen door would exit into a screened breezeway to the garage, separated by an herb garden.  (I’m a huge herb garden girl.)  A closet would be added under the stairs, and the kitchen windows would be reconfigured a bit.  The location of the sink and stovetop would be exchanged since most time is spent at the sink and the keeping room will likely serve as a first floor play space at some point. 

The current layout isn’t very family-friendly for this particular chef!

a keeping room for my book-loving self

Shall we go upstairs?

OK….let’s talk change, shall we?  First of all, the laundry room MUST be divided off from the master bedroom closet.  Insert a wall between them, which will give a bit more hanging space, as well.  While you’re at it, drop a sink in the laundry room for rinsing out messes since it isn’t close to a bathroom.

Now, let’s move to the secondary bedrooms.  I believe in shared baths.  It’s the natural result of 5 people and 1 dog cramming into a 5 x 6 bathroom for my entire childhood.  So, convert the two bathrooms to one bathroom with two sinks (separate entries to sinks and a tub/toilet room.)  That involves some rearranging.  It also frees up space in the bedroom to the front of the house (current sink location), allowing for a walk-in closet.  This, in turn, allows the two back to back closets to be converted to one walk-in closet for the back bedroom.  If you note the windows lining all of its walls, you’ll see why I know I’ll need a large closet there.  There’s no way I’d block those windows with dressers! 

Well, what do you think?  I like the potential.  It’s hard to believe this house is only 2738 square feet!  It has a much larger feeling with the ample outdoor living space.