Floor Plans
We want to take in all the views of the creek and trees, encourage lots of grilling on the deck and just provide a relaxing get-away, after all . . . someday, this will serve as our "guest house", or even a rental to help pay for this growing mortgage! :-) Rich likes to call it "the Maids Quarters" . . . yeah right . . . I can only dream! LOL
Lessons Learned:
1) Always go with your gut-feeling and not what someone else says. Don't feel like you have to please someone else especially one that hasn't spent the time studying, researching, and thinking about the issue like you have, You'll regret not standing your ground down the road - trust me! ;-)
2) One thing we wish we had done, is ask for help from a professional space planner. I thought it would be too expensive and that I could do just as good of a job. Those people are for the wealthy folks out there. Ha! I was wrong. They are not that expensive for just a few hours of consultation that could save you, and they will see things you don't and know how to maximize your plans. In the end, it will certainly pay off for that one small investment. In our case, it's too late and we will be paying for the bad choice. :-(
Anyway, because this will be "just a guest house," we wanted to keep it very casual, and even a little whimsical. With that said, you'll notice that our entrance is on the creekside, not the road side, also that we are using a huge 8 foot wide slider door. This keeps it more like a vacation retreat, while providing a large opening to the deck outside for the wonderful California weather and all that grilling we do out here.
What I wish however is that I had used my original layout plans for the kitchen and dining area. I wanted the sink to look out the front gable and the cooktop on the island. The Island would have been in a much better place then it is now, but Rich just wouldn't budge on having a cooktop on an island. So, we were forced to put it on the ONLY possible wall in the kitchen. Because all of our outside walls lean inward (this is a half story), it makes it even more difficult to lay things out like a normal house would be. I can honestly say, that it would have been worth the money to consult with an expert on the layout. Plus, maybe they would have help persued Rich that it's ok to put the cooktop in an island. :-)
Yes, it's too late now, as it would cost too much to change - but Rich now sees what I was trying to tell him about how the island will be right in the middle of the room. Here is what the layout should have been (view alternate floor plan). I should have insisted in keeping with my original layout, because now, the area is much too cramped. Oh well . . . life goes on . . . and I thank the good Lord that we are even able to do this much!
- Counter Tops: The island and counter will be granite. My sister and her husband own a granite, quartz, corian and marble fabrication shop. So, we're hoping for the ol' family discount. :-) Visit US Granite, Inc.
- Flooring: Maple hardwood floors wide plank, hand-scraped, honey-tone
- Cabinets: Cherry, honey-tone with coffee glazing
- Bathroom tile for floor and bath surround: Classico Travertine
- Deck: Evergrain deck floor with redwood posts and wrought-iron balusters
- Appliances: KitchenAid in Stainless Steel
- Garage Doors 9x8 Carriage House Doors
- Windows: Pozzi (by Jeld-Wen). They have one of the best warrantees going!
- Construction is 2x6 exterior, with 2x4 interior
Second Floor: "Main Living Area"
Below: Downstairs - Garage, howver ignore the deck area, as this has changed. You can see how it turned out here.
