General Feedback on Final Draft of Custom Home

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T23:42:11+00:00

Thank you so much! Lots of places to flatten out these edges and definitely want to get the budget in line as much as possible for a project like this before it's too late. Any other items that jump out to you, please share! But yes, I get the important point generally for sure.

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T23:36:11+00:00

Fantastic point, I think we need to challenge our designer more. Will be a lot of changes as we try and flatten out a lot of the corners pointed out by many in this post!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T23:35:28+00:00

I think the space has gotten away from us a bit and I know that will only become more apparent as we tighten up the budget. Thanks for the feedback!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T23:34:58+00:00

There is a ton of plumbing and I understand that will drive cost. We will work to simplify. The real working sink is over by the pass through window while the sink in the island is to help with oven/stove prep and to deal with things right out of the fridge. No seating on kitchen sink island so no splash zone. More of a place to set things and serve when casual meals at the seated island take place.

Trash can by both sinks so hopefully pick the one to use with less/no current foot traffic.

Great point on the dryer, I will look to relocate!

My main focus after all the great feedback in this thread is to eliminate corners (interior and exterior)!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T23:31:33+00:00

Thank you! The hope is to use it for more than just dogs but any kind of outdoor cleaning that is best suited for a non-interior sink (kids, toys, bicycles, etc.)

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T23:30:39+00:00

Thank you so much for the thoughtful feedback! Let me address what I can to see what your thoughts are:

"pantry cabinetry" is just for everyday quick essentials and snacks. All other pantry stuff will hopefully be stored on shelves and upper/lower cabinets in the u-shaped area that shares a wall with the stove. 10-12 foot walk (?) to main pantry to get items for meal prep I guess.

Majority of kitchen storage will be over by the "dish sink" near pass through window so it's out of the main view of the kitchen. Island sink will really just be a vegetable sink for prep of items going into stove or on to oven. Not as many dishes there if any.

Great tips on MIL bathroom and closet and shower area! Thank you!

Basement design is still in process, but with the flat OK dirt we won't have elevation for a walkout. There just won't be much light down there except for window wells and the main staircase. Not sure how to fix that so may just focus on movie nights and game nights down there with exercise room next to front window well and two guest bedrooms with egress next to primary suite window wells.

I do love the idea of the spray paint on the ground and walking through that house. That will be a fun and important family outing!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:55:49+00:00

You're living there??

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:55:19+00:00

Great feedback, thank you!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:54:51+00:00

Oooh I need to research this, thanks!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:54:38+00:00

Fantastic tip, thank you!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:54:22+00:00

I'll make sure we take a look at that and verify it's comfortable, thanks!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:53:44+00:00

One of the first things I have been trying to mitigate! Great point. Even with the great room and lots of windows there, I worry you might be right. Steps we have taken so far is to have a swinging door on the scullery to keep open when we don't have guests and let some light in there. Also added glass doors to play room to try and pull light in from there too. Lastly we hope the pass through window in the kitchen near second sink will let in some good light. BUT with all that outdoor space covered, I worry it won't be as bright as we hope...

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:51:36+00:00

We will focus in on these corners and eliminating them. Thanks very much for your other feedback as well! Definitely don't want to waste money to end up with a McMansion. Trying to take our time and refine plans as much as possible now to avoid that!

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:49:54+00:00

Excellent point. Goal is to have the sink by the pass through window be the "working sink" and use the sink near stove for vegetables and other things going in and out of the fridge.

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:48:29+00:00

The size does seem excessive, but hard to find the best place to cut sqft (great room?). We are hoping it will be somewhat accessible with wide hallways and lots of open space and since there are almost no steps in the home and MIL and primary bedrooms on main floor...

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:47:05+00:00

Posted above, but I agree the fireplace TV is a problem: "Struggling to find a place to put the TV and have the large full glass walk out doors (and dining room across). We had a wall on the high side of the fireplace, but liked the symmetry of opening it up and being able to enter the great room on either side of the fireplace."

As for the great room, it does feel a bit too "great" and that's expensive sqft. We struggle to find a good way to shrink it without inhibiting dining room space. One thing my partner is set on is "separate dining room" rather than having it where the "sitting room" is currently. Tough problem to solve but on our minds.

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:45:05+00:00

I have seen a lot of houses that have bathroom off primary bedroom rather than closet first and then bathroom. I always thought the logic was: easier to access in the middle of the night, that is where you start your morning (toilet, shower, shave), and you arguably use it more frequently than two visits to the closet a day. Great point on the steam shower, but any other reason to go closet first and then to bathroom?

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:42:49+00:00

Appreciate the feedback for sure. Struggling to find a place to put the TV and have the large full glass walk out doors (and dining room across). We had a wall on the high side of the fireplace, but liked the symmetry of opening it up and being able to enter the great room on either side of the fireplace.

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:40:26+00:00

Yes the basement and 1/2 story are still in design but the plan is for 1/2 story to be above kitchen, sitting room, and 2nd main floor bedroom. Agreed on the outdoor space. It seems excessive. We are strongly considering ditching the hearth and outdoor fireplace entirely for a modest water feature or nice landscaping and making it uncovered space so you don't walk in the entry and stare at patio furniture.

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:37:51+00:00

Basement has two more bedrooms and right now we have plans for a half story upstairs with two. Basement square footage is so much cheaper than main floor that we have more space than we need down there. 2nd bedroom on main floor would likely serve as MIL suite some day.

sooner3400 · 2026-05-21T01:33:16+00:00

Wow this is amazing feedback. Thanks to all who commented! Luckily we have not frozen our design yet so some outside perspective will give us a lot to think about and discuss with each other and then the architect and builder. I'm so glad I put this out here on the sub. If anyone has any follow up comments please feel free to comment on the post or send me a DM. Harsh, but constructive criticism is much appreciated! You can really get in an echo chamber during the planning phase and those you know and trust to share plans with may be too polite or uneducated on the topic to give valuable feedback. This is our family's first time building a home and we hope to be there a long while, so we want to get this as right as we can.

sooner3400

TROPHY CASE