The Machine Shed Solairum

OK, this is my current favorite for "our" house. I've tweaked it since I showed it to Grampa Tom a little over a week ago. I don't think I'll show it to him again. He's getting scared. His comment was, "I don't know about building this house. You will probably change it 6 times while we are building it and then change your mind completely about the time we're about 90% done with it and we'll have to tear it down and start all over."

In my mind, this is a 76 x 36 machine shed with 16' eaves. It has a 2 story solarium on the south side with big glass sliding doors that can be opened in the summer. My program won't do this, but I'm thinking there ought to be regular doors on each side of the sliding doors that can be used during the winter since the solarium is the main entrance to the house. The solarium has a cement floor and a 2 story cement wall to absorb heat. The wall has windows to facilitate air flow as well as a fireplace to provide extra heat when needed. The second story windows can be accessed by a spiral staircase that reaches to the cat walk on the second story level or through doors to the catwalk from the upper level living areas. I'm also toying with the idea of putting a summer kitchen in the solarium.

Since we have a home based business, I want an office that can be accessed directly from the outside so salesmen and clients don't need to come through our private space, but I want it to be readily accessible to the family area. Since we live in the boonies, I also want to be able to offer the guest restroom to business visitors, so I put in a door from both the office and from the living room. We are planning to care for my in-laws should they need it. If that should happen, I'd put them in this room and move the office to the back bedroom for the duration. This would give them the best access to the family, the outside and the bathroom if they couldn't get around well.

The living room and kitchen open into the upper level. Ceiling fans circulate heat from the solarium down into the main living area of the home and the opening provides extra room for entertaining. I am imagining gatherings where musicians are jamming in the upper living room while people throughout the house are enjoying the music.

Off the kitchen is a large concrete walled pantry with a mop sink. This will serve as a storm shelter. If trapped for days in the worst case emergency scenario, there would be food available and a drain!

The kitchen has a 3 hole sink, a professional range and a separate hand sink. It opens into both the den and the laundry area.

The den has a large walk-in closet. When the kids moved out, we moved our bedroom into one of the smaller rooms and made our master bedroom into a den. The smaller bedroom didn't have much of a closet, so I suggested Grampa Tom leave his clothes where they were. This has worked wonderfully! He is an early riser and I am not. Now when he wakes up, he doesn't wake me by turning on the light and rummaging in the closet to get dressed. I am not giving up this luxury! There is also a hallway that goes directly to the laundry room. The basic reason is to give Grampa the ability to be filthy or unpresentable if I should have company. I can close the doors and he can still get to the bathroom or the bedroom!

The laundry/mud room is connected to the master bedroom by a large bath that features a huge locker style walk-in shower for Grampa and a jacuzzi style tub for me :) The master bedroom has a gigantic walk-in closet. Now that I'm looking at it again, I think this closet ought to extend under the stairs. See what scares him now?

There is also a small bedroom on the main level for guests who might not be able to climb stairs.

So now, on to the upper level! In addition to this level being an entertainment expansion area, it is also a complete guest house. Two bedrooms, a kitchenette, a full bath, enclosed porches and outside access via the catwalk and spiral staircase in the solarium make it perfect for visiting kids and grandkids or a younger couple who might want to take care of us in our old age. You could probably enclose the east and/or west living areas for additional bedrooms if you wanted.

Poor Grampa, about a month ago, I had another favorite that I tweaked several times. Maybe that will be my next post.

God Bless You All! ~Grama Sue

The Gambrel Modular Style

This home is similar to my last post, but is designed with the modular rather than pole construction builder in mind. It could have standard 2 story roof, a gambrel or a 1 1/2 story roof line.

The super sized mud/laundry room has a large walk-in closet. It opens into the master bath so your farmer or construction worker or other dirty jobber can shed the filthy clothes and slip right into the walk-in shower and then emerge from the master bedroom presentable (or at least clean).

The guest bedroom features a large walk in closet. It opens into the office so they can easily convert into an apartment for Grandma providing her with both privacy and access to the family.

The large pantry doubles as storm room with reinforced concrete walls and ceiling.

The kitchen area has lots of counter space and large built in refrigerator/freezer units.

A spacious great room opens into the loft area above.

The second story has 2 large dormitory style bedrooms with huge walk-in closets, a divided bathroom with double sinks so many little people or guests can use it at the same time, and an attic area for storing Christmas decorations and more!

With 2400 square feet of living space on the 1st floor and 1430 on the second, this intergenerational house will hold a lot of family!

Be blessed! ~Grama Sue

Gambrel Family Barn

When asked if she grew up in a barn, my daughter usually replies, "Well, as a matter of fact, it wasn't unusual for me to wake up with a pig or a lamb behind our wood stove." We lived in a huge old farmhouse, but I would have loved to actually had a home shaped like an old fashioned gambrel roofed barn like I envision this to be. This 40 x 60 2 story intergenerational home could just as easily have a conventional roof with classic home styling. It would also be a nice sized home if the 2nd story was eliminated.

The laundry room of this home opens into a large master bath with a jacuzzi and a walk in shower.

The guest bedroom and office are joined to easily convert to an apartment for Grandma that is close to the family living area, providing her both with privacy and access to family.

The spacious pantry is also a concrete reinforced storm room and the kitchen sports a large built in refrigerator and freezer, a separate hand sink, lots of counter space and a dishwasher.

There is a silo (sorry, my program doesn't do round rooms or spiral stairs) off the kitchen that goes to the second floor with a look out tower on top. The stairs would also go into a basement if so desired. If the silo isn't wanted, the stairs could easily go in the dining area.

The second floor boasts 2 large dormitory style bedrooms with large walk-in closets. Perfect for a large family or welcoming home lots of visiting children and grandchildren! The loft has a solid rail so children can play and yet be near mom or grandma while hiding the mess from unexpected visitors and minimizing small dropped toys!

A garage off the laundry room and a large deck or porch off the front would perfectly complete this home.