Lake Front Home Plans & View Home Plans From

This home is featured in the highly acclaimed book, "The Not So Big House - A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live". Unlike many homes which face their "long side" toward the street, this home presents a compact facade, making it ideal for a narrow lot. The focus of the living areas is toward the back, an advantage in the city or suburbs where privacy from the street is desired. The house was originally built on the shore of a lake, where the rear–oriented living spaces and master suite took advantage of the lake views. With its traditional materials and styling, the Family Tradition house adapts itself well to many different neighborhoods.

The covered entryway leads to a foyer with a coat closet. Straight ahead leads to the living room and the family room beyond it, while to the left a hallway passes a bedroom, the laundry room, and a three–quarter bath before entering the kitchen and dining areas. Most of the living room sits under a 10'6" ceiling, while the rest of this floor has 8' ceilings. The family room is open on either side to the living room, but they are separated in the middle by the stairs. The family room has a wall of windows facing the view at the rear, and built–ins backed up to the stairwell hold a wood burning stove and wood storage, along with a TV.

The dining room is situated between the kitchen and the family room, and it features a light–filled bay with a built–in window seat. The kitchen has a large center island and lots of counter space, and a door leads from it to a screened porch for casual dining during warmer months. Stairs lead from the porch down to an open deck. The 2–car garage opens to the hallway that leads to the kitchen.

At the landing at the top of the stairs to the second floor, you may turn right to enter the master suite, or turn left down a hall that passes several stairs up to a landing at the door to a bedroom – where several more stairs lead up to a small loft area – before leading to a third bedroom. The two bedrooms at this end of the house share a full bath.

The master bedroom has a cathedral ceiling that peaks at 13'6", and two doors lead out to a private deck and a small balcony, both of which face the view at the rear.

Modification Ideas
Lengthen the garage to create extra work/storage space. Add dormers to enlarge the master bedroom or closet. See the photo page to view how one of our customers enlarged the master closet and lenthened the garage.