Interesting comment from David. Wondering what's driving the bus in my thought/process. I started out here wanting to show how a builder mentality perspective typically drives a design. I started with a budget, then a s.f. goal, then a basic size/shape to accomplish my s.f. goal. Somewhat arbitrarily I settled on a cruciform plan with short legs front and rear. Not that arbitrarily, in that I wanted to maximize length- for curb appeal, but give myself some massing options to get a variety of elevations.

I then started my Parti with the idea of maximizing my views through the house to focus the experience back into the lot, which I conceive of as being totally planned, especially the side yard spaces. (I mentioned in passing my conviction that it is the lack of side yard planning which makes the typical subdivision experience so distasteful). That prejudice indicated a garage placed to the rear of the plan, a driveway running down the side, which is to be developed as a sort of private street/play area. This is what drove the kitchen to the side of the house.

For practicality sake- I grouped the vertical circulation at the cross axis, knowing that that will maximize my room options on the second floor. At this point, I also knew I wanted to make use of every square foot of space I could, including attic and basement, just to see how a small plan in s.f. could be made to compete with the typical builder's model. By this time, with my 400,000. budget, I knew the competition would be 500 s.f. larger than my plan.

Since then, the plan has been evolving as issues need to be resolved. I have held on to the concept- 3 bay house with 14' sides and a 12' center which projects front and rear. I started at 2250, but have grown up to more like 2500. Because my plan is by nature somewhat flexible within the constraints of its concept, my latest rendition is laid out the way I would live in it, and modified to suit my furniture. You could do the same for your needs.

This puppy is easy to build. I put some of the 1st floor as slab on grade (could be a crawl space) My framing spans are held to 14' less the wall space. I kept my windows simple. There's really nothing more difficult here than what any production builder can do with his regular subs.