An eclectic mixture of design and exterior materials makes Primrose E-3500 more than just charming- it captures the essence of the plan. This craftsman cottage by Frank Snodgrass of Living Concepts has 3500 sq. feet, not including the bonus room above. Two deep flower boxes give you opportunity to add color to the front of your home, and whimsical ou-lookers, also known as decorative brackets, help to tie the design together. Superfluous? No, as this design has the bones of a well-planned structure. The home has four bedrooms, with the option of using the downstairs study as a guest bedroom, and five full baths.
Count fingers before and after… Andy Lee
The two-car garage is at the front left of the house; it includes a storage area with a door to access the side yard. On the long wall, you could add tool racks for those long-handled garden tools. There is ample space in the center for a riding lawn mower or even a work table for those whose hands are gifted when working with wood. (Not this blogger, though- almost cut off my leg once trying to work a table saw).
Life is made up of marble and mud. Hawthorne
Walking from the garage into the house, you first enter the mud/service room. Here, there are places to drop off shoes, store kids’ bookbags in the lockers, with a closet to hang up dripping raincoats or bulky winter coats. Countertops and benches make drop-offs convenient for both parents and children. Once inside the house proper, stairs going up are straight ahead; the formal dining room is on the right and the kitchen is on the left.
Life with a Pantry
Going clockwise with the Primrose plan, when you enter the kitchen area, the large, open pantry is on your left. This is a pantry-on-steroids, a walk-in pantry that is large enough for those big boxes of cereal that never seem to fit in the cabinet right, as well as stores of dried herbs, canned goods, or rice. And beans.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. Johnson
Back in the kitchen, which is open to the breakfast area, a large island holds the double sink and space for your dishwasher. Here is where you may want to eat those cookies you made, or your midday lunch, with comfortable stools you have chosen. You could also participate in meal prep here. The left wall has countertops and space for the stovetop and oven; the other wall accommodates the refrigerator. Facing the east side of the house, you find yourself in the family room.
A fireplace and a Blanket
The fireplace is the focal point in the family room. Centered on the wall, it has windows on both sides, with room for benches or window seats underneath. You will want to park yourself in front of the hearth with a cozy blanket and a sofa you can sink into on those chilly evenings. Gas logs or real wood? Totally up to you (but there is nothing that smells as good as a real fire. Just be sure the flue is open).
There is no such thing as fun for the whole family. Seinfeld
A door from the family room takes you outside to the rear porch. The patio furniture you choose can extend the family room into this outdoor space, and adding a firepit or a grill can keep the flow of guests and family members moving, especially when there are large gatherings. And for when you need to separate to do different fun things, like adult conversation. Back inside, the breakfast room shares windows with the back porch and has a door that leads to a cozy home office. This area is perfect for the student or young adult who desires access to the kitchen, yet wants enough privacy to (finally!) complete that last project.
A Study and a Closet or Two
The larger study faces the front of the home; this room doubles as a guest room, too. It has a full bath with a walk-in shower, and a walk-in closet. Another closet is tucked under the staircase leading to the bedroom suites on the next floor, and it is the just-right spot to leave coats and shoes as you enter. Upstairs, there are four bedroom suites.
I live in an old house with no closets and no built-ins. Martha Stewart
What? No closets? Not in the Primrose. The second and third bedroom suites face the front of the house. Walking clockwise from the stairs, you will come upon suite 2, which has a walk-in closet, a walk-in shower and a single sink. The next suite in our walk is the owner’s suite, which has a walk-in closet that rivals the size of the other bedroom suites (I honestly think you could park a VW bug in there). Or you could put an island in there to hold those extra socks, extra scarves.
And More Closets- plus a Tub
Also in the owner’s bathroom are a linen closet, walk-in shower and room for a large garden tub. His and her sinks are on the wall opposite that luxurious tub you need to soak away the day’s worries. Between the owner’s suite and suite 4 (still clockwise), there is a walk-in closet for storage, perhaps for linen or laundry products. Suite 4 has a walk-in closet and access to the laundry room. (Never too young to learn how to wash, dry and fold your own clothes. Starting early with a bedroom next to the laundry room? Priceless).
Bed, Bath and-Laundry?
The laundry room has a closet, plus counterspace for folding clothes, as well as a place to install your washer, dryer and utility sink, handy for soaking extra-dirty clothing. Suite 4 and 3 share a bathroom, next on our journey clockwise. A shelf-tub and single sink are included, as well as a means of entry into suite 3, which has a walk-in closet. Need more storage? Let’s go upstairs to the third floor.
I have far too much storage space- said no one ever. Pinterest
The bonus room is on the third floor of the home. As soon as you come upstairs, you will notice the spaciousness of the room- more than 300 square feet. This space is multipurpose; it can be transformed into a media room, exercise room or a yoga/meditation area. A nook faces the front of the house. Place the most comfortable chair here that you can plop yourself into, add a reading lamp and a soft blanket, and you have made a retreat for one (after exercising, of course). A full bath with walk-in shower and single sink are more than convenient-both are necessary.
Storage? Yes, in two separate areas upstairs, both with doors. Whimsical? Perhaps. Well planned? Absolutely! The Primrose by Frank Snodgrass of Living Concepts is the house you want. It is not presumptuous, nor is it too small for your family; the house is simply a well-planned one.