The G 7 Summit recently took place in Cornwall (if you have ever watched Outlander or Poldark, you know how beautiful the scenery can be). Eight world leaders gathered for three days to discuss global issues and (hopefully) make major decisions on how to make the world a better, safer place. Summit- meeting. But a summit can also be a mountain top, and this is where the Ledoux plan fits. On a hill overlooking a lazy river or green valley. Your own summit.
An Angled Garage
The Ledoux B, a European house plan by Frank Snodgrass of Living Concepts, has 3098 square feet with the master suite downstairs, and the second suite upstairs, with the option of a third by converting the bonus room. The two-car garage is placed at an angle to the left of the home. Arched windows create a graceful exterior, while varying roof lines add interest. Let’s park the car and walk inside.
And a Reason for More
Inside the garage, you will have ample room for your vehicles; the garage bay on the right side is slightly longer, perhaps the space for your extra long truck or even your boat (they are slightly longer than cars, right? Especially on a trailer). Skip the longer vehicle and you will have room for all those tools you have always wanted but never had the space to store. Plus cabinets for all of the extras/attachments.
Lounging and Laundry
You enter the house from the right side of the garage. Two steps up, and you are in a short hall. To your right, you will find a door to the covered porch, where you can sit and stretch your legs after a long walk or curl up inside a comfy chair. Back inside the hall, the door on your left takes you into the utility room. A sink, countertops and cabinet space, plus room for your washer and dryer all make this room super-efficient. (Did you know laundry detergent comes in sheets, too? No more plastic bottles, no more spills).
Cleaning and Closets
Wandering forward, a reach-in closet is on your left- mine holds the vacuum cleaner (don’t laugh, I actually use it) and coats, plus so many Mason jars, but yours might be for other storage. A few more steps, and the powder room is on the right while the staircase going to the second floor is on your left, right after another reach-in closet. But wait- let’s look at all of our downstairs in the Ledoux plan. Straight ahead is the kitchen, the essential gathering place.
Kitchen Assembly
Some of the best stories ever told have been shared in the kitchen. The one about the time the kids sneaked out and you didn’t know? Yup (and some are just best not shared). Or about the baking disaster that you posted on Instagram? And later laughed about it, because what else could you do? That’s why the kitchen is the gathering place, where we assemble as family and friends. Walk into the Ledoux kitchen, and you will find an open area that blends into the breakfast room.
Breakfast Banter
On the left, countertops and a walk-in pantry flank the placement of your refrigerator. Going forward, even more countertops can be found on the right and left of your stovetop/oven, which are on the left wall of the kitchen. An island with a double sink and seating provides a spot for intimate conversation, which might carry into the breakfast room. A circular dining table strategically placed along this curved wall will make breakfast (lunch and dinner) banter simple.
Or Porch Palaver
Want to carry the conversation outside? Sure, you can! The screened porch is right off of the breakfast room. It has two doors leading to the outside- the one on the right, to the veranda and the one on the left, to your backyard. If you are on top of a hill/summit and have the river or lake at your feet, then you can count yourself lucky. Otherwise, those steps on the veranda leading to the backyard might be begging for a swimmer’s pool, complete with lazy river. (I am currently a little obsessed with the lazy river, after having experienced it recently, except for the part about getting into the tube. In a lady-like way, that is).
Forward and Back
The veranda also leads into the gathering room. A fireplace is on the left walking towards the front of the house. Two shelves (begging for books, I think) border the fireplace. Continue walking forward, and you will be in the (formal) dining room, also open to the foyer and gathering room. Backtrack a little and you will find a tiny hall from the foyer that takes you to the master suite.
Walk Right In
The master suite’s sleeping area is a large-almost 300 square feet- rectangular one that culminates in a sitting room that is adjacent to the veranda, with a door going outside (just in case you need an inside escape to a quieter, more meditative space). The walk-in closet is spacious enough for its own island. Walking towards the front of the house, the master bath has an enclosed toilet, a walk-in shower, two sinks and a garden (free-standing) tub that is placed on an angle.
A Bonus
Let’s head up the stairs. On your left is the bathroom with a single sink, closet for linens, toilet and shower/tub combination. Nearby is the second bedroom suite; it has a reach-in closet. Going right from the stairs takes you into the study. (It can be advantageous to have a study upstairs rather than down, as this eliminates any distractions you might hear from above). Two steps down and you are in the bonus room, which could also be a third suite, as it has two reach-in closets, and its own bath (single sink, toilet, shower/tub combination).
Same and Different
The Ledoux C plan, with 4731 square feet, has a nearly-identical floor plan as the Ledoux B described above, with two exceptions- a second set of stairs, and a basement plan, both stairs giving one access to the basement. Ledoux A is even larger, with 5051 square feet, but the elegance is the same. All three plans share an appeal that is common to the French country design. View the Ledoux C rear elevation below and you will understand why eyes are drawn to the design.
Whether you choose larger (Ledoux A), smaller (Ledoux B), or in-between (Ledoux C), you will have made the right choice. It’s your summit, your place for conversation and living. Santé!