Craftsman with a Side View

You can build this house facing in whatever direction suits your needs, but if you’re interested in building it as a passive solar home, please read the section below titled Passive Solar Info for specific information on orientation.

You enter the house via an elegant covered porch with beautiful wood detailing that vaults in the center. When standing in the foyer – which has a ceiling that vaults to a flat section that is 12′ above the floor, and then opens up to a two–story space with a trio of windows that illuminate the foyer and the stairs – there’s an office space, a coat closet, and a powder room on the right, a door to the master suite and stairs to the upper level on the left, and the living room is straight ahead. The office space has two nooks for desks, and plenty of windows facing the front and side for light, views, and ventilation. This room could of course also be used as a study or a guest room. And as you’ll see in the photos, the original homeowners used the side of the stairs for storage.

The far wall of the living room “steps” down, revealing the sunny dining room behind it, as well as providing flat surfaces for decorative items. A two–sided fireplace warms both the living and the dining rooms, and there’s room for an entertainment center next to it. Two pairs of large windows on the right (please note in the photos that the homeowners chose to install three pairs of windows) provide plenty of natural light and views. The ceiling in this room – like all the rooms on the main level – is set at 9′.

The dining room has two pairs of tall windows facing the side, and two narrow windows set high facing the rear. A door opens to a good–sized screened porch with a door opening to a deck at the rear of the house. The porch is an ideal place for dining in warmer seasons. An angled peninsula counter separates the kitchen from the dining room, providing extra workspace as well as a place for casual dining or serving. Windows above the sink let in lots of natural light, and provide a view to and through the deck area. A short hall leads past the laundry room to the 2–car garage.

The master bedroom has windows on two walls for light, views, and cross ventilation. One door opens to a spacious walk–in closet, while another opens to the master bath.

A short hall at the top of the stairs provides access to three bedrooms on the upper level. Bedroom 2 has its own bathroom, a walk–in closet, and a view to the rear. Bedroom 3 has three pairs of windows facing the side and front, and it shares a bathroom with bedroom 4, which has a walk–in closet and a view to the front. A storage space can be accessed from bedroom 2, and another door off the hallway opens to optional space above the garage. All the rooms on the upper level have 8′ ceilings.

Passive Solar Info
To maximize its passive solar design, the front of the house should face west (or east if you build the house in reverse).