Dreams...

I have dreams, lots of them. Most include a home on acreage with some creative/frugal ways of life. We would really like to build a passive solar home. I would like to consider rainwater collection for watering fruit trees and other landscape things....we'd still be traditional in that we'd have power and a well but we'd just do a few things to cut down on our electric bills. We'd grow some of our own foods. Acreage would mean that we could have a much larger garden than we have now of course. We'd also have some animals like a steer or two, chickens, and rabbits.

I have been researching zero energy design for homes and passive solar designs. I think I can see using several aspects of both ideas. I like the idea of a sunroom for passive solar heat gain during the day...along with either stained concrete floors, or tile for heat absorption during the day and radiation of heat at night (we'd probably have carpet in the bedrooms). We probably can't afford to build as large of a sunroom as we'd need for the zero energy designs so we'd supplement at night with a nice wood fire in a small wood stove. We like wood heat, and Mr Wonderful likes having an excuse to spend time in the mountains so everyone wins.

I love the idea of a sunroom mainly because I suffer from SAD in the winter where low sunlight in winter months tend to cause depression. So I can picture myself basking in the sun in a nice warm sunroom....maybe even in a hammock. I also love starting plants indoors but I don't have anywhere in this house to do it...there is only 1 south facing window and it is in the boys' room which means those plants would never stand a chance! HAHA I wish I were kidding.

So do you want to see what plan I came up with? I tried out this trail version of SmartDraw and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It is so easy to use and fast. Impressive. Anyway I just tried out the 7 day trial and probably won't be able to buy the real version until we are into more serious house planning mode but I think it would be a great tool for designing our dream floor plan. Here is the latest in many many designs I have worked thru as a possibility for our home ....someday. you know how somedays go right?

This house is 1,608 sq ft without the sunroom, with the sunroom it is 1,944 sq ft. 3-4 bedrooms 2 baths. I should be honest here, I love the idea of a sunroom (as I have it envisioned with my super powered rose colored glasses) BUT I can also see it with my "In All Reality Glasses"......it would be a dirt floor because we'd be too poor to lay pavers or tile, then I'd try my hand at growing plants for eating and decor, and we'd even put in a fish pond or fountain for interest, and we'd have neat paths with bark mulch. Then not too long after that the whole place would be torn up from Tonkas and 3 active boys, the fish would be caught, the pond now a hillbilly swimmin' hole, and my poor plants neglected and thirsty. Of course the whole house would be built centered around this great aspect of our home only highlighting my lack of green thumb and childcare supervision deficiencies. So there is that fear that it would be a hindrance and not an asset. I still love the idea though.....rose colored glasses beat reality any day if you ask me.

There are several things going on in this home.....first the double door air lock entry, minimizes energy loss when coming and going from the home. The utility room also acts as a air lock. Also the bedrooms are all on the north side of the house where it is ok if it is a little cooler at night (because we are bundled up under comfy quilts).

I really like the kitchen set up too as it has a large island. I can have company around me while I go about fixing meals and it also gives me a huge work space to spread out dinner prep. I have always wanted an island and I hope our dream house has one. It is a great place to spread out the paper and eat breakfast so the mess stays in the kitchen and not at the dining table.

One of the kids' bedrooms is larger to accommodate all 3 boys...I keep reminding myself it is just to sleep and store some of there stuff. They don't have to live in there 24/7. Also we have a flex room available that we could use as a bedroom while the kids are still at home (which will be a while) or the room can be used at a school room, office, or my favorite a craft room.

The utility room features floor to ceiling pantry cabinets on one side, along the other side a washer, dryer, and folding counter with dirty clothes basket shelves under counter. Maybe that way Mt. Washmore will stay manageable right? I even though about breaking up the pantry cabinets with about 8 cubbies all in a row at kid eye level between upper an lower cabinets for folded clothes so each child can come get their clean clothes. I think that would create a functional space to work in.

I have lots of ideas and some things that I still really want to learn more about but I have a start on something functional anyway.