Interestingly, the design for this house started with the kitchen design.  My goal was to create a party kitchen, where 2-3, or even 4 people could contribute to the food prep.  The innovation is an island with trash and compost bins in the center.  Chopping vegies?  Clean them at the island sink and just slide the scraps into the bin, where thy can be taken it outside later. 

 

I've always thought that trash is the missing leg in the traditional kitchen triangle, so trash is equally accessible to the entire room in the center island.  One side of the perimeter counter is dedicated to dishwashing, and the opposite side is focused on cooking.  With the stove accessible on 3 sides, there is also a computer station so you can keep your laptop or cookbook handy to refer to that family recipe.

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Aside from the kitchen/dining area, which can be isolated from the living/TV room with sliding doors, there is a progression of outdoor spaces for the crowd to expand into.  A covered porch creates a semi protected area, and the enclosed porch can be adapted to suit weather that may not be ideal.  With a pass-through window to the kitchen, it's still connected to the action.  And of course, the patio is a classic amenity, made better with an outdoor kitchen.

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The upstairs is relatively conventional and intended to be the private domain of the family with a two-person bathroom for efficiency, and three bedrooms.  As shown, the two smaller bedrooms are roughly equal in size, but closets can be shifted to create a smaller front office and provide more room for the back bedroom.

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