We spent some time with our architect again last night trying to finalize the building plans for our house. The goal is to make it affordable to build, within 10% of the size of our hurricane destroyed house for tax purposes, and functional for our family. Our architect friend is enormously talented and is really doing an incredible job. Long ago we realized that a rectangle "box" was the most affordable style of house to put on stilts. However, looking at the front of the house you don't think "box".



There will be stairs leading up to a front porch and then into the house. The second floor has three dormers. The front of the house faces south and though we have never been able to see the water from our home before, we are hoping with the new height of the home, this will change.



Here is another picture of the front of the house and the east side.




The back of the house will have a bit of a deck and then stairs leading to the back yard.

Here is another view of the back along with the west side of the house.



The master bedroom is on the east side of the house and will have a fireplace! I am VERY excited about this particular feature. I always wanted a fireplace in the master bedroom!!!



This is the first floor floorplan. It is difficult to see.



Starting at the bottom, almost center you can see the front door off of the front porch. The room immediately to the right is the dining room, which is just like the original house. To the left is the "library" or shall we call it, the "wool room". On the far left is the master bathroom and closet. You can also see the stairs leading to the second floor as you enter the house. Towards the top of the picture, the kitchen is on the right, the great room is center and the master bedroom is to the far left. There is a deck off the back and then stairs down into the back yard. We would one day like to incorporate a swimming pool into the deck system.

I am really hoping the second floor of the house, which is three floors up, will have a view of the water, the Santa Rosa Sound, to the south.



The top of the stairs brings you to the center of the second floor at the top of the stair diagram. As you arrive at the top of the stairs you see two bedrooms and the kid's bathroom on the north side of the house. To the south side of the second floor are the front dormers. The center one is a small niche which Kurt has already claimed for his computer. If the view is too nice however, he may not get it. I might have to put a chair or something there and create a reading/knitting niche. The other two dormers are in what is suppose to be two more bedrooms. However, we removed the wall for the bedroom on the front right and are creating a loft or school area for the kids instead. Kurt's computer may just end up there because he shares it with Gregory and Gregory will need it for school.

We are very excited about building this house. It is pretty much the same size as our former home which will be nice. However, there is the possibility of some really nice southern water views and I am so excited to think about that. Furthermore, I have always wanted a front porch. Between the porch and the master bedroom fireplace, this could very well end up being our dream home! If we ever get a pool put in, it definitely will be!

The children love to play with the Lutrell children while we are pouring over architectural details. Gabrielle lost all of her dress up clothes in the hurricane and misses them. She had a great time playing dress up with Hannah last night.



We sure do miss being in Gulf Breeze and close to our church and friends. I pray for the day when we can move back and, God willing, into our dream home!!!