The 1,720-square-foot Craftsman floor plan represents a thoughtful balance between compact footprint and spacious living. With three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and signature exterior details like a turret and brick accents, this design demonstrates how floor plan layout strategies can maximize every square foot without sacrificing character. Understanding how these elements come together helps homeowners, builders, and architects evaluate what works in real-world residential construction. Homes in this square footage range remain among the most searched categories in house plan databases because they offer enough room for a growing family without the maintenance burden of larger properties.
Craftsman Exterior Design: Turrets, Brick Accents, and Roofline Details
Craftsman architecture relies on a set of recognizable exterior features that have remained popular for over a century. Low-slung rooflines, exposed brackets, mixed cladding materials, and deep overhangs define the style. In this particular plan, the turret element adds vertical interest to an otherwise horizontally oriented structure. Turrets in residential architecture serve both aesthetic and functional roles , they break up the massing of the home and allow for unique interior spaces with natural light from multiple directions. A turret that rises two stories can also contain a reading nook or a small home office on the upper floor, using space that might otherwise be wasted as an empty corner.
Exterior Material Combinations
The exterior treatment uses multiple textures to create visual depth. Stone veneer at the foundation and lower walls grounds the structure, while siding above keeps the upper mass lighter in appearance. Brick accents around the turret and entryway add a third material layer. This three-material palette is a common Craftsman house plan with vaulted ceilings approach that prevents the facade from feeling flat.
Dormer Windows and Roofline Breaks
Dormer windows project from the roofline to add headroom and natural light to the upper floor. In this plan, they also break up the roof mass so the home does not read as a single large box. The dormers align with bedrooms on the upper level, bringing light into spaces that would otherwise rely only on gable-end windows. Each dormer typically adds 15 to 25 square feet of usable floor area to the room below, which can make the difference between a cramped attic bedroom and a comfortable secondary suite.
| Exterior Feature | Function | Material |
|---|---|---|
| Turret | Vertical massing break, multi-directional light | Brick and siding |
| Exposed brackets | Structural expression, Craftsman signature | Wood |
| Dormer windows | Upper floor light and headroom | Vinyl or clad frame |
| Covered porch columns | Entry definition, structural support | Tapered wood on stone bases |
| Foundation cladding | Visual grounding, moisture protection | Stone veneer |
| Deep roof overhangs | Weather protection, shadow lines | Exposed rafter tails |
Open-Concept Main Floor: Great Room, Kitchen, and Dining Integration
The main floor centers on a great room that flows directly into the kitchen and dining zone without walls or partitions. This open-concept layout is one of the most requested features in modern residential design. Eliminating walls between the three primary living zones creates a single large volume that feels substantially larger than the home’s total square footage would suggest. The visual sightline from the front entry through the great room to the rear windows can make a 400-square-foot combined space read like 600 square feet.
Spatial Flow and Traffic Patterns
In open-concept plans, the placement of the kitchen island or peninsula determines the primary traffic flow. The island should sit far enough from the perimeter counters to allow two people to pass , at least 42 inches of clearance on the working side and 36 inches on the seating side. The dining area typically occupies the zone closest to the exterior wall or sliding door, which gives diners natural light and easy access to the outdoor living space. Traffic through the cooking zone should not cut across the main prep area.
Ceiling Height Considerations
Vaulted or cathedral ceilings in the great room add volume but require careful HVAC planning. A 14-foot ceiling holds roughly 40 percent more air volume than a standard 9-foot ceiling, so the heating and cooling system must be sized accordingly. This plan addresses that by keeping the covered porch ceiling at a similar scale, which visually extends the interior volume outward. Builders should plan for larger ductwork and potentially a second zone for the great room to maintain consistent temperatures year-round.
Open-concept layouts work especially well when the kitchen is positioned to serve as a hub between the great room and a contemporary ranch house plan open concept approach that prioritizes connection between cooking, dining, and lounging spaces. In the 1,720-square-foot plan studied here, the kitchen island faces the great room so the cook can interact with family members or guests while preparing meals.
Upper Floor Bedroom Configuration and Layout
The upper floor of this plan contains three bedrooms, with the primary suite occupying one end of the floor plate. Separating the primary suite from the secondary bedrooms by a hallway or bath core reduces noise transmission and gives each occupant a sense of privacy. In homes with 1,700 to 2,000 square feet, this type of split-bedroom arrangement on the upper level is a practical alternative to the main-floor primary suite popular in ranch-style homes. Families with children often prefer this arrangement because the sleeping quarters stay together on one level while the main floor remains open for shared activities.
Bedroom Size Standards and Minimum Dimensions
Building codes typically require a minimum bedroom size of 70 square feet with at least one egress window, but functional bedrooms in modern plans rarely go below 100 square feet. The secondary bedrooms in this plan average 110 to 130 square feet, which accommodates a full-size bed, dresser, and desk without crowding. The primary suite ranges from 180 to 220 square feet including the walk-in closet and private bath.
- Primary bedroom: 180-220 sq ft with walk-in closet and private bath
- Secondary bedroom 1: 110-130 sq ft with standard closet, window on exterior wall
- Secondary bedroom 2: 110-130 sq ft with standard closet, window on exterior wall
- Hall bath: shared between secondary bedrooms, typically 35-45 sq ft with tub-shower combo
- Linen closet: 12-16 sq ft in the hallway, accessible from all bedrooms
The upper floor hallway connects all bedrooms while providing access to the shared bath and linen storage. A modern two-story home plan floor plan design with this layout works well for families who want separation between the main living areas below and private sleeping quarters above. The stairwell itself should be a minimum of 36 inches wide with a landing at the top to prevent a direct fall hazard.
Storage Solutions: Mudrooms, Pantries, and Built-In Efficiency
This floor plan includes a mudroom near the garage entry and a generously sized pantry off the kitchen. These two storage elements solve an everyday problem that many open-concept homes face: where to put coats, shoes, backpacks, and bulk groceries when there are no entry hall closets. The mudroom in particular is a valuable addition because it creates a transition zone between the garage and the living area. Homes without a mudroom often end up with coats hung on hooks behind the front door and shoes piled in the entryway.
Mudroom Design Parameters
A functional mudroom needs three elements: bench seating for putting on and removing shoes, cubbies or hooks above the bench for coats and bags, and a durable floor surface that can handle wet boots and muddy shoes. Tile or luxury vinyl plank are the most practical choices. The mudroom in this plan connects directly to the garage, which means it also serves as the primary family entry point rather than the front door. A minimum width of 5 feet allows the bench, cubbies, and a walkway to coexist without feeling cramped.
Pantry Sizing and Location
Walk-in pantries should be at least 4 feet by 5 feet to allow comfortable access to shelving on three sides. The pantry door should swing outward or use a pocket door to avoid interfering with kitchen traffic. Placing the pantry near the garage entry simplifies the process of unloading groceries directly into storage without crossing the cooking zone. These Craftsman house plan design with open floor plan layout principles keep daily routines efficient. Homeowners who invest in adequate pantry storage report fewer instances of countertop clutter and easier meal preparation because bulk items stay organized behind closed doors.
Covered Porches and Outdoor Living Extensions
The covered porch in this plan features a cathedral ceiling, which elevates it beyond a standard covered stoop. Porches with higher ceilings feel more like outdoor rooms and are more likely to be used for seating, dining, and entertaining. The cathedral ceiling also allows for ceiling fans or light fixtures that improve comfort during warmer months. When designing a covered porch, the ceiling material matters , beadboard is the traditional Craftsman choice and resists sagging better than drywall in unconditioned spaces.
Porch Depth and Usability
For a porch to function as a usable outdoor room, the finished depth should be at least 8 feet. A 6-foot-deep porch only accommodates a single row of chairs with limited walk space behind them. At 8 to 10 feet deep, the porch can hold a dining table and chairs or a seating group with a coffee table. The cathedral ceiling adds perceived depth by drawing the eye upward. Builders should plan for a sloped ceiling that follows the roofline pitch, which also improves rainwater runoff.
| Porch Depth | Usable Function | Minimum Width | Recommended Ceiling Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft | Standing cover, single row of seating | 8 ft | 8 ft |
| 8 ft | Small dining set, rocking chairs | 10 ft | 9 ft |
| 10 ft | Dining table, seating group, grill space | 12 ft | 10 ft |
| 12 ft | Full outdoor room, multiple zones | 14 ft | 12 ft |
Covered porches also protect the home’s entry from rain and sun exposure, which reduces maintenance on doors, paint, and exterior trim. The roof structure over the porch must be properly flashed where it meets the main roofline to prevent water intrusion at the junction. Craftsman house plan design open floor plan layout strategies often pair covered porches with the main living area so the indoor-outdoor connection feels seamless. Screened porch options can extend the usability of this space into shoulder seasons when insects are active.
The combination of a turret exterior feature, open-concept main floor, well-proportioned upper bedrooms, practical storage zones, and a cathedral-ceiling porch gives this 1,720-square-foot plan a level of daily functionality that exceeds its modest footprint. Each design decision , from the mudroom placement to the dormer window alignment , contributes to a home that works as well in practice as it reads on paper. Builders and homeowners evaluating plans in this size range should prioritize the quality of the floor plan flow over superficial square footage numbers, because a well-organized 1,720-square-foot home often lives larger than a poorly laid-out 2,000-square-foot alternative.