The New American Craftsman bungalow takes the compact footprint of a traditional bungalow and updates it with modern room proportions and contemporary detailing. At 1,713 square feet, this three-bedroom design spans two stories, placing the main living areas on the ground floor and the family room plus secondary bedrooms above. The plan includes two and a half bathrooms and a dual garage setup with one single bay and one double bay. The combination suits families who want craftsman character without the square footage or cost of a sprawling ranch. For home buyers comparing sizes and styles, reviewing barn-style home floor plan strategies for the new American carriage house provides useful context on how different architectural forms solve the same space-efficiency challenge.
Understanding the Two-Story Craftsman Bungalow Layout
Bungalow designs traditionally keep all living spaces on one floor. This New American version stacks a second level above the main living zone to increase square footage without expanding the home’s footprint on the lot. The result is a narrower, taller profile that fits on smaller parcels while still delivering three bedrooms and a generous family room. The exterior features a symmetrical facade with a central gabled window, crisp white siding, and rich charcoal accents that define the modern craftsman palette. The staircase occupies a central position near the entry, which keeps second-floor circulation compact and efficient.
Comparing this layout to a new American style 3-bedroom craftsman floor plan with basement expansion shows how builders can offer buyers the choice between upward and downward expansion depending on lot conditions, soil type, and budget. The two-story route costs less per square foot than a basement excavation in most regions because it avoids waterproofing, underpinning, and deep foundation walls.
Square Footage Distribution Across Two Floors
| Floor | Square Footage | Primary Rooms |
|---|---|---|
| Main Floor | ~1,000 sq ft | Family room, kitchen, dining, owner’s suite, 2nd bedroom, entry, laundry |
| Upper Floor | ~713 sq ft | Upper family room, 3rd bedroom, storage areas, mechanical room |
| Total | 1,713 sq ft | 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms |
Room Dimensions for the Main Living Zone
The main floor family room measures approximately 18 x 14 ft, large enough for a sectional sofa and entertainment console. The kitchen opens directly to this room, creating a combined living-dining volume that feels larger than the square footage suggests. A central island with seating for three defines the cooking zone without blocking sight lines across the room.
Main Floor Design: Family Room, Kitchen, and Entry Sequence
The main floor organizes around a central family room that connects directly to the entry, kitchen, and stair hall. Visitors walk through the front door into a foyer that opens immediately into the family room, a layout trick that makes a 1,000 sq ft floor feel spacious. The kitchen sits at the rear of the main floor, with windows overlooking the backyard. The dining area shares the same open volume rather than occupying a separate enclosed room, which allows the breakfast table to borrow visual square footage from adjoining zones.
The owner’s suite occupies one corner of the main floor, positioned for privacy away from the front door. It includes a walk-in closet and a private bathroom with shower. A second bedroom sits across the hall, served by a full bathroom that also functions as the main floor guest bath. The laundry room tucks near the garage entry, shortening the distance between dirty clothes and the washer. The entry sequence from garage to house passes through a small mudroom area before reaching the kitchen. This transition zone catches shoes and bags before they enter the main living space. For families with young children, this short buffer zone has a measurable effect on daily cleanliness.
Main Floor Room Sizes
| Room | Approx. Dimensions | Approx. Area |
|---|---|---|
| Family Room | 18 x 14 ft | 252 sq ft |
| Kitchen with Island | 14 x 12 ft | 168 sq ft |
| Dining Area | 12 x 10 ft | 120 sq ft |
| Owner’s Suite | 14 x 13 ft | 182 sq ft |
| Owner’s Bath + WIC | 10 x 8 ft each | 80 sq ft each |
| Bedroom 2 | 12 x 11 ft | 132 sq ft |
| Laundry / Mudroom | 8 x 6 ft | 48 sq ft |
Upper Floor Highlights: Family Room Expansion and Storage Solutions
The upper floor adds approximately 713 sq ft of conditioned space divided among a second family room, a third bedroom, and storage zones tucked under the roof eaves. The upper family room or loft area functions as a playroom, media room, or home office. This separation of living zones stands as one of the strongest reasons to choose a two-story bungalow over a single-story plan. Parents can entertain guests on the main floor while children use the loft, or one person can work upstairs while others watch television below without sound bleeding between levels.
A third bedroom on this floor works well as a guest room or older child’s bedroom. Smart storage solutions under the roof eaves maximize usable space that would otherwise remain inaccessible. These tucked-away areas hold seasonal decorations, luggage, and off-season clothing. Builders can finish portions of the attic space during initial construction rather than leaving it as future expansion, typically at a lower cost per square foot than a full addition later. Homeowners considering larger two-story options may also study a New American style home floor plan with 4 bedrooms and bonus room to see how the same vertical stacking approach supports a larger family program.
Upper Floor Storage Capacity
| Storage Type | Location | Estimated Floor Area |
|---|---|---|
| Eave storage left | Under north-facing roof slope | ~40 sq ft |
| Eave storage right | Under south-facing roof slope | ~40 sq ft |
| Hall linen closet | Upper hallway wall | 6 sq ft, 4 shelves |
| Bedroom 3 closet | Upper floor bedroom | 24 sq ft, double rod |
Dual Garage Configuration for Modern Family Needs
One distinguishing feature of this floor plan is its split garage arrangement: a single-car bay and a two-car bay separated by a partition wall. This configuration offers flexibility that a standard three-car garage does not. The single bay can serve as a workshop, home gym, or dedicated storage area for a small commuter vehicle, while the double bay handles the primary family cars. Homeowners who keep recreational vehicles, motorcycles, or bicycles find this arrangement particularly useful for organizing different types of equipment without cross-contamination of oil, dust, and tools into the daily driver spaces. For those comparing garage configurations, looking at a new American style 4,464 sq ft craftsman floor plan with 6 bedrooms shows how similar exterior detailing scales to accommodate larger vehicle storage needs.
Garage Configuration Options
| Bay | Exterior Width | Depth | Suggested Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single (1-car) | 12 ft | 22 ft | Workshop, compact car, gym, garden storage |
| Double (2-car) | 22 ft | 22 ft | Family SUVs, daily drivers, larger equipment |
Craftsman Exterior Detailing at a Compact Scale
The exterior of this 1,713 sq ft home shows that craftsman styling does not require a large budget or a massive footprint. The design relies on three strategies to maximize visual impact. First, the gabled roof forms are proportioned to match the narrower bungalow width, so the roof does not overwhelm the walls. Second, the white siding with charcoal accent trim creates strong contrast that draws the eye to architectural details such as window mullions and porch columns. Third, the front elevation balances garage doors with living area windows, preventing car storage from dominating the streetscape.
Charcoal trim around windows and doors provides definition without adding material cost. The front porch, though modest in depth, includes tapered columns that echo traditional craftsman proportions. The gable ends feature exposed rafter tails, a small detail that reinforces the handcrafted character of the style. For buyers interested in a slightly larger plan with similar exterior detailing, a 4-bedroom New American style home plan with gabled rooflines and bonus room adds a sport court and extra living area while keeping the same craftsman-inspired aesthetic.
Energy Efficiency and Mechanical Planning for a Compact Two-Story
A home of 1,713 sq ft distributes its heating and cooling load across two levels, which affects HVAC design choices. Zoning the system with separate thermostat control for main and upper floors saves energy by allowing the upper family room to stay cooler when it is not in use during summer afternoons. The compact floor area also means shorter duct runs and lower material costs compared to a sprawling single-story of the same square footage. The mechanical room on the upper floor houses the air handler and water heater, keeping the main floor free of utility closets. Insulation at the attic roofline rather than the ceiling plane keeps the upper floor conditioned space within the thermal envelope, reducing energy loss through the roof deck.
Energy Efficiency Measures for Small Two-Story Homes
- Zoned HVAC with programmable thermostats per floor, reducing conditioned output to unused zones
- Compact ductwork runs reduce surface area heat loss compared to a single-story plan
- Continuous insulation at the attic roofline instead of the ceiling plane, keeping ducts inside conditioned space
- Low-E double-pane windows matched to room proportions, sized to balance daylight with thermal performance
For builders and buyers working with similar square footage targets, a new American style 3-bedroom floor plan with 2,682 sq ft of living space shows how an additional 900 sq ft changes the HVAC layout and room dimensions for those who want more space while maintaining the same three-bedroom program.