Traditional brick homes offer durability and time-tested layouts that suit modern family life. A 2,023-square-foot two-story floor plan called The Appleton demonstrates how brick siding, gable rooflines, and a bonus room combine into a practical family home. With three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a main-level primary suite, this design delivers single-level convenience with upper-floor flexibility. The two-story brick facade conveys a sense of permanence and quality that has made brick the preferred exterior for traditional homes in North America since the colonial period. For another take on bonus room design, this two-story 5-bedroom traditional home floor plan with bonus room and great room shows how the concept scales to a larger footprint.
Key Dimensions of the Appleton Floor Plan
At 2,023 square feet, The Appleton fits on a standard residential lot while providing generous room sizes. The 1.5-story configuration keeps the roofline lower than a full two-story design, reducing exterior wall area and material costs. This size hits a market sweet spot: large enough for a growing family with three bedrooms and a bonus room, but compact enough to build on a 50-foot-wide lot without sacrificing yard space. The 1.5-story design uses knee walls on the upper floor, where the roof slope cuts into the room volume along exterior walls, but the bonus room sits in a full-height section that maximizes usable space.
| Area | Square Footage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total heated living area | 2,023 sq ft | Main level plus upper floor |
| Main level | ~1,350 sq ft | Primary suite, great room, kitchen, dining |
| Upper level | ~673 sq ft | 2 bedrooms, full bath, bonus room |
| Bonus room | ~200 sq ft | Flexible space above garage or side wing |
| Garage | ~400 sq ft | Two-car attached garage |
| Deck | ~250 sq ft | Off great room and kitchen |
Main Level Layout: Primary Suite and Great Room
The main level contains the primary suite, great room with cathedral ceiling, formal dining room, kitchen, and entry foyer. This arrangement places the most-used rooms on one floor, eliminating stair climbing for daily activities. The main-level primary bedroom is a major selling point for aging homeowners and families with mobility concerns. According to the National Association of Home Builders, over 60 percent of home buyers prefer a primary bedroom on the main level, and homes with this feature sell 5 to 10 percent faster than those without it.
Primary Suite Design
The primary bedroom sits on the main level for accessibility and convenience. A coved ceiling adds visual height without increasing the floor-to-roof structure. Two walk-in closets provide separate storage zones, eliminating the need for a separate dressing area. The five-fixture ensuite bathroom includes dual pedestal sinks, a water closet, a drop-in bathtub clad in beige marble tiles, and a separate shower stall. A skylight above the bathroom brings natural light into the interior space, reducing the need for artificial lighting during daytime. The two walk-in closets, each approximately 5 by 7 feet, provide 35 square feet of storage each for a combined 70 square feet of closet space. For another brick home with a similar main-level primary layout, this two-story 3-bedroom traditional home floor plan with vaulted great room and bonus space shows comparable primary suite organization.
Cathedral Ceiling in the Great Room
The great room features a cathedral ceiling that follows the roof slope, reaching 16 to 18 feet at the peak. This vertical space makes the room feel larger than its floor area and accommodates a floor-to-ceiling fireplace as a focal point. Exposed beams or painted drywall finishes the ceiling surface depending on budget and style preference. The open sightline from the great room through the kitchen and onto the deck creates a visual axis that spans the entire rear of the home. Cathedral ceilings add 8 to 12 percent to framing costs compared to standard 8-foot ceilings. The energy impact depends on whether spray foam insulation at the roofline or standard ceiling insulation is used.
- Cathedral ceiling with optional exposed beams for rustic character
- Fireplace centered on the exterior wall with stone or brick surround
- L-shaped sectional seating anchors the room without blocking circulation
- Large windows on two exposures provide balanced natural light
- Sliding glass door to deck expands entertaining capacity
Kitchen Configuration and Dining Spaces
The eat-in kitchen connects to the great room on one side and the formal dining room on the other. This central position makes the kitchen the functional hub of the main level, with separate zones for casual and formal meals. The kitchen square footage in this plan, approximately 200 to 250 square feet including the eat-in area, balances counter space, storage, and circulation. Industry standards recommend 158 square feet minimum for a functional kitchen in a home of this size.
Cooktop Island and Work Zones
A cooktop island provides the primary cooking surface while perimeter countertops stay clear for meal prep. A breakfast bar overhang on the great room side accommodates 3 to 4 bar stools for casual dining. Dark wood cabinetry with crown molding matches the exterior brick character. An island-mounted cooktop requires a downdraft vent or pendant-style hood, since a standard overhead hood would hang in open space. Downdraft vents cost $800 to $1,500 but are less effective at capturing grease than overhead hoods.
Formal Dining Room Placement
The formal dining room sits to the right of the foyer, separated from the kitchen by a short hallway. This placement allows the dining room to function independently for dinner parties while remaining close enough for convenient food service. A window facing the front yard provides natural light, and the room accommodates a table seating 6 to 8 people. The foyer-to-dining connection means guests enter directly into the dining space without passing through the kitchen, maintaining a formal arrival sequence for dinner parties. For another brick home with similar kitchen-to-dining flow, this two-story traditional brick home floor plan with vaulted great room and bonus space shows a comparable main-level arrangement.
Upper Level: Secondary Bedrooms and Bonus Room
The upper floor contains two family bedrooms, a full bathroom, and an enormous bonus room. The bonus room occupies the area above the garage or the rear wing, providing flexible space that adapts as the family grows. Upper floor layouts in 1.5-story homes use knee walls along the exterior edges where the roof slope meets the floor. Knee walls typically stand 3 to 5 feet tall, with the usable floor area located toward the center of the room. This configuration works well for children’s bedrooms where furniture placement can take advantage of the lower wall sections for beds or low dressers.
Bonus Room Size and Uses
The bonus room measures approximately 14 by 15 feet, offering 200+ square feet of flexible space. Common uses include a home theater, playroom, home gym, or fourth bedroom if a closet is added. Because the bonus room sits over the garage, the floor assembly requires additional insulation and a staggered joist arrangement to minimize sound transmission from the room below. Bonus room floors require R-19 to R-30 insulation because the garage below is unconditioned. Staggered joists or resilient channels reduce noise from garage door openers below. For another brick home with a bonus room above the garage, this 4-bedroom single-story brick home floor plan with bonus room demonstrates how brick detailing changes for a ranch-style elevation.
- Home theater: dark walls, raised floor for tiered seating, pre-wired for surround sound
- Playroom: durable flooring, low storage shelving, direct line of sight to upper hallway
- Home gym: rubber floor mats, wall-mounted TV, ventilation fan in ceiling
- Guest bedroom: add closet, egress window already in place, shared bath access
Brick Siding and Exterior Design
Brick siding defines the traditional character of The Appleton. Full brick veneer covers the main elevations, with brick returns at window and door openings. This material choice provides fire resistance, low maintenance, and insulation value that reduces heating and cooling loads. The thermal mass of brick helps moderate indoor temperature swings by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night, reducing HVAC load by 5 to 10 percent compared to lightweight siding materials.
Brick Types and Installation
Standard modular bricks measuring 3-5/8 by 2-1/4 by 7-5/8 inches are the most common choice for residential brick veneer. Running bond and common bond patterns suit traditional home styles, while Flemish bond adds decorative interest at a 10 to 15 percent material premium. Brick veneer requires a 1-inch air gap between the brick and the sheathing for drainage and ventilation, with weep holes at 16-inch intervals along the bottom course. Brick veneer installation costs $8 to $15 per square foot. A full brick exterior on a 2,023-square-foot home requires approximately 1,200 to 1,500 square feet of brick coverage.
| Brick Bond Pattern | Appearance | Material Premium | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running bond | Staggered courses, clean lines | None (standard) | Colonial and traditional homes |
| Common bond | Running bond with header courses every 5-6 rows | +5-8% | Tudor and English cottage styles |
| Flemish bond | Alternating stretcher and header bricks per row | +10-15% | Georgian and formal traditional homes |
| Stack bond | Bricks aligned vertically, no stagger | +0-5% | Modern traditional fusion styles |
Arched Entry and Gable Rooflines
The front elevation of The Appleton uses double columns flanking an arched entry, a classic traditional motif that draws the eye to the front door. Gable rooflines with returns at the eaves complete the symmetrical facade. The arched entry requires a structural header above the opening, typically a steel lintel or reinforced concrete beam that supports the brick courses above the arch. The double columns, whether structural or decorative, are spaced 4 to 6 feet apart and support a porch roof or portico that shelters the entry from rain and sun.
Gable Roof Framing
The main roof uses a 7:12 pitch with gable ends at the front and rear. This pitch strikes a balance between water shedding and material efficiency. Attic ventilation occurs through gable-end louvers or ridge vents combined with soffit vents. The 1.5-story design means the upper floor sits partially within the roof volume, with knee walls that limit usable floor area along the exterior walls. A 7:12 roof pitch sheds water effectively while remaining walkable for maintenance. Engineered roof trusses at 24 inches on center support the roof load.
An expansive deck extends across the rear of the home off the great room and kitchen. The deck uses pressure-treated lumber or composite decking with a guardrail meeting code height requirements. Access from the great room through a sliding glass door and from the kitchen through a service door maximizes outdoor connection for grilling and entertaining. This traditional two-story brick home with bonus room above garage floor plan explores another configuration of the same core features with a different bonus room placement.
The foyer flows directly into the formal dining room on the right and the great room straight ahead, creating an open arrival sequence. A coat closet near the entry keeps outerwear organized without crowding the dining area. The half-bathroom on the main level serves guests without requiring access to the upper floor. This traditional home floor plan with bonus room in a 4-bedroom two-story Craftsman design applies these same layout principles to a Craftsman aesthetic with different exterior materials.