Informal home centers around great room

A vaulted great room is at the core of the Midland, a four bedroom home that's low on formality, high on livability. What's missing here is a living room; a formal area that many 90s families feel is wasted space anyway.

The great room is large enough to accommodate a couple couches and easy chairs, a home entertainment center, the family computer, or what have you. Glass fills most of the rear wall and a corner fireplace adds color when skies are gray. Glass doors open onto a large patio.

Amenities in the kitchen include a work island with built in range and oven, plenty of cupboard and counter space, and a small eating bar. The sunny morning room has sliding glass doors that access a dining patio. Windowed on two sides, this room is so bright you can skip the coffee. Potted plants flourish here too.

Family gatherings take place in a dining room, with an elegant 10 foot ceiling. The light here is softly muted by the covered porch.

Bedrooms cluster together on the left. The room with an arched bay window is a natural for a cozy window seat. In the master suite, the ceiling is vaulted and the walk in closet is huge. Twin basins are located in the dressing area, separated from the steam of tub and shower by a pocket door. Another pocket door makes the water closet entirely private.

The bedroom adjacent to the Midland's front porch could be adapted to serve as a home office. Direct entry from the porch requires the simple addition of an exterior door.