New Pics...

Here are some new pictures of the house.  As I sort things out, I will update with the best pictures I can take.  I hope you enjoy.  One of the things I like best about my house it that for a small house (1400 sq. ft.) it can be arranged in a way that offers plenty of space for a single couple, or small family.  Off course there are sacrifices in a small house, cottage like entrance instead of a formal hallway, no formal rooms to speak of; but the efficient design allows most rooms to be as functional as rooms in much more expensive houses.

       The small entryway is quaint and cottage like.  It would be great to have the much larger entry hall the Sienna model offers, but for all the extra tens of thousands of dollars, it didn't seem worth it.  I can deal with cottage cute.

       One thing the Sorrento floor plan does offer is a comfortable kitchen/dining area.  I went with solid surface flooring in both areas to open up the space and create the sense of one large room (rather than the illusion of two smaller rooms by carpeting the dinette area).  I also opted to not add the island.  I knew there was enough space in the open kitchen area to put the table and that gives me the dinette area which is the size of a Ryan Homes Morning Room.  The best of both worlds on a tight budget.  Can you imagine how nice this room could be with great hardwood or tile flooring, upgraded cabinets and granite countertops?  If you have a little more money, this room can be amazing.  I will have to wait for my budget to allow such things, for now I'm happy with what I have.

     Here you can see the living room from the kitchen/morning room area.  No, it isn't a large room, though it holds just as much furniture as the great room in the Sienna model, but it is smaller, and it does have that cottage like entrance.  Overall, if you have the right furniture, and you aren't a fill-every-inch with something kind of person, there is plenty of space to create a cozy but open feeling.

      Overall my thoughts are this:  If Ryan homes offers the Sienna in your area for a few thousand more than the Sorrento (I know it is about 10k more in many communities) then go for the larger model.  You get an extra car space in the garage, a second floor (instead of first floor) laundry room, and a second bathroom in addition to the large entry hall.  But when I bought this house, the difference was 30k and that was too much to pay for what you get.  If Ryan homes is offering a great deal on the Sorrento (I bought when they were closing out a street and it was the only house that could fit on the last two lots), then go with the smaller house and use some of the savings to purchase their finished basement package which offers a TON of extra space for a home theater/exercise room, or an amazing family room that is larger than anything you could get with the more expensive Sienna.  This is a very efficient, but comfortable package.  Why waste the space and heat/AC on hallway space anyway?