If/when we build one, I've found one I like, the Carson with addition model from New World Home (the blue one on the home page). If you follow decor blogs or read CL, there has been lots of talk about the New World Home/Country Living "Home of the Year" built this summer in NYC (and designed by Katie Ridder), but if you go to the NWH website, you'll find lots of other fun models for various lifestyles.
We've come to the somewhat sad realization that after five years in a 2,300 sq. ft. house that we will probably not comfortably be able to downsize our primary residence to anything much smaller than this anytime soon, as much as we'd love a bit place in the city, which we are also working on. I used to have all of 400 sq ft. to call my own, but you know what they say about expanding to fill the available space. But we also don't want anything much larger, even if/when we have a couple kids. We just aren't aspiring McMansion people. And regardless of how many eco-friendly renovations we undertake, our quirky early 70's contemporary will never be an energy saving marvel.
And since DH is a LEED guy (certification pending) and I am a designer-in-training (ASID card in the mail ;) ) it might be a fun project, especially given the relatively turn-key nature of modular building, but we gotta get this baby making thing out of the way first of course. My sister and her husband built their green home before they had their three kids, but they did it the hard way, almost completely by themselves. We know this is not for us.
My favorite things about this model: the big/open kitchen and family room (similar to our current layout, only bigger), and a master big enough for a sitting area. Things I would want to work on: bathrooms are small (no tub in master), switching living and dining rooms and maybe opening them up, exactly where to put the garage and mudroom? (on the left for symmetry, or on the back of house, and adding a 2nd story). A few of these modifications have been made on this model built in NY.
