First floor setbacks are always a challenge to design to ensure that they don't look like they have been plonked into the roof of a single story home, and it takes a considered design approach to make it look right. This explains why there aren't lots of good examples around.

While there are lots of helpful people in the Houzz community it is impossible to respond to your question unless you can articulate why you don't like your drafty's elevations, and furthermore you can't find anything that you do like - especially as there are thousands of such images on Houzz.

I wonder if the answer lies in your interpretation of the drafty's drawings, especially if they are presented in 2 dimensional format it can be hard for some clients to read and visualise how the setback really works. Perhaps if he presented a 3-D version you may like it more?

If this is not the case, and you can't find anything you like then consider why there is a first floor setback, and if it is possible to redesign to break up the setback with a part coming forward. Good design is not just about getting the floorplan to work in two dimensions, but getting the elevation(s) right at the same time, as the two should be designed together. An elevation is not a like a wallpaper that you stick on to a finished plan.

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If your drafty is still floundering consider bringing in another consultant who can articulate the issues and assist with the elevation design (which may also include some changes to the floorplan). You wouldn't be the first to engage a draftsperson for a project as they are cheap, then discover midway that your draftsman can't design, and need to switch horses mid-race.

Best of luck,

Dr Retro

of Dr Retro House Calls

Great design, Dr Retro. The balcony ties the upper and lower storeys together beautifully.

You have an interesting floor plan with the side entry. While there are many products with a similar scale and first floor setbacks by companies like Metricon, I would not seek to copy from their homes as you will run into problems with copyright infringement. You would be surprised how litigious some big companies are when it comes to copyright infringement

:https://www.theage.com.au/news/business/an-alfresco-is-the-same-by-any-name/2007/10/06/1191091417357.html

It is wishful thinking that Houzzers can present you the perfect elevation, as most houses of a similar size have a front facing entry. It is research you will need to do yourself until you can articulate beyond the word "contemporary" and "setback".

Best of luck finding your elevation "wallpaper" without making some floorplan changes, and avoiding copyright infringement.

Dr Retro

of Dr Retro House Calls

Hi Paul,
First of all, thank you for your time last year explaining the pros and cons and giving your advise on other areas, if you feel necessary please feel free to send me an invoice for that hour. We all are professional in one field or other so i do not disagree if you feel the need to charge for that hour.

Yes i have completely changed the floorplan as i wanted some difference from traditional floor plan. I am not able to seek an architect financially so i am endeavoring options to get result in my budget. yes it may be hard but i am trying and i guess that may well be one problem.

anyway, this is an idea sharing platform and we are entitled to seek some advise and ideas from others and i hope people will try to help rather than giving criticism,

thanks, I do appreciate that & yes I'll think about doing that ;) I think it's important to understand that "help" in with this stuff involves critique to a certain extent. I'm all for helping people, that's kind of inherently what my job is all about, but in order to do that in the best way possible we need to be appropriately positioned to do it, and give it the time/attention it deserves and we're not going to tell you the answer for nothing. You can't easily sort this stuff out via a forum. You're building a house that's going to cost you hundreds of thousands so I beg to differ, you can afford to get the design right, perhaps not a full blown architect service, but I'd argue it's false economy cutting corners at the design stage. Investment in design is money well spent. What Retro and I are saying, and clearly you are seeing it too here because you're still struggling with it all, is that design is a 3 dimensional process. Form follows function and the facade will reflect the plan solution. When you get to this point and the facade's not working, then the plan's not working either. You need to be working with someone with the capacity to understand the consequences of the floor plan spatially. But in your case what I'd argue is that if this is a serious priority for you the designer needs to understand this aspect back while they're planning the layout, NOT tweaking it afterwards. Building design is a skill that is incredibly underestimated in it's complexity. Ultimately until we understand exactly what your comprehensive brief requirements are we are limited in capacity to either critique or suggest a better option. Hence my suggestion that you best engage a competent designer who delivers the contemporary style that appeals and is integrated rather than applied to the floor plan. honestly that's the best advice I can give you here - I'll be in touch :) PD

Understand your point Paul, my initial question, i am not wanting anyone to design me a facade, i was wanting to see if people could give me some reference image to facades that has a first story setback element.. ;)

Sorry, but coming back to the copyright issue (and thank you Dr Retro for sharing the article) you just can't use reference images in this way. It's blatantly taking something and copying (stealing) the IP embedded in it. My advice, derive the facade from the floor plan using a designer who can and avoid the issue....trust me it will be so much better AND as bonus legal too - win-win :) PD