Design Option 3

The first option created a streamlined traffic pattern through the garage.  The second option allowed us to focus on what will be a great view of the yard.  What about option 3?

This option is similar to the first, but it keeps the original double doors to the backyard.  It also moves our daughter's bedroom right below ours.  The bathroom is allowed to have a taller ceiling as there is storage above it.  There will also be a stairway with pullout storage underneath.  The kitchen remains large and in charge enough to accommodate the daily meals I prepare.
Here's a cross section of this plan.

The main storage areas would be under the stairs in and in our daughter's room (wait until she's a teenager!) but we'd have a small closet in our room as well.  This accommodated a large sofa with a table behind.  Depending on our preference, we could switch the two.

Here are some inspiration pictures of the storage we could accomplish under the stairs.

So this plan was very similar to number one, but doesn't move an exterior door, uses real stairs to get upstairs and seems to have more 'closets' as storage.
Now that you've seen all three designs, which do you prefer?  There are definitely things that we liked and didn't like about all three designs, but we'll do the whole smack-down rundown in another post.