I plan on doing an alt save to just build all three lots for achievements (and for a ingame view of the various options)

But thinking of a nice place to just use as a base camp/home

Right now I'm thinking definately not lakeview (just doesn't suit me even if it is the easiest to get... plus so many visitors)

Windstand and the hard to spell one(with the grain mill) seem more for my liking. With the snow one being prefered.

I do know all the towers are out of the guestion.

Part of me is looking at : kitchen, greenhouse, storage (for the balcony)

But the idea of the trophy room (see what mom/dad killed!) suits me too.

The armory/storage/bedrooms is a nice idea... but I'd lose out on some of the baking recipies (not a big loss, may mod the recipies into the standard cook menu or find one). The greenhouse is nice, but can always gather/buy ingredients instead (and can't plant all the ones I'd like to use )

So what seems to be the recomended build for a single homestead? (plan to buy/gather all the mats as I level up so when I build it, I'm set... along with all the gifts for the kids)

I only ever get Lakeview. Amazing view. I don't use the other homes.

I'm currently running a character who is a skilled alchemist, so she built Windstad Manor for the fish hatchery. She built the greenhouse to grow her ingredients, and the Alchemy Tower just because it's cool to go into her own tower to brew her potions and poisons! She also built the kitchen because she loves to bake--although everyone waits for her to take the first bite before eating any of her baked goods!

That's a really difficult one as it depends on a person's tastes. looking at it semi-subjectively Heljerchen Hall has a grist mill for making flour so to me it screams "Family Home!" Plus I'm like you, I prefer the view of snow and mountains rather than lake.

I plan on doing the bedroom, Kitchen and trophy room there.

Winstead manor has the fishery so to me it screams "Alchemists Retreat!" Put in an alchemists tower, Library and Greenhouse and use the outside garden for more ingredients. It also gets visits from living and dead draugher and/or giants so there you have more alchemy ingredients.

Lakeview is the preferred family home by many and you get all kinds of insects in your house, more alchemy ingredients since it has the aviary.

That's just me though, you have a lot of different combinations to choose from. I'd advise making a save and building it up then trying it out. If you don't like the way your house is set up revert save and try it again. It's really the only way you'll find your dream home combination.

Edit: An egregious error! I removed the armory from Winstead and replaced it with Library. Duh!

The one in Morthal has a fishery, great for getting slaughterfish XD

Hmm, looking at the requirements for the quests to get the houses... may make a cheat save and use it to build all of them and then see what I like.

But yeah, definately narrowed down the location to the one with the mill.... may make the others as well (using the fish hatchery as an assassin's workship with related wings, and the lakeview as a hunting lodge/mage retreat)