You've decided you want to build a new home. Where do you start? First, we suggest you purchase your land, as this will surely impact the design of your home. Second, start putting your ideas together before visiting your architect.
Start with a vision of your new home. Is there a certain architectural style you prefer? Colonial? Cape? Saltbox? Farmhouse? From there, start with the basics in home design. How many bedrooms will you need? Do you want a Master Bedroom with or without a Master Bathroom suite? Will it be located on the first or second floor? If this is a vacation home which will become your retirement home, you may prefer to have the main rooms located on the first floor for easy access in later years. Do you want a large, eat-in kitchen or a separate dining room?
Are you planning to entertain small or large groups of people in your home? Is a cathedral Great Room on your list of priorities? Will you need a living room or media room separate from your Great Room? Do you have a specific hobby or interest that requires a separate room or area?
Compare all of these areas with your current home. Does the space you have now fit your needs? Write down the measurements of your space and then mark whether or not the space is adequate. Wherever possible, look for areas to reduce the living space. For instance, if you have a large laundry room now and you only really use half of the space, mark it as a potential space saver. Anytime you reduce the square footage of your new home you will save money in initial material costs, but in energy costs over the life of the home as well.
A home fulfills many purposes, but it can also satisfy numerous personal, aesthetic, and emotional requirements that can be difficult to describe in words. In starting to imagine your home design, it will help your architect if you identify and communicate how you want each space to feel. How?
You may find it a challenge to explain how you want a room to feel. Start by doing some simple exercises. Pick up a home magazine or imagine a home you are familiar with. Find a room you like. What do you like about it? The way the afternoon sunlight casts shadows within the room? The room's intimacy or its abundant space?
Think about other spaces you enjoy - the park, the library, your friend's home. How does the space make you feel? What creates that feeling? Be specific, and write down what you like about it. For instance, you might write, "I like how the room's color tones change as the sun sets" or "I love how the outdoors is brought inside". These small realizations will help the home design to evolve from a floor plan to a custom home that is an extension of your life philosophy.
Do this for each room in your home design. It is also helpful to describe what you don't like about certain floor plans, rooms, or space. For instance, if you are not fond of having to walk through your closet to enter your Master Bedroom, document this. Perhaps you like the great room in a magazine photo but you don't like the television being the center of attention. Or, you may like the space but find it lacks the intimacy you're looking for in your home - a cozy corner where you can chat with another couple, a well-lit reading area, or a secluded spot for your cell phone chargers, mail and telephone. Keep all of your notes together. Cut out full pages or small photos that describe your likes and dislikes. As you go through this process, you can update your thoughts with text and photos. Eventually, you will come to a good understanding of what you want your custom home to look and feel like. Bring your notebook to your first meeting with your architect. Starting with your vision in hand will expedite the design process while guaranteeing success.
Your custom home architect will spend time with you to guide you through this process and will translate your ideas into a preliminary design for your consideration and review. The result will be much more than a home with a standard floor plan - you will have a custom home design that matches your philosophy and lifestyle, a reflection of who you are, your dreams and aspirations.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Bonin
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A plan for each room
The kitchen place of your home becomes a very important center for social gathering whether you decide to host a family breakfast or an elaborate dinner party. So you need a perfect floor plan for this space where you would be doing the multi-tasking.
You should have a small prep sink and no other appliances on the cook top as that will give you more space and make it easier for you to cook. The sink, the refrigerator and the stove should be kept close to each other so that you do not have to run around the entire kitchen when you are cooking a meal. You should not fall for attractive fixtures because it is important to keep the space available for the preparation of a meal.
When you are planning the kitchen space you need to micro analyze what you will use each of the cabinets for. To store dry food, house plates etc - everything is to be planned so that you do not end of building cabinets that are larger or smaller than what you need. The kitchen should be large enough to accommodate two cooks and there should be at least a five feet distance between the two stoves.
You need not have real high ceilings but rather go for lower ceilings to keep the place cozy and warm and to keep the people closer to each other. If the length and the width of the space is kept the same then it would be easier to divide the space for the various functions like dinning and fireplace and game space.
From the rooms the view outside should be clear and should not be blocked by an adjoining porch and you should be using clear glasses for the windows so that the view is clear. The television is always a focal point in most families these days and so you should consider the TV's placement before you start planning anything else about the great room. Before choosing the layout the furniture that is going to go to the great room needs to be decided for sure. Even window sizes and the placement of windows is a vitally important thing to be considered while figuring out the layout of each room.
A large dressing closet should be planned within the bedroom. You need to think very carefully about the master bedroom as well as about the master bath especially if you are going to have over night guests visiting your place every now and then. A master bedroom space can also work for a home office when ever there are no guests staying at your place and so in this way the same space will serve for two functions. The guest room and/or office room should be long and narrow so that one end of the bed faces the window and the other end faces the freestanding table and chair.
Check out Christi Sealey's website. It will provide you with easy to understand information on building or buying your own Log Home or Log Cabin. Check it out at Your Log Home Guide. Don't make the same mistakes others have made that cost them big!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christi_Sealey
You should have a small prep sink and no other appliances on the cook top as that will give you more space and make it easier for you to cook. The sink, the refrigerator and the stove should be kept close to each other so that you do not have to run around the entire kitchen when you are cooking a meal. You should not fall for attractive fixtures because it is important to keep the space available for the preparation of a meal.
When you are planning the kitchen space you need to micro analyze what you will use each of the cabinets for. To store dry food, house plates etc - everything is to be planned so that you do not end of building cabinets that are larger or smaller than what you need. The kitchen should be large enough to accommodate two cooks and there should be at least a five feet distance between the two stoves.
You need not have real high ceilings but rather go for lower ceilings to keep the place cozy and warm and to keep the people closer to each other. If the length and the width of the space is kept the same then it would be easier to divide the space for the various functions like dinning and fireplace and game space.
From the rooms the view outside should be clear and should not be blocked by an adjoining porch and you should be using clear glasses for the windows so that the view is clear. The television is always a focal point in most families these days and so you should consider the TV's placement before you start planning anything else about the great room. Before choosing the layout the furniture that is going to go to the great room needs to be decided for sure. Even window sizes and the placement of windows is a vitally important thing to be considered while figuring out the layout of each room.
A large dressing closet should be planned within the bedroom. You need to think very carefully about the master bedroom as well as about the master bath especially if you are going to have over night guests visiting your place every now and then. A master bedroom space can also work for a home office when ever there are no guests staying at your place and so in this way the same space will serve for two functions. The guest room and/or office room should be long and narrow so that one end of the bed faces the window and the other end faces the freestanding table and chair.
Check out Christi Sealey's website. It will provide you with easy to understand information on building or buying your own Log Home or Log Cabin. Check it out at Your Log Home Guide. Don't make the same mistakes others have made that cost them big!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christi_Sealey
Adding a deck to your home
If you are like most people who own an older home, odds are pretty good that you have a wooden deck that is beginning to fall to pieces. Your deck is probably starting to rot through in places or maybe even has a broken step or two if you didn't take great care of it. Now is the time to start thinking about replacing the deck, not only for everyone's safety, but also to get rid of that eye sore once and for all.
If your craftsman bungalow house plan has a large back deck there are many options that you have when it comes to replacing it. While you could simply rebuild the exact deck that you already have, perhaps instead you should do some research to find the perfect deck for you. For instance: if you love to barbecue and dine outdoors, you could choose to build a section of the deck that will be wholly for the cooking of the food and another section of the deck that steps down to where the table and chairs will be located. If you would much rather spend your days relaxing in your above ground pool, perhaps you could build a deck that extends out as a deck for your pool as well.
While most luxury architecture home plans incorporate a luxurious backyard deck, there is always something that could be added just for fun. You could add a gazebo right into your deck. This would mean that rather than having a free standing gazebo randomly sitting in your backyard, you have a gazebo that connects to the deck providing a relaxing shelter from the elements. You might also consider adding a little height to your current deck. Decks don't all have to be on the same level, so why not have a few different decks that you access by staircases. This is a great way to make your deck stand out from everyone else's single level deck.
One of the most attractive features of a house built from country style house plans is that of the wrap around deck. These decks are generally the envy of everyone who doesn't have one. These decks can wrap all the way around a house, inviting everyone who passes by to stop and sit on one of the tempting Adirondack chairs resting upon it. If you do have a country style home but do not have a wrap around deck, you should definitely consider updating your current deck to add more drama to your home. Your deck can either add or subtract value from your home. Now is the time to start adding value!
Be sure to check out House Plans & More today if your current deck from your craftsman bungalow house plan needs updating. House Plans & More has plenty of information to offer when it comes to dealing with the decks built for luxury architecture home plans. Country style house plans can also be found at House Plans and More as well.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Lane
If your craftsman bungalow house plan has a large back deck there are many options that you have when it comes to replacing it. While you could simply rebuild the exact deck that you already have, perhaps instead you should do some research to find the perfect deck for you. For instance: if you love to barbecue and dine outdoors, you could choose to build a section of the deck that will be wholly for the cooking of the food and another section of the deck that steps down to where the table and chairs will be located. If you would much rather spend your days relaxing in your above ground pool, perhaps you could build a deck that extends out as a deck for your pool as well.
While most luxury architecture home plans incorporate a luxurious backyard deck, there is always something that could be added just for fun. You could add a gazebo right into your deck. This would mean that rather than having a free standing gazebo randomly sitting in your backyard, you have a gazebo that connects to the deck providing a relaxing shelter from the elements. You might also consider adding a little height to your current deck. Decks don't all have to be on the same level, so why not have a few different decks that you access by staircases. This is a great way to make your deck stand out from everyone else's single level deck.
One of the most attractive features of a house built from country style house plans is that of the wrap around deck. These decks are generally the envy of everyone who doesn't have one. These decks can wrap all the way around a house, inviting everyone who passes by to stop and sit on one of the tempting Adirondack chairs resting upon it. If you do have a country style home but do not have a wrap around deck, you should definitely consider updating your current deck to add more drama to your home. Your deck can either add or subtract value from your home. Now is the time to start adding value!
Be sure to check out House Plans & More today if your current deck from your craftsman bungalow house plan needs updating. House Plans & More has plenty of information to offer when it comes to dealing with the decks built for luxury architecture home plans. Country style house plans can also be found at House Plans and More as well.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Lane
Choosing a modern house plan
When you choose modern house plans as the basis for the design of your home, you veer off from the overt use of traditional styles that seem to be prominent today. Some people though prefer modern plans that are not too overtly so in their appearance and thus they can still achieve their intended goals with a number of house plans of a modern nature which might not be rather extreme when it comes to the nature of their modern appearance. All house plans that fall into the modern category belong to a wide range of sub-styles some which draw on older house designs in order to gain the necessary basis for their modernity.
A number of different house plans of the modern kind also have little or no roots in the past and are purely based on modern architectural and construction trends with their usual array of steel and glass in creating these structures. Contemporary house plans are also classified as a subset of modern plans. Different other house plan designs fall into the subset category of modern plans as well and sites that are designed to provide this information will provide such details assuming the information they provide is comprehensive enough.
Getting the modern plans that you need can be somewhat difficult because there is some difficulty in ascertaining the correct definition of them term "modern plan" and what it entails. However once you've gotten around a bit and seen a couple of plans you should get the idea of what precisely you're looking for. A number of websites host such plans and you can enter the relevant search terms in order to view the choices available and possible selections and combinations which might be made to get the house plan that you feel would satisfy your needs as well as aspirations.
A number of architects and designers exist who tend to specialize in modern house plans. These individuals may also offer you the chance of benefiting from innovative designs as well as unique services. Finding great designs isn't all that difficult; all it really takes is some added research instead of just looking on the surface. If you have no ideas of your own, simply taking a look through existing house plans can provide the spark that is needed to kickstart your imagination and form a basis for your research.
House plans that are modern are terrific for a variety of reasons, one of such reasons is the fact that they tend to have larger windows than regular houses and house plans. The fact that they possess such qualities makes them a welcome place to live in due to the space, lighting and opportunities for ventilation that they provide. Sometimes people will keep the exteriors of their houses traditional and the interior locations modern and vice-versa, the opportunity to indulge in this flexibility will provide them with a house that is as unique as houses come even though the design structure may borrow from more well-known concepts.
Kelly Hunter owns and operates http://www.modernhouseplansguide.com and writes about Modern House Plans
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Hunter
A number of different house plans of the modern kind also have little or no roots in the past and are purely based on modern architectural and construction trends with their usual array of steel and glass in creating these structures. Contemporary house plans are also classified as a subset of modern plans. Different other house plan designs fall into the subset category of modern plans as well and sites that are designed to provide this information will provide such details assuming the information they provide is comprehensive enough.
Getting the modern plans that you need can be somewhat difficult because there is some difficulty in ascertaining the correct definition of them term "modern plan" and what it entails. However once you've gotten around a bit and seen a couple of plans you should get the idea of what precisely you're looking for. A number of websites host such plans and you can enter the relevant search terms in order to view the choices available and possible selections and combinations which might be made to get the house plan that you feel would satisfy your needs as well as aspirations.
A number of architects and designers exist who tend to specialize in modern house plans. These individuals may also offer you the chance of benefiting from innovative designs as well as unique services. Finding great designs isn't all that difficult; all it really takes is some added research instead of just looking on the surface. If you have no ideas of your own, simply taking a look through existing house plans can provide the spark that is needed to kickstart your imagination and form a basis for your research.
House plans that are modern are terrific for a variety of reasons, one of such reasons is the fact that they tend to have larger windows than regular houses and house plans. The fact that they possess such qualities makes them a welcome place to live in due to the space, lighting and opportunities for ventilation that they provide. Sometimes people will keep the exteriors of their houses traditional and the interior locations modern and vice-versa, the opportunity to indulge in this flexibility will provide them with a house that is as unique as houses come even though the design structure may borrow from more well-known concepts.
Kelly Hunter owns and operates http://www.modernhouseplansguide.com and writes about Modern House Plans
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Hunter
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