To get started on the decision-making process for your custom home layout, you don't need any expensive software. A sheet of paper and a pencil are all that is required.
You should draw your thoughts. Brainstorm. Create checklists of the amenities you'd want to see in each space; this will help you get your thoughts down on paper. Your home design team can benefit from even the roughest of sketches.
Do you currently have children or do you intend to have them in the near future? Have you got elderly parents? If so, you'll have to plan ahead for a wide variety of situations involving close relatives, such as welcoming back college kids, caring for ageing parents, hosting grandchildren and grandparents, and hosting extended family for the holidays.
Similarly, if you want to go from working in an office to running your own business from the comfort of your own home, you should factor in some sort of office or adaptable workspace while designing your new house.
To some extent, the decisions you make about the features of your custom home plan reflect your ideals as a family. Build in conveniences you'll appreciate in the long run.
Most people looking for a bespoke house plan are also the proud owners of the land on which the future home will stand.
If you know where you want to build a custom house, you should think about the lot's size, shape, and the aspects you most want to highlight.
If your property has a nice view of the outdoors, you might arrange your living room so that you and your loved ones can enjoy the scenery from within.
On the other hand, if there is a brook or stream on the land, the bedrooms may be situated near the water so that the inhabitants could fall asleep to the soothing sound of trickling water.
One must consider the sloping nature of the land in addition to the location of the house in relation to the best views. There will be significant visual differences between a custom home plan for a level lot and one for a steep slope.
After a basic draught of your home plan is complete, you may begin selecting the most important elements. If you allow your imagination to run wild, a custom house design project can quickly balloon out of control.
With so many options for extras, it's crucial to focus on what matters most to your finished product. Consider the relative importance of building a line for a gas stove and a box window for herb gardening in the kitchen.
Ten Things To Consider When Choosing A House Plan
You may now begin working on your dream house! To begin, remember that a solid house plan is essential to the accomplishment of your goal. Whether you're building from the ground up or remodelling an existing structure, your house design needs to include every last detail.
Your hopes and wishes will become reality, beginning with the sketch on paper. Ten factors to think about when picking a house plan are provided below.
Your Lifestyle
Your home's design must be in sync with your way of life. You can check this by imagining yourself to be a resident there. Does it accommodate your regular routine? Can you have as many visitors as you like?
It's important to have a lovely home, but you also need it to serve your needs. Don't forget to plan for spaces to unwind, play games, or host guests based on your typical or prefered activities. Each household has its own routines and interests, so when planning furniture for your home, keep those in high regard.
Your Privacy
Everyone has a fundamental requirement for privacy. There is consensus that this is a crucial issue. Home-based workers, gym rats, movie buffs, and budding cabinetmakers all have a pressing need for privacy.
You and your loved ones will appreciate the peace and quiet that may be achieved by giving these spaces some extra care.
Your Property
A home's floor plan can be significantly altered by factors such as available funds, the contours of the lot, and the size of the building envelope.
Plan out your pathways and drainage system ahead of time. Think about where the sun will be, where the wind will be blowing, and how close you are to your neighbours as you go about this. Having a big window that faces the setting sun is a plus. It loses some of its appeal when neighbours are only a few metres away.
Your Furniture
Verify that your new abode has adequate room for all of your furnishings. Don't be shy about measuring everything out and making adjustments to the floor plan as needed. Modifying a house plan to suit your specific requirements is possible.
Hint: As a general rule of thumb, you should allow at least 90 centimetres of walking space between pieces of furniture.
The Basic Structure
The projected house's basic structure should be your first concern. Throw off your preconceived notions of what a home should look like and feel like when you first start looking at model homes. What really matters is getting your future building ready to welcome you in the best way possible.
The time afforded to you will allow you to put your personal stamp on the interior design.
Future Costs
Think about the outcomes that could occur as a result of specific design choices. Everything looks great on paper. The pragmatic and economic aspects are rapidly put into context in the actual world. Think about how much it will cost you to maintain your new house. The first step is to figure out what's most important to you and how much money you can spend.
Safety
Especially if you plan on raising a family in the house, safety must be a top priority during the construction phase. Is it okay to go into this room? Can you feel safe on the staircase and balconies?
You can count on your house to be a fantastic play area. But watch out that the infant doesn't wander off to your garage.
Your Family
Talk to your loved ones about your dream home's floor plan. Discuss your ideas with your close circle and don't be afraid to take their criticisms into account. You will get new motivation from their responses or new insights into things you may have overlooked. As an added bonus, this strategy can help prevent lots of future debate and criticism.
The house is where you and your family will spend most of your time together. If you want to rearrange the furniture in the rooms where you spend the most time together, feel free to do so.
Your Budget
Avoid the temptation to overinvest in a futuristic vision of your dream home by designing for the here and now. It's more important to focus on meeting your immediate demands and sticking to your actual budget right now. In this way, you won't have to worry about being squished by excessively large recurring costs.
Changing things up at home is always an option. You can even set aside a portion of your plan for such functions. Which one you choose depends on you!
Your Questions
Don't act all snobby and sophisticated. Unless you have professional training as an architect, home layout and design are probably not your forte.
Humble yourself and accept your limitations; it is natural to not fully grasp all the symbols and terminology used in your house plan. Make inquiries and get the answers you need. You are the one in control of the project, after all.
Finally, realise there is no use in pursuing a foolproof strategy. Each of the layouts is adaptable to fit your needs.
Make sure the plan satisfies your requirements and goals before you start the project. If you can't seem to locate what you're looking for, custom designs drawn out by an architect might be the way to go.
Floor Plan Mistakes And How To Avoid Them In Your Home
It's a common experience for new homeowners to pick out a house they think will be perfect for their family, only to be disappointed once they move in and question, "why doesn't this floor plan work for us?" While trying to choose the perfect house layout, many new homeowners make the same basic blunders. Take a look at these ten floor plan blunders and discover how to prevent them whether you are about to create your floor plan with an architect or are house looking to find the perfect property.
Don't Assume That Every Floor Plan Will Suit Your Lifestyle.
One common error in picking the perfect floor plan is failing to imagine one's own family preparing meals in the kitchen or disregarding the fact that one's bad back would not appreciate constantly ascending and descending three flights of stairs. Look at how you actually live before deciding on a floor plan.
Which do you prefer: a house with one floor or several? If you could choose between an open floor plan and private rooms, which would you choose? Find out what you must have in a cosy house to feel at ease.
When Visiting A Model Home, Keep The Upgrades In Mind.
It is highly recommended that homebuyers visit the developer's model houses before making a final decision on a property to purchase. One common blunder is to buy into the extras that the house stager and contractors have added to the model. Try to ignore the high-end touches like the improved carpet, colour-coordinated wall coverings and drapes, and instead concentrate on the room's arrangement and flow. Insights like these can guide your selection about the floor plan to select.
Don't Think You're Crazy If You Can't Understand Floor Plan Drawings.
If you've just started browsing for, or sketching out ideas for, your new home, you'll almost certainly soon find yourself poring over architectural drawings and floor plans.
While the symbols and terminology used in the design industry may come naturally to some, ordinary homeowners may find them puzzling. Don't assume you have to memorise the layout of every room, stairwell, and hallway. Don't assume; rather, seek clarification by asking.
Ensure Architectural Features Won’t Cost You More In The Future.
An exciting architectural feature is one that looks great on a 2D floor plan and feels great in a physical space.
Skylights, expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, and other design elements can all affect how much it costs to heat and cool a home. Even if it's not something you're worried about right now, consider how your house's design could save you money on energy bills in the future.
Don’t Assume The Sizes Of Rooms On A Floor Plan Are Adequate.
How often have you found that your existing furniture wouldn't fit in a space after reading the dimensions on the floor plan? Prior to settling on a home's final dimensions, it's a good idea to take a careful inventory of your current furnishings.
If you are designing a new floor plan and are unsure of the square footage required, it is recommended that you take measurements of your current furniture, tables, and walking area. If you need more room in your new house, just build up!
When Choosing A Floor Plan, See All Of Your Entertaining Spaces Being Used.
Whenever imagining their perfect layout, most homeowners see themselves hosting a small gathering of friends and family on the patio.
Your imagination probably doesn't go to hosting the in-laws for a month every summer or your entire office for the holidays.
If you frequently have gatherings at your home, the kitchen, dining room, and living room should be designed to accommodate a large number of guests. With this in mind, you may be sure to leave plenty of space for guests to mingle, dine, dance, be served, and move around the house.
When Choosing A Floor Plan, Keep Children's Safety In Mind.
Have you ever found yourself falling in love with a sports automobile, only to be jolted back to earth by the realisation that your brood is too large to fit inside? The same error can be made when trying to find a good place to raise a family.
Many characteristics of a floor layout that adults find appealing, such as balconies, stairs without rails, and large glass shower enclosures, may need to be altered to ensure the safety of young children.
Location, Location… Changing Your Floor Plan Options
Floor plans can be altered in the future but remember that moving to a new house is not an option. That being said, it's important to keep the home's location and property in mind while you browse floor plans.
Even if you find the floor plan for the master bedroom, you're interested in in the model home, the actual home's style, view, and overall feel may be very different from what you experienced in the model. It's important to keep in mind the aesthetics of the surrounding area while selecting a floor layout.
Pick A Floor Plan Now That Works Your Budget.
People looking at house plans frequently make the error of anticipating their needs far into the future and spending too much money as a result.
Whether it's the fixtures and fittings, the inventive additions, the square footage, or the amenities, your home can always be improved.
Only you know how much you can afford, so don't let a real estate salesperson or developer's rep talk you into spending more. If you want to avoid feeling "financially stretched" every month due to your mortgage payments, it's important to create a budget early.
Bring Your Family Along With You When Choosing A Floor Plan.
Don't make the common mistake of making layout decisions in isolation. You should take your loved ones with you if you can tour actual house models before settling on a floor plan.
If you have roommates, kids, a significant other, or anyone else who will be living in the house with you, it could be useful to watch how others react to your changes. Avoid the pitfalls of being the "single decision-maker" by getting input from loved ones while selecting the best floor plan for your household.
FAQs About Home Design
The success of your home design project depends heavily on the sequence in which you make your decisions. By setting priorities using this framework, you may build a house that does more than keep you and your family alive.
Sustainable design Good energy efficiency is critical for any home that purports to be future-proof. The first line of defence in keeping utility bills down is to address your building’s fabric: the better insulated and more airtight the shell is, the more protection you’ll have against rising gas and electricity costs.
When designing interior spaces in the not-too-distant future, less will be more. This shift is primarily attributable to customers needing larger open spaces to provide room for enhanced augmented reality experiences.
If you doubt, discover why we need Future-Proof Resilient homes building for a changing climate here. Even without adding high cost to a build, a home can be built with far greater durability and be better able to resist the extreme weather occurrences increasing in frequency and intensity.
If you’ve been paying attention to trends in the home design industry, you’ve probably noticed that newly built homes are beginning to look and function entirely different from the traditional houses that most of us saw growing up.