When driving by, or visiting a custom home, have you ever stopped to marvel at the innovation, beauty, and precision of its design?
You might ponder the time and effort required to build and fill its entirety; as is true of most great achievements, the best custom homes aren’t built without hours and hours of careful planning and preparation.
If you’re someone who is considering home building in the future, there are multiple points that you and your designer will need to discuss to ensure, when finished, your home meets your expectations.
Here are five important tips that will help you design the home you’ve always wanted.
1. Always Look Ahead
A high level of foresight is necessary for the initial pursuit of house design. Solely home building “for today” will only set you up for inconveniences in the future.
Instead, you should be looking at least ten or fifteen years down the road. Whether you have children or not, do you plan on eventually expanding your family? Are your parents getting older? You might want to help provide accommodations someday. Is hosting family reunions and get-togethers on your radar?
These are factors that completely change the way you approach the home building process; they cause you to think about the layout of a house, along with the specific features that you fit your lifestyle.
If you’re a pet lover or have a big family, you might want to consider a sizable backyard. If your an avid cook, plenty of kitchen space will be needed. Leave no stone unturned when considering what’s both practical and important in the future.
2. Make A List Of Priorities
When people have the opportunity to design their own custom homes, they start out with all the bells and whistles. The imagination is allowed run wild when cost is no issue . . . yet.
There will come a time in the design process when you’ll need to start consolidating by determining which line items are essential and nonessential. That wireless home automation device you like? You might not be able to justify squeezing it into the budget.
However, what you define as essential and non-essential is up to you and your good judgment. Make a list of the things that are most important to you and your family. If you’ve had your heart set on a home library since you were ten years old, maybe that becomes a priority.
Work priorities into your home building budget and go from there. Luxury items are fine but don’t confuse them with the essentials.
3. Optimize Your Design For The Property
Some people build custom homes on property they have owned for a while; and in those cases, they must play the cards that have been dealt. For others, the lots are brand new and were purchased with certain home features in mind.
In both scenarios, it’s important to optimize the house design for the property. For example, if your lot has a waterfront or garden, you might want to consider building a porch where you can relax and observe that scenic view.
Property features can determine anything from window placement to the size of your basement. Make sure you study the ins and outs of your property and work those elements into your house design.
4. Focus On Function
After you’ve chosen the different features and rooms you want in your new home, you’ll have the difficult task of arranging them for function and flow.
This can turn into a jigsaw puzzle of sorts. You may even find that some of your interests clash with what’s best for your new home.
You’ll want to consider things like:
- Keeping distance between bedrooms
- Placement of bathrooms
- Walking space in high traffic areas
- Built-in kitchen utilities
- Window and lighting placement
5. Get The Lighting Right
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of home building because it has such a significant impact on our wellbeing.
You may be moving to an area where the winters are very dark, or you may be someone who is subject to feeling depressed during different seasons. These factors make lighting an even greater priority.
First, consider the amount of natural light your area and home will receive. Then, look to maximize the amount of natural light that penetrates your home. You can achieve this by integrating features such as windows and skylights in areas where plenty of light will shine through.
Finally, supplement your natural light with electrical lights as needed. Some areas require more lighting than others. For example, a study or office may need more light than a bedroom or closet.
With these five tips, you’ll be well on your way to constructing the perfect house design for you and your family. Make sure you take the time to hash these things out with your designer.
Remember, it’s much better to be thorough in advance than to be left with regrets down the road.