When you’re designing your own home, the floorplan is one of the most important and most challenging parts of the process. If you’re going to create a dream home that will suit your family for years to come, you need to get the floorplan right. Whether you choose an already built home or decide to go with a new home construction, here’s how to do that.
Don’t Get Caught Up in Numbers
If you think you need a large home, it can be tempting to worry about going for as high a square footage as you can, which can get expensive. If you’re working with a smaller plot of land, don’t worry. A well-designed floor plan will actually feel a lot more spacious than the square footage says it is. Similarly, the wrong floor plan can feel much smaller than the square footage says the home is.
Use Your Imagination
Imagine yourself carrying out day-to-day tasks in the home. How does the floorplan play into that? Have you positioned bathrooms and bedrooms in the same area of the home? Have you thought practically and put the laundry room near the bedrooms, so you aren’t carrying laundry through the whole house. If you have children, will you be able to see them in the backyard from the kitchen while you’re cooking?
Think About The Stories
Decide how many levels will suit you. Who will be living in the home? If you have very young children or will have elderly relatives living with you then a single-story home might be better for, as stairs can be difficult. However, a two-story home can be more secure, as bedrooms are away from the street level, allowing you to open windows at night with fewer concerns.
Consider Where You Spend Time
Think about which parts of the home you spend the most time in. The areas you use most should get the most attention and should be where you put your focus on when designing your floor plan. For example, if you love to cook, plan for a spacious kitchen. If you have children, a playroom or a large backyard would be ideal. If you have a large family, make space for a large family room for you all to spend time in together.
Think About Style
Every homeowner will have their own style, and you need to choose a floor plan that meets those needs. If you like more traditional design, or need a lot of wall space to hang artwork or photographs, then choose a floor plan that is more compartmentalized with walls separating each space. For more modern design, choose an open, contemporary floor plan.
Trust your instincts
When you’re looking at or touring different floor plans, you should pay close attention to what feels right to you. There are a lot of different layouts out there for house plans, and looking at a lot can be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to look at something a little different. Just remember to have faith in your gut reactions when you’re making your final decision and choosing the best floor plan for you.
Listen to your likes and dislikes, and do your research to choose or design the perfect floorplan.
