How to Choose the Best Layout for Your Home
Homebuilding gives you the opportunity for no regrets, but the many layout choices can be daunting. At Experience Homes, we offer a wide variety of floor plans to choose from, and can design your beautiful new home to meet, and exceed, your needs.
BEDROOMS
Do you have a growing family, or plan to in the future? Do you frequently entertain overnight guests or have family come to visit? Having plenty of space for everyone is necessary to keep everyone comfortable and happy.
Along with your family’s growing needs, will come the desire for additional bedrooms. A crying newborn can keep other family members up through the night, children and teenagers will want their own space, and finding room for guests can turn out to be like a game of Tetris. These are things you’ll need to consider in the span of building your home.
LOCATION
If your kids are old enough for video games or loud music, you may want to keep their bedrooms a good distance away from yours. However, if you are just starting your family, you will want at least one bedroom close to the master bedroom to use as a nursery.
Do you want the master bedroom close to the main entrance of the home for security? Or would you rather have a closed-off quiet oasis separated from the main living area? If your kids are prone to fighting (we’ll call it playing rough) or have a large age gap, it might be best to separate their bedrooms a bit. However, if mom or dad is prone to working late or overnight hours, it might be a good idea to place the master bedroom closer to the garage or main entrance, for easy access without disturbing others.
DON’T FORGET THE BATHROOMS
Consider his and hers vanities for the master bathrooms. It sounds simple, but it will really help alleviate tension during busy mornings. “Jack and Jill” bathrooms (bathrooms connecting two bedrooms together) are popular for kids’ rooms and allow them to have their own privacy.
If you have frequent visitors to your home, it’s important to have a half bathroom available near the main living area. There should also be one full bathroom for every two bedrooms in your home.
STORAGE
Storage space is so much more than closets. It can take a home from feeling cramped and cluttered, to roomy, clean, and comfortable.
- Kitchen – As your family expands, so will your need for cabinet and pantry space. You will continue to require new cookware, new small appliances, and more food storage. Consider built-in pantry space and plenty of large cabinets to hide unsightly bulky items and keep food stored away.
- HovHubs (Designated Workspace) – These spaces are essential for today’s families, especially if you opt for an open floor plan. Placed in a central location, it can serve a wide variety of needs for every family member from homework to a quick recipe search to answering an email.
- Garage – A well-designed, well-organized garage can hold so much more than your vehicles. Think about your children’s bicycles, outdoor toys, family sports equipment, tools, and holiday decorations. You can also install a second mudroom in your garage.
- Mudroom – If you’ve ever had a loved one come home after a long hot day’s work, or kids come in from football practice on a rainy day, then you understand how critical a well-located mudroom really is. It not only gives everyone their own “unloading” cubby space, but can keep your home from being extra smelly or cluttered.
CONSIDER ADDING A PLAYROOM
Having a designated space for all of your children’s toys can save you hours of time keeping their bedrooms clean and organized. As your children grow older, you could convert this space into a game or theater room.
WHAT ABOUT THE LAUNDRY ROOM?
A well-placed laundry room can make all the difference when you are raising a family. Multi-tasking is a lot easier if you choose a location near the kitchen because you can quickly check on the laundry in between cooking tasks. If you choose a two-story home design, you may prefer your laundry room to be located upstairs near the bedrooms so you don’t have to carry it as far.
DIMENSIONS
Do you dream of a large, eat-in kitchen or would you prefer more dining room space? If you’re a family whose life is lived around the kitchen or dining table, you may want to dedicate more space to create a larger, more open-concept kitchen and dining area, so the spaces aren’t “closed off” from one another.
What about beyond the interior? If you like to spend time outside, or if you have children or pets that like to run around, you’ll want to consider the size of your outdoor space in addition to your home’s square footage.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
You will also want to think about the location of outlets, windows, fixtures, and doors. We have all seen houses with out-of-place outlets or light switches, or even light fixture locations that don’t seem to make sense. Save yourself the trouble later on by planning ahead.
Outlets need to be easily accessible, and their locations need to be well-planned out before moving in and getting settled. There should be at least one outlet located on every interior wall, possibly two or more, depending on the size of the space. Well-placed light fixtures and ceiling fans can mean the difference between a dark and dreary room and a comfortable and inviting area.
Big fan of natural light? Your window placement is essential to what kind of sunlight comes into your home and where. If you’re a night owl or late riser, the last thing you’d want is your bedroom windows facing directly toward the rising sun in the mornings.
It takes much more to building a house than simply picking a layout. That’s why you should trust the experts at Experience Homes. We take the time to walk you through the building process, and not only take care of all the details but create a house you feel perfectly at home in. Contact us today.
