There are a lot of factors to consider when determining what your custom home floor plan should look like to best serve you and your family.
Determining the best custom home plan for you and your family can be a surprisingly big task. Even if you have a dream home in mind, chances are it doesn’t directly translate into the perfect home for you and your family. The great thing about a custom home is that you have the opportunity to tailor it to your needs and daily lifestyle. In order to do that more effectively, consider these tips for choosing your custom home floor plan.
Look Closely at Existing Floor Plans
The best place to start when thinking about the floor plan for your custom home is looking at existing floor plans. Think about floor plans you’ve lived in that you really liked or aspects of them that you enjoyed. Consider ways to improve on that floor plan—not just the areas you didn’t care for, but also the aspects you loved. Tweaking and customizing existing floor plans can get you closer than you might think to finalizing the best floor plan for your home.
Consider Your Lifestyle
Everyone is different, which is why custom homes are so great for tailoring to very specific needs. Someone with children might want to create a comprehensive play area, while a movie buff might choose to have a personal theater built. If your family prefers to have their own space to go to, you might choose a home with more separation between each area instead of going with an open floor plan. Think carefully and discuss with your family what everyone’s needs are and how the floor plan can accommodate them.
Think About the Future
Don’t focus so hard on the present that you forget to account for the future. If you don’t have kids but you plan on starting a family in this home, make sure to include space for them. If there are young children, it’s important to account for them getting older and needing more privacy and personal space. Think about whether you plan to retire in this home and live there as you age, the addition of pets, or an elderly relative moving in, among many other possibilities. Try to account for as much as you can for the best long-term result. It’s impossible to foresee everything, but it is possible to create a plan that can accommodate a lot of situations.
Focus on Function
When you’re doing research on floor plans you will inevitably find examples of rooms that you absolutely love the design of. It’s important to look past the design and consider the architectural aspects of the space. If the room doesn’t work functionally, save it in a folder designated for designs so you can still reference it later when it’s time to think about the aesthetic of your home. During the initial planning phase, you might have to force yourself to see beyond extravagant light fixtures and stunning countertops to determine if the layout of the space works for your home.
Don’t Neglect Your Outdoor Space
Your outdoor space is part of your home—decks, porches, and patios are all included in custom home layout plans. Think about whether you want a tall deck or a wraparound porch, a screened-in porch, or even a balcony on the second level. Your outdoor space is an extension of your living space and it’s important to make sure it works for you. Consider what you want your outdoor area to do for you and what needs to be included to make that happen, whether you add an in-ground pool, an outdoor kitchen, or a cozy fire pit.
Design and Build Your Dream Home with Columbia Builders!
Columbia Builders is the home builder of choice in Howard County, offering homes in Ellicott City, Elkridge, Laurel, Columbia, Marriottsville, Fulton, Clarksville, Dayton, and Brookeville. No matter what the size and scope of your project, we have the skills, experience, and resources needed to bring your vision to life. We offer a level of customization that is truly unmatched and are committed to using materials and craftsmen of the highest quality, so you can trust that your new home is built to last. Columbia Builders was voted Best of Howard County 2020 for best home builder.
If you’re ready to invest in a home, built with your needs in mind, trust in us. Give Columbia Builders a call today at 410-730-0215 or use our contact form here. You can also keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, and YouTube, and don’t forget to check back on our blog for more tips and information!