By Harden Custom Homes 25 Jun 2015
People usually have grand visions for their dream homes, but often what makes the best homes are the small decisions. Because dream homes start off as dreams, they’re usually not fully fleshed out. But when people get to the point where they’re concretely planning their dream home and laying out all the pieces, there are several common mistakes that should be avoided.
People often have visions of the rooms they want in their house, but it’s very important to consider how those rooms are connected to one another, and the way traffic will flow through the house when it is in use. One of the most important rooms is the kitchen, but a kitchen needs to be replenished once or twice a week. For this reason, it’s important to consider how groceries will be brought into the kitchen and put away. Whether they are brought in through the garage entrance or main entrance, people sometimes make the mistake of putting the kitchen too far away from the entryway. Try planning the house to minimize this distance and to make carrying in groceries less of a chore.
The entry is also a place where people will congregate, especially guests when they arrive or when they’re saying good-bye. People often finish off their final conversations as they’re departing, and will linger in the foyer. Additionally, the foyer will be guests’ first impression of a home, where the host will greet them and take their coats. So be sure to make the entry large and inviting enough for these purposes. It may be necessary to have a place to collect coats or shoes, so design the entryway of the house with enough space for these kinds of things.
Because areas like the entryway and the kitchen will be so heavily trafficked, it’s important to consider the relationship between those places and the master bedroom. Generally, people want quiet and privacy in the master bedroom, which means maximizing the distance between higher-trafficked areas like family rooms and the bedroom. Try to find a way to separate the master bedroom from other areas of the house to allow it more privacy.
However, it’s also important not to chop up the space within the home too much. People sometimes make the mistake of building a bunch of tiny rooms, each intended for some different purpose, rather than minimizing the number of rooms in order to maximize their size. A family doesn’t need a game room if no one plays games, and small rooms often become storage areas rather than useful spaces. It’s easier to find multiple uses for larger rooms than to fill a bunch of small rooms.
Pay close attention to traffic patterns, or how people are expected to get from room to room. Try not to make rooms into passageways. If the only way to get from the entry to the family room is to pass through the kitchen, this will make working in the kitchen problematic. Of course, some home plans, such as the old shotgun style, can’t avoid this mistake because the house is so narrow, but be aware of traffic needs when designing a layout.
Ultimately, in your home design, the most important aspect of the design is what you need, so be sure to consider how you want to use the space in order to be comfortable and design accordingly. If you have any questions about your custom home needs, please stop by or call Harden Custom Homes at (239) 603-6083 for a consultation.
People often have visions of the rooms they want in their house, but it’s very important to consider how those rooms are connected to one another, and the way traffic will flow through the house when it is in use. One of the most important rooms is the kitchen, but a kitchen needs to be replenished once or twice a week. For this reason, it’s important to consider how groceries will be brought into the kitchen and put away. Whether they are brought in through the garage entrance or main entrance, people sometimes make the mistake of putting the kitchen too far away from the entryway. Try planning the house to minimize this distance and to make carrying in groceries less of a chore.
The entry is also a place where people will congregate, especially guests when they arrive or when they’re saying good-bye. People often finish off their final conversations as they’re departing, and will linger in the foyer. Additionally, the foyer will be guests’ first impression of a home, where the host will greet them and take their coats. So be sure to make the entry large and inviting enough for these purposes. It may be necessary to have a place to collect coats or shoes, so design the entryway of the house with enough space for these kinds of things.
Because areas like the entryway and the kitchen will be so heavily trafficked, it’s important to consider the relationship between those places and the master bedroom. Generally, people want quiet and privacy in the master bedroom, which means maximizing the distance between higher-trafficked areas like family rooms and the bedroom. Try to find a way to separate the master bedroom from other areas of the house to allow it more privacy.
However, it’s also important not to chop up the space within the home too much. People sometimes make the mistake of building a bunch of tiny rooms, each intended for some different purpose, rather than minimizing the number of rooms in order to maximize their size. A family doesn’t need a game room if no one plays games, and small rooms often become storage areas rather than useful spaces. It’s easier to find multiple uses for larger rooms than to fill a bunch of small rooms.
Pay close attention to traffic patterns, or how people are expected to get from room to room. Try not to make rooms into passageways. If the only way to get from the entry to the family room is to pass through the kitchen, this will make working in the kitchen problematic. Of course, some home plans, such as the old shotgun style, can’t avoid this mistake because the house is so narrow, but be aware of traffic needs when designing a layout.
Ultimately, in your home design, the most important aspect of the design is what you need, so be sure to consider how you want to use the space in order to be comfortable and design accordingly. If you have any questions about your custom home needs, please stop by or call Harden Custom Homes at (239) 603-6083 for a consultation.
