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Tips to Help You Design a Home Floor Plan

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Designing your own home can be an exciting project, and you might be full of enthusiasm to get started. You likely already have some idea as to the kind of home you have in mind. Your mind is buzzing with ideas, but you're not quite sure how to get started. Continue reading to get some tips on how you can best bring your vision to reality.

Start Simple

There's no need to get fancy software to begin making decisions about your custom home design. All you really need is a pencil, a piece of paper and a dream. Sketch out your ideas, and brainstorm with anyone who enthusiastically supports your vision. Get your ideas out of your head and onto paper and they will begin to take shape. Make lists of the features you want your home to have. Make a list for each room in your home, and decide on the features you absolutely must have versus the ones you'd like to have. Even rough sketches can help your home designers get an understanding of what you want.

Plan for the Future

If you're planning on living in your home for a long time it's a good idea to keep future needs in mind. Do you have children or are planning on having them? Are there aging family members that may move in with you in the future? Are you anticipating future mobility issues on your part? Do you expect your college age kids to move back home? Will you have visiting relatives or friends to accommodate? If you plan on working from home you will need a quiet space where no one will disturb you. All these things need to be taken into consideration when you start planning your new home. What may seem like a good idea right now may not work for you 10 years down the road.

Make the Most of Your Land

Often, those interested in designing a custom home already own the property where their home will be built. If you already know where you'll build your home, consider the topography, as well as the size and best features of your land. If your land overlooks attractive nature scenes, such as a lake or mountains, it makes sense to place your home so you can see them from your favorite rooms.

If you have a stream or brook running through your property, you may choose to place bedrooms nearest them so you can be soothed by their tranquil sound. In addition to this, you will want to take note if your land is sloped or flat. Custom home for sloped land will look very different to the one that's meant for a flat lot.

Think About Light

Light has a healing and soothing effect on humans, and in areas that experience very little light in the winter there are many cases of Seasonal Affective Disorder. This disorder can bring feelings of depression and lethargy, among other symptoms. If you have ever suffered from this in the past, or are living in a place with long, dark winters, it's a good idea to add skylights to your design so that natural light is maximized. Skylights are a great idea anyways because they reduce the need for artificial light in your home. They also provide as much as 30 percent more light than vertical windows. Another thing to consider is which direction you want the rooms in your house facing. Would you want light from the west shining into your living room or bedroom? Does breakfasting with the morning sun shining into your dining area appeal to you?

Prioritize Features

Once your rough draft is finished, it's time to decide what's important versus what you merely fancy having. Things that are functional for your lifestyle on a daily basis, should take precedence over anything that's merely a whimsy; unless you have the budget of course. That's not to say you can't have features that may not be practical but that bring joy to your life. If you really want a ballroom you can certainly have that, as long as it doesn't come at the expense of having enough bedrooms for family members. But ultimately only you can decide what's really important to you, and what will make you happy. After all this is your dream home you're designing.

Go With the Flow

Consider how your final design will allow you and your family to function in each area of your home. Decide the best place where various rooms should be located to maximize what they're intended for. For example, to reduce noise in bedrooms, it's best to place them away from boisterous communal areas of the home. If you enjoy being with your family an open floor plan may suit you. This way you get to hang out with your family, instead of each member being hidden away in a room somewhere. This kind of design will also allow for more light in your home.