One of the best parts of building a custom home is choosing a floor plan that suits your needs. The right floor plan can significantly improve how you experience your new home, and everything from shape to style should be considered.
Having all the options available to you is exciting — and no, not scary at all! You have the opportunity to create a floor plan that will combine all your family’s needs while also containing enough functionality and space for the unexpected. No pressure!
All jokes aside, weighing all your options doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process. Here are some considerations you should make to help you decide which floor plan is perfect for you.
Determine the Right Size
When deciding on which floor plan to select, first consider what size you want your house to be. Depending on the size of your family, the size of your home can vary greatly.
Since a custom home is an investment into your future, make sure you’re reflecting on factors such as lifestyle (more on this later), hobbies and family’s age. What long-term needs will your growing or diminishing family need in the future?
If you choose a larger floor plan than what is necessary, you may find yourself with extra space and nothing to fill it with.
On the other hand, if you have family members or a lot of possessions, you could end up feeling cluttered if you choose a smaller floor plan. Choose the one that suits your budget and personal situation.
“Size” is often evaluated by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, kitchen and dining room size and how these relate to the property and to each other. Don’t get too caught up on square footage. The right floor plan can help you maximize the actual space available to you.
Make a wish list of what you want to fit in your new home, then make a reasonable list as you consider your family’s evolution. All these details will guide you as you build your dream home.
Factor in Your Personal Design Style
Design is a huge aspect of making you feel “at home” in your home, so it’s not something you should overlook.
Think about how you’d like to design your new home. For example, would you rather a modern sectional sofa or an antique French-style settee? Do you have a grand piano you want to display? Decoration and furniture style should absolutely be considered.
If your furniture all tends to coordinate, an open floor plan could work, design-wise. If your furniture covers a wide range of styles throughout your home, a traditional floor plan might be a better option.
Consider Your Family’s Lifestyle
This might go without saying, but you should choose a floor plan that will fit your daily activities.
Examine your priorities. If you love to entertain, choose a floor plan with space to prepare and present food, mingle and dine. If you love to cook, the kitchen layout is very important. If you love the outdoors, your ideal floor plan should include easy access and views to outdoor spaces.
Be realistic about this. You might, for example, want to be a person who cooks elaborate meals, but if that isn’t your reality, it would be a waste of budget to invest heavily in the kitchen instead of a place you’ll spend more time.
Follow the flow of the floor plan you’re considering.
Is it convenient?
Does the flow from the kitchen to the dining areas feel right?
Is the living room layout conducive to how you like to relax?
Do you need a mud room as a barrier from your home and the outdoors?
Do you want to be closer to (or farther away from) your children’s bedrooms?
Play out a typical day within your new floor plan and see if it fits your lifestyle.
Incorporate Privacy
Another important consideration is where the bedrooms and bathrooms will be located within your floor plan for maximum privacy.
Consider how any guests will need to use your facilities. Are you comfortable, for example, with them using the bathroom attached to the primary bedroom, or would you prefer a specific guest bathroom?
Do you want your bedroom to be secluded from other bedrooms?
In addition to bedrooms and bathrooms, you’ll want to consider the privacy of outdoor spaces, too. Consider the location of your deck or patio in relation to your neighbors’ homes. Perhaps enclosing your patio, porch or deck area to help create more privacy.
Consult a Professional
There are thousands of online sources for floor plans, which can be helpful if you’re trying to wrap your head around the direction of your home’s layout. However, you’ll ultimately want to consult a home design professional before moving into the construction phase.
Professionals can often help you incorporate those less-tangible aspects of your floor plans, as well, such as energy savings and costs, how lighting arrangements will work in the plan or how furniture could be laid out.
Building with Fortin
Distinct new custom home building is our specialty at Fortin Construction. We know building a house is not a simple business transaction but instead a lasting relationship.
As an experienced new home construction company, we understand the happiness and comfort a home can bring. We take our job seriously and are committed to delivering a product that will fit your needs for years to come.
We have built countless new homes for our customers, and no two are the same. You can browse through some floorplans we’ve used in the past on our home design page. Choose which home type you’re interested in, and you’ll see multiple floorplan examples.
We can’t wait to help you design your own perfect floorplan.