Congratulations on taking the exciting step towards building your new home. Between running around the backyard to cooking dinner over the stovetop, the house design you choose will help form a lifestyle for you and your family to create long-lasting memories. 

If you’ve begun to research portfolios and floor plans, it can become overwhelming knowing that the design plays a major role in your future experiences. Where should the rooms be located? How big does the primary bathroom need to be? Do you really need those bay windows? These are critical questions to ask yourself when choosing a house design.

Before you become too stressed by the process, consider these suggestions to help narrow your decisions when building a house. Remember—this is supposed to be fun!

 

Major Modern House Design Considerations

When designing a home, you need to ensure that your family members and any future lifestyle changes will be accommodated. This could mean a patio large enough for a birthday party or multiple bedrooms for grandchildren to sleepover for the weekend. Whatever that house design image is in your mind, you need to think about it with intention to ensure it meets your expectations.

Before you select the winning home design, consider the following key elements:

  • Bedrooms: How many bedrooms do you need for your family and any guests? Do they need to be adjacent? 
  • Bathrooms: Does everyone in your family need their own bathroom to be comfortable? Should a shower or bath be included?
  • Privacy: How important is personal space for your family? Would an open concept work better than private?
  • Office space / flex area: Will someone need an adequate workspace? Do hobbies need a designated area?

These considerations will help you and your home builder design a layout that functions for your family and anything that life throws at you. Once you have these elements decided, you can start building a house that matches your family’s needs.

 

3 Effective Ways to Choose a House Design

Your house design should not only capture your family’s lifestyle but also help determine where you see yourself in the next 20+ years. After all, building a house is not a temporary decision. While you can always paint walls or redecorate a guest room, you won’t have the flexibility to renovate your home’s structure in the future. 

If you’re stuck, don’t forget to reflect on other homes you’ve visited and the features you enjoyed. This kind of inspiration can be helpful not only when selecting a home design, but also determining your home builder.

Let’s take a look at a few effective tactics that may help determine your future house design plan.

 

Location Matters

The location of where you want to live can dictate the type of house you’re able to build. For example, single-family homes allow for a larger backyard for your family to enjoy backyard BBQs, practice softball, or play fetch with the dog. However, if you enjoy spending time in the city or value being able to walk or ride to all of your amenities, a townhome in a new community could be better. 

Take a look at where your family spends the most time in your house and what each local community offers. If your family enjoys spending time outdoors, building a house with views of the backyard could be important, while others might value the convenience of a multi-family community where everything is within walking distance.

 

Floor Plan Design

While the number of bedrooms and bathrooms is important, you also need to consider how you plan on designing your home. Do you prefer a more traditional style or a modern house design? Is an open concept important or something more compartmentalized? Certain floorplans lend better to specific aesthetics.

It’s also important to think about your current furnishings and whether you decide to bring them into your new home design. If so, you will need to consider how the items will fit into the space and flow according to your needs.

 

Current Lifestyle

Before you fully commit to a house design, you need to evaluate your current lifestyle. Create a list of the top-ten priorities your family must have, like entertainment for guests, room for children to grow, or a kitchen with all the bells and whistles. What will your family need to be comfortable and continue with everyday activities? 

 

Select a House Design You Love

While choosing a house design can seem overwhelming, it’s a great time to narrow down your needs and develop the home of your dreams in Central, PA and Southern New York. You have a unique opportunity to work with a home builder to create long-lasting memories with your family for years to come.

If you’re ready to review floorplans, Fine Line Homes offers house design software to help you every step of the way. Browse through our home plans today to find the perfect build for your family!