Choosing Your Dream Home Floor Plan in Lincoln, Nebraska
Building a custom home remains a popular choice for homeowners. Despite a slight decline over previous years, around 17.6% of new single-family homes started last year were custom homes. That's about a 0.2% decrease from the previous year.
A custom home floor plan is a wonderful way to get your dream home. You can choose every aspect of the home's design, from the layout to the finishes. New homeowners can create a space that's truly unique and tailored to their needs.
Are you not sure where to get started with your custom home floor plan? Don't worry. This guide will discuss everything you can consider when building a home.
Start With the Basics
Every custom home floor plan should include the essentials that you and your family need. Your home needs to be a space where you can work and live comfortably.
Some of the basics you'll want to consider include:
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
One or two floors
Garage space
Square footage
Living and common areas
Workspaces
Guest rooms
Bonus areas
One way to determine what things are "must-haves" when building a home is to look at your current lifestyle. Decide which rooms you use the least and most.
Has your kitchen table turned into an office space? Maybe one of your guest rooms is more frequently used as a playroom.
Take all of these things into consideration when picking out your dream home floor plan. You want to ensure you'll have enough space in your new place.
Consider Noise Levels
Some rooms in your home are more likely to be noisier than others. You don't want to put your home theater or game room right next to the bedroom. You'll also want to consider how noise travels if your home has multiple floors.
Not all floor plans are large enough to accommodate having quiet rooms adequately spaced out from loud ones. You'll want to speak with your builder about having insulation installed between floors and walls to dampen the noise.
Plan Your Lighting
Not all custom floor plans feature lighting in their layouts. However, they will include how many windows are planned for each room. Windows are the easiest way, in addition to skylights, to allow natural lighting to flow into your space.
Be mindful of when and where the sun hits your house each day. Make sure your windows are in those locations. You can request to have them moved to maximize how much sunlight you receive.
Once you've determined where the windows are, figure out where you want your light fixtures to be installed. You don't want too many or too few light sources. An experienced custom home builder can help you determine how many lighting fixtures you need inside and outside your home.
Showcase the Landscape
You might be building your home in an area that's surrounded by gorgeous natural views. Choose a home floor plan that highlights the nature around your home.
It doesn't matter if your home is on the smaller side. Even cozy cottages can be modified to have a wall of windows facing a mountain range, meadow, or lake.
Evaluate the Flow
A well-designed custom home has a great flow. The layout needs to make sense and it should be straightforward to figure out how to get around it.
The flow should seem seamless whether you have a closed or open floor plan.
Think About Unique Features
One of our top custom home buying tips is to include one-of-a-kind elements that you can't find in your average single-family dwelling.
Many details will improve your quality of life and increase its value when it comes time to sell.
A Door From the Garage to Your Pantry
If you choose a custom floor plan where your kitchen pantry is next to your garage, you should request a small door be installed between the two rooms. It doesn't have to be a full-sized door. A small door that's fireproof makes unloading your groceries easier.
Hidden Outlets
You can have a beautiful backsplash designed for your kitchen, only to have it ruined by having multiple outlets in the middle of it. Consider having electrical outlets installed under your cabinets. The outlets will remain out of view but still easy for you to get to when you have to plug in an appliance.
Ensuite and Second Floor Laundry Rooms
Is there anything worse than lugging a laundry basket full of clothes up and down the stairs? This becomes more challenging if your laundry room is in your basement.
Consider having a laundry room on your main floor attached to the primary bedroom. You can consider having a small laundry unit installed on the second floor if most of your bedrooms are upstairs. Have multiple laundry rooms in your home if they're large enough.
Outdoor Outlets
Having electrical outlets outside is great for a lot of things. Some of them include plugging in:
Power tools
Outdoor appliances
Decorations
Lighting
Having long extension cords can cause tripping hazards. You can work on your outside projects more easily when you have outdoor outlets.
Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats help you ensure your home is at a comfortable temperature while keeping your energy costs low. You can control your thermostat from any location using your mobile device.
Smart thermostats are easily customizable. Create various schedules depending on what rooms you need heated or cooled and at what time.
Explore Our Custom Home Floor Plan Options
Creating a custom home floor plan is an exciting venture. Not only will you get to live in a home that no one else has before, but you also get to make a space that's uniquely yours. Take every aspect of your floor plan into consideration to ensure it works for you.
Whether you need home buying tips or assistance developing a custom floor plan, we're here to help. Murray Custom Homes partners with new homeowners, enabling them to make their dream homes a reality. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
