Coastal House Plans On Pilings Tags

Thinking Ahead to Holiday Parties. It would be a mistake to design an entire house around holiday meals and parties that only happen a few times a year. That said, plenty of new party-oriented homes are built each year for empty nesters in markets such as Palm Springs, Phoenix, and...

modern-wood-open-floor-plan. An open floor plan allows for maximum light in a space. Benefits of Open Floor Plans. Open-concept living is a favorite for many reasons. First, it can make even the smallest space feel bigger and brighter. A small apartment with a tiny, windowless kitchen off the living room can...

Don’t assume you are crazy for not understanding floor plan drawings: If you recently started looking or designing your next home, more than likely you will need to review architectural drawings or floor plan drawings. While for many design professionals it is second nature, for many homeowners the symbols and...

Homeowners love the idea of gathering around a wood fire pit, especially on a crisp evening. Architects are starting to give more thought to where the fire pit goes. It can become a focal point for several rooms inside the house. Plan 548-17 includes a particularly dramatic island fire pit....

The layout for Green Living Plan 497-46 shows a wet bar between the kitchen and the dining room, which is a very practical solution. The perfect spot for a bar may be in a corner of the great room that would be tough to furnish. On the occasions when you...

Outdoor Fireplaces. Outdoor fireplaces have reached flashover – taking off throughout the country, even in warm environs. Why? They are an inexpensive way to create a frequently used amenity. We probably do more outside than inside fireplaces, says Binkley, who primarily works in Florida....

Choose a floor plan that works with your budget now. One mistake homebuyers often make when looking at floor plans is over spending for the future, rather than planning for the present. You can always upgrade your home. From finishes and innovative additions to possibly adding area and amenities. Don’t...

Circulation is something else to think about. As Dan Gregory points out in a post called Watch That Layout! the best house plans provide two ways in and out of the living room, dining room, and kitchen -- as illustrated here with Plan 929-1 by Donald Gardner. See how you...

Picking a floor plan is a process of answering some very important questions. Will this place be big enough or too big in a few years? Does your design fit in with the houses in the neighborhood? Does the design of the house fit in with the lot size and...

Bringing Exterior Material Indoors. This technique – using exterior siding, roofing or trim inside a home – has long been core to custom homes. Now it’s increasingly employed in mainstream housing to create a unified design theme. Using cultured stone to wrap the fireplace, the same stone used for exterior...