Contemporary House Tags

For example, you might try a gallery wall in the dining room. Hang an oversized chandelier in the living area, or use zebra wood for the base of your white kitchen island. Have fun and give each functional space a complementary personality.

Metal Roofs. The metal roof, formerly relegated to rural reaches, is infiltrating suburban housing. Even corrugated and standing-seam metal roofs are receiving attention. See Plan 933-5. Though durable and inexpensive, metal roofs need to be insulated and soundproofed, unless you really love the sound of rain on the roof.

When choosing a floor plan, assess how much your family will use these outdoor leisure amenities. Similar to a large yard, it looks beautiful when you keep up with it, but can look terrible if you don’t. Ensure you want the added responsibility of keeping up with the outdoor plan...

Bring your family along with you when choosing a floor plan. Don’t make the mistake of keeping your floor plan decision making to yourself. If you are able to walk through physical models of homes before deciding on a floor plan, consider bringing your family along for the decision. It...

Choose a floor plan based on your design style. Everyone homeowner has their own design style and choosing a floor plan that meets your needs is essential. Are you more traditional and prefer a compartmentalized floor plan where walls separate rooms or do you have a more modern style where...

While we’re at it, consider making the hallways and doorways generously sized. Retiring Boomers will certainly appreciate the efforts to make the house easy to get around in and easy to use. So make sure there are features such as zero threshold showers, well placed and secure grab bars and...

Window Wall Turns Heads, It's hard to believe, but this unique home (plan 923-6) holds a modest 1,098 square feet with a slim (28'6") width. That means that this design would fit well in a narrow city lot, where land can be expensive. A sleeping loft provides room for visitors,...

Don’t assume every floor plan fits your lifestyle: One of the biggest mistakes when choosing the right floor plan is that you forget to picture your own family cooking in the kitchen or you don’t take into consideration how your bad back may not like going up 3 flights of...

Trust your instincts on what “feels” right when choosing a floor plan. All of us have the ability to “feel” when a space feels comfortable and able to fit their needs. Take these instincts into consideration when touring different floor plans. You will be surprised how many styles of plans...

Board-and-Batten Siding. The board-and-batten look, originally associated with farmhouses, is showing up on the exterior of homes of all stripes -- as you can see in some of Houseplans.com most popular new designs, like Plan 430-156, above. It’s also being used for decoration inside homes. Batten strips add texture to...