Country Style Home Plans With Wrap Around Porches Tags

Entertaining guests from the kitchen has a downside: If you’re a chef, the idea of a few dirty dishes doesn’t concern you. For those of you that like to entertain without the sight of dirty dishes in the background, an open floor plan may not work for your needs....

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....

Are you ready to start building a new home and are not sure where to start in choosing a floor plan? There are countless resources for purchasing house plans that will fit your budget, lifestyle and style of architecture. From house plan magazines to online home manufacturer websites, the resources...

Too many parties begin and end in the kitchen. One way to keep everyone from congregating there is to put food and drinks in other rooms. Bars, which are making a comeback in new home design, though they tend to be smaller today than they were 50 years ago, can...

Design Tips for Open Floor Plans. Define spaces with furniture, rugs and lighting. Use Furnishings and Lighting to Define Areas. Carve out separate functional spaces using furniture. For example, place a sofa backed with a console table outside the kitchen to delineate the start of the living room. Further define...

Eye candy is fun. When you're looking at home design plans with photos, scrolling past stunning home after stunning home, it's easy to spend hours dreaming. But finding equally Insta-worthy options that are affordable to build (and that your builder will love) is possible, too....

Each area should have a statement element. Create a Feature in Each Area. Creating a standout design feature in each area will not only help to define each space but also make your room shine....

Home floor plans have evolved over the years. In the 1950’s-60’s, the idea of compartmentalized rooms was a common theme. Starting at the entry door, individual rooms were centered off a main hallway and the activities of each room were isolated. By the time the 1980’s floor plans evolved, rooms...

Research local building codes: Before you purchase plans, seek the advice of a building department official in your local jurisdiction of where your property is located. They can provide you guidelines on the height, size, and how far away from the street it can sit, etc. These guidelines are important...