Whether you’re expecting a family or you’ve already outgrown your current home and need a new one, find out which features to include in your family home design. From the initial floor plan to the storage and outdoor features, use convenient measuring tools to start mapping out your ideal design before contacting a realtor, design team or interviewing contactors.
The Perfect Square Footage
What size of home do you dream about? The recommendation used to be to build as big of a home as you can afford, but the tiny house movement and simple living dreams have left many homeowners more satisfied with a smaller space.
Don’t think in terms of the largest possible, but think about the ideal space for your family. The size of your family, your activities, your hosting desires, and other factors can affect the ideal square footage. Whether you’re looking for a home under 1,000 square feet or over 3,000, think about the general size of home you wish to build or buy. Remember that there is no right answer, only what’s best for your situation.
An Open Floor Plan
Nearly every family prefers an open floor plan. If you’ve ever been frustrated by the space between your family members or tried to keep an eye on a toddler in the living room as you cook, then you understand the benefits of an open plan.
Most open floor plans incorporate the kitchen, dining room, and living room into one open, airy space. A vaulted ceiling or other feature helps make this room feel even larger. Be sure to include soft materials, half walls, and other features to dampen the echoing noises in this room and make it feel more like a home, rather than a gymnasium.
Cozy Bedrooms
After you consider the design of your open living area, it’s time to design your bedrooms. Quality measuring tools help you get a sense of your current bedrooms. Determine whether you need more or less space, or if you love your existing room dimensions.
If you’re building your own home, you can design your bedrooms to fit your existing furniture. Be sure you have enough room for your bed and night tables, walk-in closet, and master suite built to fit your needs. Kids’ bedrooms should be large enough for a playing area and, as they grow, a desk or hobby materials.
Storage Space for the Entire Family
Storage space is one of the most important and underappreciated areas of a home. Your clothes, outdoor gear, long-term storage, and kitchen items typically continue to grow through the years, so you shouldn’t worry about having too much storage space. Most families, on the other hand, wish they had incorporated more space in their design.
Be creative about your use of storage space. A utility room is a great place to store seasonal clothes or decorations. Built-in garage storage shelves keep this area of your home tidy and prevent filling up an entire garage stall with boxes, crates, and other stored items.
Plenty of Outdoor Living Space
Your home doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Once you’ve measured, calculated, and designed your floor plan, picture it on your chosen property. Ideally, you’ll have a large yard for your children and pets to play in. If you’re in a neighborhood with smaller lots, you’ll need to think creatively about your outdoor living area.
Any size of yard needs to be designed to be fully functional. A yard with a play area, outdoor eating area, and even an outdoor kitchen can provide endless entertainment and family memories in the spring, summer, and fall.
The Right Neighborhood
There’s nothing quite like having great neighbors. If your young children are going to be home for years to come, or if you’re about to become an empty nester, you’ll want to have neighbors you can invite over and have cookouts with. Choose a neighborhood that’s friendly, safe, and inviting to purchase or build a family home.
Draw Your Ideal Floor Plan Today At Engineer Supply, you can find the measuring tools and other tools you need to start dreaming about your floor plan. Search for laser measurers and other devices to make it easy to create a preliminary floor plan to show your design team. This can make the design process go smoothly and put you one step closer to enjoying an unforgettable family home.