5 min read

The Complete Guide to Custom Home Design: What to Choose and Why

Written by
Rob Reich
Published on
April 6, 2024

Around three-quarters of all Americans regret moving house soon after they do so. There are many reasons for this, including the home not living up to expectations. So what if you could plan your own home and avoid all those nasty surprises?

This article will help you understand what it takes to get started with a custom home design of your very own. By the end, you will be able to avoid many of the gotchas related to creating your own build so you can get started on the home of your dreams.

Make Your Vision and Intent Clear

If you want your dream home to be perfect, you need to ensure you can communicate it to everyone involved in the building process.

Take the time to write down, draw, or otherwise document what your vision is. If you have the capability, create detailed diagrams that show what you want any final home to look like. This plan will allow anyone you talk with to understand your needs, as well as how the home can reflect your unique traits.

Consider the following when you start:

Your Lifestyle

The type of life you live will have a huge impact on what you will need for a custom home. Consider, for example, how large your family is and how much space you need. As your family grows, it will need more space to give everyone bedrooms and privacy when they need it.

Do you also need things like:

  • Space for specific hobbies
  • Dedicated office space
  • A workshop
  • A nursery
  • En-suite bathrooms
  • Extra entrances for guests

Each of these will impact the layout and construction of your home. So, ensure you plan for them.

Your Preferred Aesthetic

Think about the style of home you want to present to the neighborhood. How a new build looks will cause others to judge you for both how well it fits in the area as well as its general aesthetic.

Are you aiming for a minimalist design, with clean lines and bright architecture? Or would you prefer a more traditional building of stone or brick? Each of these could impact how a construction company approaches the creation process related to your build.

Before you start, make sure to have a good look through magazines, model homes, and other locations. They will help you understand how different styles impact a home's mood.

Any Must-Haves

Depending on the type of person you are, you might have strong opinions about specific rooms in your home. Are you a foodie that needs a large kitchen, or is family time in a spacious living room very important to you?

You might even want to start new habits in your new home, and dedicated design for these could improve your life moving forward. For example, not putting an office in sight of a kitchen may reduce the amount of snacking you do.

Your Budget

Everyone wants to imagine they can create the home of their dreams. Still, try to be realistic. Think about what you can afford and set constraints to match.

You could even think about talking to a construction company to get more details on how much things will cost when you get started. This will give you a better comprehension of what you can do with the resources you have.

Create the Perfect Floor Plan

As you choose or design a floor plan, you need to consider things such as the flow of people around the home. Think about what each room exists for and find a way to place each to allow people to move between them with the least effort.

In addition to planning the individual rooms, consider where you place them compared to one another. Do not place noisy social areas close to bedrooms, for example. Also, put bathrooms in places that are easy to access but allow privacy if necessary.

Many people write online advice or record videos related to this specific topic. They are passionate about people creating layouts that function as well as possible. As such, they offer a few simple tricks to help you avoid some more common errors.

Consider Room Layout

On top of the general floor plan for the building, remember to make a layout diagram for each room. This should include all the major amenities in each space where you plan to put them.

Envision yourself walking into each room. Where would you expect the bed, sofa, or sink to be? Is there a way you can move things around to make things easier?

Consider how people traverse each room, and why. If you want to place a dining table, make sure there is a clear path to the kitchen for when people carry hot food. When a family gets up in the morning, try to help them prepare for the day by putting all the items they need in close proximity.

There is always a chance you need to return to your floor plan and make changes based on issues with a room layout. This is common when learning more about the realities of existing in a specific space.

Choose Appropriate Construction Materials

While it is important to choose the materials you would prefer to use, understand that there are certain realities to building a secure home. If you do not adhere to these, you could end up with a construction disaster or other problems later on.

Talk to a professional about the options they recommend for each area. It is very likely you can keep your preferred aesthetic in most cases, especially by using veneers or similar coverings. However, you should get expert advice to avoid disappointment.

Find Home Design Experts

With all the above in mind, it would be useful to also get in contact with a construction company such as us. We will be able to offer you advice on the many realities of construction you may not have considered. You can also work with us to start putting the home together.

Our team is ready to talk to you about everything you need to ensure your home design process goes off without a hitch. So, pick up the phone and let us help you out today.

Have more questions about your next project?

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