How To Design Your Dream Home
 |
|
Dream Home Design At A Glance
|
The prospect of making your dream home a reality is a joy that is unparalleled. But it’s likely you have some anxieties as well. That’s why we created The Perfect Path to Your Dream Home, to help home buyers make smart choices when buying and building.
The Log Homes Council, which sponsors this site, offers these FREE strategies to help you along the path to your new home. (To discover other ways that Log Homes Council protects buyers and their investment during this process, click here.)
Once you locate land and determine your budget, you can begin designing your new home. We encourage you to devote a lot of time and careful thought to this process. You will have to balance your lifestyle needs and desires, with your budget.
Create a Digital Scrapbook of Ideas
Pictures, as the saying goes, are worth a thousand words. Visit the photo gallery on this site, for examples of log home interior and exterior styles and amenities. Right click on the image, to save to a digital folder on your computer. Start collecting photos of the features you like, for each room in your floor plan. This research will help clearly convey your dream home to a member of the Log Homes Council.
Use the ‘Tell Me More’ Search Feature
To receive FREE information from council members, use the ‘Tell Me More’ search feature. You can request information from as many companies as you like (or even all at once), with a few clicks. You can indicate what kind of log or timber building system you are interested in, or add a personal note or ask questions. No sales person will call (unless you want them to). Your contact information will only be shared with the company or companies that you are interested in. For an an alphabetical list of all Log Homes Council manufacturer members, click here.
Dreaming is Free
Before you dive into the nitty gritty details of your project, take some time to daydream about design. Peruse floorplans and design catalogs offered by Log Homes Council members. Home design is a fascinating subject and one can spend hours absorbing the subtle nuances in each floor plan. Plus, a plan that has been built before can be an excellent jumping off point to create that custom design, just for you. Most Log Homes Council members have designers and engineers on staff to create a unique floor plan. Manufacturers also work with independent architects and designers. Or they can create a floor plan from a sketch of your own design.
Are Designs Copyrighted?
While dreaming is free, home designs may not be. Floorplans may be copyrighted. Any restrictions on duplicating plans are usually stated with the plans, on the website or at the beginning of the printed publication in which the plans appear.
Tour Model Homes, Factories
Many members of the Log Homes Council have model homes at their log milling facilities (or located nearby). Additionally, manufacturers market their homes through independent builder/dealers across the United States, who may have model homes or live in a log home themselves. Investigating these display homes will give you an idea of what you like in log home design and construction.
Questions to Ask Yourself
As you peruse designs, start to ask yourself some basic questions.
• What kind of design will fit with the topography of our building site?
• What type of design do we want: single-story ranch, 1-1/2 story, split-level, two-story?
• Will our new home have a basement or crawl space? Or will it be built on piers or a slab?
• How many square feet will we need?
• How many bedrooms do we want?
• How many baths?
• Do we need any special areas for our hobbies or toys?
• How about a home theater, a custom kitchen or exercise room?
• How much storage space will we need?
Start a ‘Rather’ List
Create a “rather” list, i.e. “I’d rather have this, rather than that.” This will help establish priorities as you work on your design and budget.
Top three “must have these” features in my dream log home:
1.
2.
3.
Top three “these would be neat to have” features in my dream log home:
1.
2.
3.
Top three “love these, but my lender will likely disapprove” features in my log home:
1.
2.
3.
Break it Down by Area
• Make sure your floor plan includes activity areas for the following:
• Work Areas: home office, kitchen, laundry, pantry
• Sleeping Areas: bedrooms, bathrooms
• Living Areas: living room, dining room, family room, guest bath
• Storage Areas: basement, garage, out-buildings
Kitchens
• Most kitchens are designed around a “work triangle” (stove, sink, fridge) to save steps
• “U” shape is most efficient
• Both “U” and “L” shapes work well with an island
• Parallel- or single-wall layouts are least efficient
• Minimum 8'-10' overall counter space
• Counter space (18" minimum) beside latch side of refrigerator
• Counter space (24" minimum) on either side of sink
• Counter space (18" minimum) on either side of range
• At least 18 square feet of general storage, perhaps more if you belong to one of those big box stores that sell in vast quantities
• Will you need additional kitchen storage elsewhere? (Freezer, extra fridge)
Bedrooms
• Master bedrooms on the main level are now common (Aging boomers don’t want to tackle stairs)
• How many other bedrooms will you need?
• Don’t get caught up in terminology, think flexibility
• Bedrooms can be a home office, exercise room, study, for hobby or craft, game room
• To classify them as bedrooms (for resale value) many building codes require they have to be equipped with a closet
• Use closets for sound barriers between rooms
• Do you want private baths or will one bath be shared?
• Where will laundry be in relationship to master bedroom? (How far will you have to lug your clothes?)
Bathrooms
• Minimum bath sizes are 5'x7' for a full bath; 4'x5' for a half bath; 3'x3' for a shower
• Larger bathrooms are more comfortable, increase resale value
• Stacking bathrooms above or below each other on first and second floors will save you money (less plumbing costs)
• Back-to-back bathrooms on a single-floor design also saves money (less plumbing)
• Plan for linen closet(s), storage, traffic patterns
• Extra amenities you may want: hot tubs, dry sauna, steam rooms and bidets (all require more square footage)
Laundry & Utility Areas
• To save on costs and square footage, you can combine a mudroom and laundry room
• Plan for plumbing, electrical and other infrastructure needs for these rooms
• Create counter space for tasks, such as folding laundry or gardening cleanup
• Consider task lighting for these rooms
• Consider if machine noise or vibration from these rooms will negatively impact living areas, including living room and master bedroom
Closets & Storage Areas
• If you are u wondering if the closet in your new home will actually be large enough to meet your needs, measure the space you are using in your current home.
• A closet designer can help you with a custom design based on the combination of your current needs and any built-ins, such as hampers, drawers or shelving
• This type of planning will let you know up front if your closet size is adequate
• You will also get an idea of cost that you can use for budgeting purposes
• Extra hall closets cost little but provide efficient storage
Garages & Carports
• Most common two-car garage door size is 16 feet wide and 7 feet tall.
• Will handle two mid-size vehicles
• Measure your vehicles and toys (boat, camper, RV, etc.) to ensure your new garage will have enough space
• Will your garage will be attached, detached or joined to the home by a breezeway?
• Where will your most common entrance be? At front, rear or side of house?
• Ensure there is enough room for turning and parking vehicles
Porches & Decks
• These serve as important transition areas to and from the outside world
• They can also protect your logs against the wrath of Mother Nature, reducing mainteance costs
• Outdoor kitchen and patio combinations are increasingly popular, as places for entertaining
HVAC or Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning
• What are the energy or fuel options for your building site?
• Options include electric baseboard, electric radiant ceiling heat, forced air electric, gas, oil or propane, heat pump, stoves (wood or coal) and solar (active or passive)
Fireplaces & Woodstoves
• The old fashioned masonry fireplace is romantic—but expensive
• Masonry fireplaces cost many thousands more than modern factory-built, zero-clearance units
• Masonry fireplaces can be energy inefficient
• Try placing your fireplace or woodstoves in a central space, to distribute heat to the most used areas of the home
• Balance the need for a view of the outside, the fire and the TV
While this isn’t a comprehensive list of all the features in your new home, it will help you get ideas down on paper, so you can move farther down the path to your dream home. Keep checking back each week for more design tips and strategies.
