Before you build, consider what life will look like in your new home. Do you plan on entertaining often or hosting out-of-town visitors? Do you have a large family that requires kids to share bedrooms or will you need a playroom to keep toys from taking over your house?
Talk to your builder about the flexibility of your home design to ensure it will be able to accommodate your needs and lifestyle. In many cases, rooms can be designed to do double or even triple duty – that is, to serve more than one purpose.
Dining Room/Office
If formal dinners aren’t your usual thing, you might save your dining room for big family get-togethers and use the space in another way on a day-to-day basis.
Built-in shelving works great in this scenario – from a small section of shelves to a full wall of shelving, cupboards and drawers, your builder can incorporate extra space to hide away those files and office supplies you don’t want littering the area when hosting meals.
Guest Room/Playroom/Office
Need a room that does it all? Built-in shelving or a large, easily accessible closet can house toys and bedding, while a modern Murphy bed can provide a sleeping area for the occasional visitor. A separate nook can be turned into a reading or homework area for your little’s, and act as office space for you when you have work to be done.
Shared Bedrooms
It’s nice for kids to have their own designated space, even when sharing a bedroom with a sibling. Your builder can work with a layout that’s ideal for shared quarters, whether it’s ensuring there’s enough space for two beds, building a separate sleeping or play space for each child, adding a second closet to a bedroom or developing a large closet with plenty of shelving and storage space to accommodate two kids.
Basement Living Quarters
Maybe you have teens craving some privacy from younger siblings, or envision a space that can bring in extra income from renters. A custom home builder can develop your basement as much or as little as you’d like, from installing egress windows for safety in the bedrooms to building a second kitchen and laundry area, or even a separate basement entrance.