my dream house

For quite some time now, I've been turning over the idea of possibly building a home instead of buying one when the time comes (and there are lots of things connected to "that time," but we won't go into those things). It all comes down to creating the kind of home that works for the way we function as a family -- the TV doesn't have a central location in our home but our computers do, we prefer to all be in the same space at the same time, and we don't want something big or fancy.

I've been sketching out imaginary house plans for a while, and I keep coming back to a house that I found in Real Simple several years ago as the basis for the house I want. Essentially, the house is a large rectangle, with most of the living spaces open to each other.

I found an online site that let me create a floor plan -- keep in mind that this is not to scale. I simply wanted an easier way to picture this house I have build in my mind.

The large green area is the garage -- that's really just a holding spot. In terms of furniture and appliances and such, most of those items in the plan are just there to hold space. I haven't fully determined what type of arrangement I'd really like to have, although I have some inpsiration photos tucked away. Here are a few of them:

I want a desk like this built in -- that's in the top right corner of the plan. I'd like the wall above (where the large calendar is hanging ) to be built-in shelves, however.

This is my little game nook that I want -- do you see on the floor plan to the left of the front entrance (closet area) where there's a round circle on the plan? Yep, that's where this little spot goes.

In the living room, by the two armchairs, that's where I'll have my floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, of course. Something along the lines of this:

 or maybe this:
But full of books, of course.

I'm completely in love with this bathroom -- it's what I'd like to have in the space between the girls' rooms. It would also serve as the general bathroom for guests, etc.

 

For the girls' rooms, I like a built-in desk area like this at the end of each room, only modified to include a large wardrobe as well:

The kitchen is still the area that's most up-in-the-air. I know that I want open shelves above the counters. The panty will be a wall of shelves in the hallway that leads to the mud room. I'm still busy gathering inspiration for those areas.

I guess the next step is contacting an architect and seeing just how much a house like this would cost.

Comments

[Jaque]

Love the bathroom! I'm planning our home too!

[Garry Easton]

Those are very nice designs, I admire your choices. Yeah, if you want to have your dream house, you have to be ready to splurge a lot of dough. But don't fret, I heard on Today at NBC that, even with the mortgage crisis, there are still a lot of decent and elegant homes across the country priced below 300 grand. You could start looking for one now.

[Marvin Mills]

Your choices are admirable and the designs are very modern, in a unique way. Building a house can be better in so many ways. The reason is that you maybe able to make it more personalized and you don't have to spend that much to renovate an old house.

[Christian Traughber]

Well, at least you already have your designs. In case you find the money to build your dream house, you're all set. The challenge is to incorporate all that you want in your house. Don't worry, you'll figure it out sooner or later.

[Brendan Amorose]

You have a fine taste for interior design. Sketching your dream house and planning its interior design is a fulfilling task. Being hands on with the preparation of your house can give you the assurance of the quality of the end result. It will also give you a feeling of fulfillment knowing that you took part in the establishment of your home.

[Kelly Ciancio]

It is a great accomplishment to sketch, design, and have your own dream house. I congratulate you for being a good designer! Your house has a very relaxing ambiance. It’s a good thing that you were able to include floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in your living room. Having these book shelves in a good spot can motivate your kids to be diligent with their studies and perform well in school.

[Tyrone Swopes]

A green color for the girls’ room is an excellent choice. A bedroom must have a cool and relaxing ambiance which conducive for sleeping and relaxation. Having a built-in desk area at the end of each room is also a good idea, as it can also motivate your children to be diligent with their studies and do their assignments.

[Melisa Soluri]

Wow! You’re so talented! I like the fact that you’re really fond of books and bookshelves. My dream house sounds a lot like yours: not very big, but enough for the whole family where everyone can hang out together. I really like your design. Great job! =)

[Alana Rascoe]

Your designs are flawless. I hope the architecture firm that will work with you on your house will make these beautiful ideas possible. I can't wait to see these designs come to life. Please make another post should there be any development with your plan. Thanks!