PICKING A FLOOR PLAN - DAYBREAK VIRTUAL DREAMHOUSE SERIES

The Great Outdoors plan from Destination Homes

Building a home for the majority of people is stressful and not a particularly enjoyable experience. The idea of building a home would be a dream come true for me, but still really stressful. The nice part about building with a home builder like Destination Homes is that they streamline the decision making process by giving you good options, but not endless options.

When building a home, the first thing you need to decide is the structure/floor plan of the home. Destination Homes has 3 floor plans you can choose from in the Lake Village and I went through all three when I visited. Although they all had their strong points, I was particularly drawn to the "Great Outdoors" floor plan.

Reading floor plans isn't the easiest thing, so I wish I had pictures of the home to illustrate the layout, but of course I picked the one home that was under construction in the drywall phase - nothing to look at.

So let me tell you why I picked this floor plan and what to think about when you are building a home of your own.

There's really only 1 thing you need to know when building a home : KNOW HOW YOU LIVE

David Christensen Photography

One of the main reasons I chose this floor plan is because we love to entertain and host family parties so a big dining room and family room that are close together are important. We can have a lot of people over in this home.

Charm and character are important to me. We don't particularly love huge kitchens, I care more about a cute dining nook, a quirky ceiling (like the ceiling in the kitchen I chose - you can't see it in the floor plan but it slopes a bit and would be super cute with ship lap/beadboard on the ceiling), and a pantry. And we aren't really kitchen island sitters, so a big island also wasn't as important to me as the dining room.

Elle Decor

Because of my job as a mother/interior designer, having a home office is important. This floor plan has a beautiful office space with big windows and a nice view. Possibly my favorite room in the home. It's also open to the main living area so my kids won't be in a basement with a closed door looking at the computer - also very important given how dangerous the internet can be!

I am lazy and forgetful. I do not love the idea of running up and down stairs to grab my keys that I forgot in my room, or my cell phone, or whatever. A main floor master is a must.

Terris Lightfoot Construction

Because we will have 3 girls (yes, this is my announcement that I'm pregnant with my 3rd girl!) we need 3 bedrooms on the same floor for our kids. This layout has 3 bedrooms on the top floor, but only 1 bathroom! What?! 3 one-day teenage girls sharing a bathroom? I think not. So the alteration I would make to the floor plan is to add another bathroom on the top floor where it is labeled "open to below". I was so glad Destination Homes has that option. It would be a must for me.

House & Garden circa 1939

And last, but not least, I love the outdoor courtyard/porch. It's the perfect size to do something cute like this, and great for hosting outdoor parties. Because after we go kayaking we need to eat :)

And that's how I decided on a floor plan. And can I stress how important getting the floor plan and layout right is?!!! You can change paint colors and tile much more easily than where bedrooms are located and how big your kitchen is. Spend your money on a great floor plan. When I go into old homes to remodel them, it's amazing how much money we save when we don't have to gut the home to create a good layout. It is crucial. Just saying.

And remember to check in next Wednesday to see what finishes I chose for my well-laid out home :) And of course visit my friends' posts to see what they chose for their virtual dream homes!

6th Street Design School

With Heart

The 36th Avenue