During the development of your custom home design, there are numerous floor plan features that should be considered.  Maximizing the enjoyment of your custom home can be accomplished by devoting ample thought to key areas of the overall floor plan.  Areas of consideration for your custom home design should include and open layout concept, ceiling heights, traffic flow, recreational areas, sight lines and exterior views.

Becoming a key feature of almost every custom home design, an open floor plan concept allows better flow between spaces.  A good custom home design floor plan will maximize the useful square footage of the custom home while also creating a sense of special separation.  One way to achieve this effect is implementing half walls as a design element between rooms.  Maximizing the open concept for your custom home design can also be done by separating each space with a change in floor treatments.  The open concept can also have some influence on how the ceiling heights affect the whole design.

Varying ceiling heights or changing the design elements of the ceiling can also create an open feeling throughout the custom home.  Tall ceilings and vaulted ceilings are popular trends used to create the open concept of the custom home design floor plan.  It is common to see ceilings in great rooms achieving heights of 20 feet either by vaulting or 2-story space.  Additionally you will find ceiling heights of 9 to 10 feet in kitchens, dining rooms and bedrooms of new custom homes.

Particularly in an open concept custom home design, the floor plan must cater to the overall traffic flow throughout the home.  Single story custom homes typically have bedrooms adjacent to a family room or media room.  When designing these areas, Design Alternatives also makes sure too much traffic flow doesn’t cross over one another since the kitchen is usually located in proximity of the family room as well.  Although the importance of traffic flow is often neglected in custom home design, experienced designers will also give much consideration to the location of stairways in the overall traffic flow scheme.

Home technology and home theaters have also increased the necessity and importance of recreational areas as a key aspect of custom home design.  Adequate thought must be given to not only identify where the television screen will be located, but also how the furniture will lay out around the home theater speakers and components.  If the recreational area is not attached to the kitchen, consideration must also be given to including a wet bar as part of this floor plan concept.

As previously mentioned the open concept has become an increasingly important feature of new custom home design.  By creating an open floor plan, it opens up sight lines between spaces and to the outside.  A quality custom home design incorporates wall openings and doorway locations to utilize critical sight lines.  Limiting sight lines not only creates a mundane space, but will also make the whole house feel smaller due to the visual obstructions.  These sight lines should open up all the way to the exterior surroundings as well.

Locating the house on the building site is just as important as the custom home design itself.  Care should be given in considering how the sun will enhance the natural lighting throughout the home.  If there are certain views that should be maintained, window type and positioning are also critical features which need to be planned out.  Design Alternatives Custom Home Design incorporates all these important aspects when designing each and every floor plan.  Your dream home is a big investment, so your custom home design should be completed by a designer who knows how to maximize all these important features.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/custom-home-design-important-floor-plan-considerations-by-design-alternatives-738521.html

For More Information:

Check out how Design Alternatives Custom Home Design and owner Bill Browne can assist you with your custom home design process, provide a complete set of workable construction drawings and offer project/construction management or consultation services for those individuals that desire some assistance during the building phase.

www.DesignAlternatives4U.com

For people in Seattle, or anywhere else for that matter, that are serious about the environment, building a home with a net zero design might be part of their plans. Because of it's culture, Seattle is one of the leading areas in design and building of Zero Energy Building (ZEB) or Net Zero Energy Building which are the terms used for home plans where the goal of the net energy consumption is zero. One of the first things the plans point out is the design has a cost that will be higher the closer the building gets to a zero energy net. Higher cost for building can turn into higher mortgage payments. While the monthly payment may be higher, the net zero side of the home plans should make up for the increased cost in the design. Even though it may take a while for the net zero design to return a financial advantage, it is important to consider helping improve the environment overall is part of the plans.

Fortunately the ZEB concept has been around long enough in Seattle that people building a new home in this design are not alone. In fact, there are already entire communities in the Seattle area where building a net zero home is the only option. To get started, it's best to find someone that has plenty of experience in the design of net zero energy building. Take a look at their other plans and talk to the building or home owners. Be prepared to have a home that might be smaller than you may have become accustomed. That's part of living in the zero net energy consumption world! Of course, it's not hard to think small in Seattle since most home building lots are pretty small. Also, remember the more square footage inside he home, the more materials you will need to buy to get to the goal of the plans. Solar panels and wind generators can be expensive.

Materials with strong insulation properties will also be required to make sure once you heat or cool your home, it stays at the comfortable temperature you set. Design plans call for a thermal barrier between the outside and inside of the home that is extremely formidable. Unless the temperature outside is exactly what you want it to be inside, energy will be required to heat or cool the home. Once the inside environment is set, there should be very little energy expended to maintain the comfort level. A lot of money can be thrown at this problem with a variety of results. Generally, the more money put into the building exterior wall, the better the design will provide for zero loss of warm or cool air inside the home. There are a number of net zero energy home design books that can guide people for their geographic area and budget.

An important part of the design is to decide how the windows and doors will handled since they are a big source for the transfer of heat and cold in and out of the home. Not only is the design of the windows and doors important, the plans must consider what side of the home is best, based primarily on sun exposure. Proper overhang is important as well. In the summer, it's best not to have the sun on the windows at all. In fact, if you can keep the sun off the walls of the home altogether, that would be ideal.

Appliances are sometimes not considered in traditional home plans, but they are very important in a net zero energy building. It pays to do plenty of research on the subject. The idea is to reduce demand for energy. In many places, like Seattle, people are already on board with low energy appliances due to the high cost on their power bills.

There are many things to consider when building a net zero home. In Seattle, there are some great resources. Seattle happens to be the home of a very highly regarded "green" web site which covers all aspects of green living, including building green homes

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/net-zero-energy-home-building-plans-and-design-3687573.html

James wrote this article with help from the Urban Marco site - http://www.urbanmarco.com

New home design and home remodelling comes together to complete the overall fresher look of your house. Like house remodelling, the process of home design requires you to spend enough time and effort to achieve best results. Home design can be a complicated process if you do not know how to deal and handle it.

Perhaps you might need professional to help with your home design plans if you are not pretty sure how will you do it in the first place. But even if you hire professionals to aid you in your home design plans you still have to know a few guidelines to achieve the best.

1. Set your budget for the home design plans.

The first thing that you should consider as you begin the process of home design is by knowing how much you are willing to spend. Your budget will determine the extent and limit of your home design plans. Knowing your budget will let you make use of its limitations to the utmost possible way. You can divide and designate specific budget for specific part of the house.

2. Choose what you want to have.

Home design can give your home a newer and fresher look and if ever you live by the house which design you do not prefer, the need for home remodelling and decorating is absolute. The new home design must be according to what your heart desires that reflects your personality. Though you have the help of professional home designer, you should still have personal touch in every corner and every detail of the home design.

If you do not know yet how you want your home design would be, then you can look at different home books with ideas of the best design that you can choose. Finalising the designs will let you take another further step which is outlining the home design plans.

3. Think of home design that can satisfy both present and future needs.

Unless you have the capacity to change your home design in a matter of few years, you can have design that will cater only your present needs. But if you can't do that then you should consider a home design that can satisfy both your present and future needs. This phase of home designing is a good idea since it will not only save you time but as well as money when that specific need arise.

4. Hire professionals to guide you in your home designs.

Home design planning can be easy if you know specifically what you need and what you want, but putting it in action can be the most critical one. That is why many opt to hire professionals that can help them in achieving best results.

Professional home designers can help you seek out alternatives when what you want does not fit your budget. On the other hand, if you are capable of attaining the home design you want then they should give you advices which are the best items that complement well your new home design.

A new home design can give you refreshing and relaxing mind especially if you are living with your desired features and characteristics. There is no more good feeling than to live a house according to your preferences as well as your family.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/guidelines-to-achieve-the-best-home-design-for-you-2161993.html

I am sort of an upcoming writer and just trying to get the gist of writing and just to build my confidence to levels at which i would be able to write almost anything. Visit Mystique Interior for Home Design and Home decor in Sydney Australia

Wanting to build a new custom home or addition in the Province of Ontario?
Then you need a Ontario Province approved designer

Now...How to you select a good, experienced, licensed Ontario Home Designer? One that will join with you and help create that beautiful new dream home and that will make the process stress free & fun!

When looking for a Ontario licensed home designer or house plans for your new dream home there are certain things you should be on the look for:

First - How many years of experience does the designer/design firm have and do they have good rapport in the building industry?

Second - Ask to see some past examples of their designs and their work. Pay attention to the amount of detail they have provided in their designs. Some so-called designers are only educated in the construction & time management - what you need to find is a Architectural Technologists/Technician that have been educated in the construction processes, as well as in actual exterior & interior design aspects from an Architectural stand point. (i.e proper flow of a floor plan layout, proper proportions for roof design, curb appeal, uses and flows of room and specific sizes etc.)

Third - you need to find a designer that that has good client reviews. Google the designer, ask local builders & building departments. Ask the designer for a list of contact information of their past clients. Ask these past clients how the process was, and..(was the project completed on time?, was the price fair?, were the characters and personalities of the designers easy to work with?, how did the home turn out in reality?) etc.

Finally, make sure the design company is licensed with the province of Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing, insured and holds the proper documents for producing plans that will be accepted for building permit.

All in all - spend your time researching for an Ontario Licensed Home Designer / design firm before selecting them to join with you and help design your new dream home!

They need to be knowledgeable and confident in what they do.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/how-to-choose-an-ontario-approved-house-designer-for-custom-home-designs-3907492.html

Contact RIJUS HOME DESIGN LTD. for a free design quote!!
We are licensed by the Ontario Ministry Of Municipal Affairs & Housing.

We serve all of Southern Ontario ( Niagara, Hamilton, Haldimand, Burlington, Welland areas)

With over 25 years of experience and over 4000 plans to-date - we know we can help you!

Let us take your dreams to reality and create plans that will give you your dream home!

http://www.rijus.ca