Home Plans and Design

Cape Cod House Plans – Check Out Some New England Simplicity

How did Cape Cod house plans develop?
When English settlers began building their homes in New England, back in the 1700′s, they used the half-timbered house models that they knew back in England. These structures evolved into what we know today as Cape Cod house plans. The name of this style was coined by Reverend Timothy Dwight, a president of Yale University, after visiting the Cape.

What are some of the common features found in Cape Cod house plans?
The overall design principle found in these lovely homes is that they have clean, straight lines and provide for a simple but functional habitat.

More specifically, the roofing is typically steeply angled creating charming gables. The roofs normally have very little overhang. Many of the Cape Cod home plans will include dormers protruding from the roof. This will help increase headspace and usage of the upper floor. Speaking of floors, hardwood is the preferred material and is traditionally used throughout New England. Obviously in the cold New England winters, a stone or tile floor will be unbearable.

These symmetrical houses have one or one-and-a-half stories, and are made from wood, with shingles or wide clapboard being used for the exterior. Typically, these house plans call for very little external ornamentation, probably reflecting the Puritan sentiment of the early settlers.

Another interesting feature in older version of the home plans was the construction of a large central chimney connected to fireplaces in each room. This design no doubt kept the house cozy and warm in the notoriously cold New England winters.

Are homes with Cape Cod house plans affordable?
In the 1930′s these homes were mass produced, as they were simple structures and easy to build. As a result they were quite affordable and home buyers today could probably find many of these homes available on the market for reasonable prices. Young families were one or two children will find them to be the perfect size and the perfect price.

Can Cape Cod house plans include “green” design?
These homes, with crisp, clean lines, are great for incorporating many “green” building features.

Bungalow House Plans – Designing the Perfect One

If you are in the market for a new home that you want to design yourself, but want a smaller more affordable home, then a bungalow home is the perfect choice for you. The style of most bungalows is of a smaller stature with less square footage than the average home. A bungalow is the perfect solution for those who live alone or who simply want less area to take care of.

When it comes to designing your bungalow craftsman house plans, keep in mind that most bungalows are one and a half stories. You might consider placing the master bedroom in the downstairs. The second story would hold simply two bedrooms and a bathroom. The second floor could even look down on the first floor if you wish for a more open feel to the smaller area. The downstairs would then house the kitchen, a great room, the laundry room and a powder bath.

Another option that you could consider would be to up the square footage just a little bit. You could put the master bedroom and two more bedrooms on the lower floor. You could then have the kitchen, great room, dining room, laundry room and a main bath on the first floor as well. The second story would be more traditional. The second story would only contain a bonus room of sorts. If you wanted you could even turn this bonus room into a media room. If these floor plans don’t sound appealing, you could always choose to design a coastal cottage house plan instead.

To make your diminutive bungalow appear larger and more inviting you should also considering having a sunroom or large front porch designed into your plans. Either of these options will create an illusion that your home is actually larger than it is, while also adding a touch of relaxation to it as well. A large front porch or sunroom is just what a bungalow style home needs to draw a person’s eye to the dwelling. These features also tend to invite your guests to sit and relax for a spell or two.

If these features aren’t what you are looking for in your new home, then perhaps you should check out some luxury home plan styles. But if a smaller home is exactly what you are looking for, then a bungalow would be a wise choice. A bungalow is small yet elegant and artistic in its’ own unique way. When you are at home in your bungalow you will feel as though it is in fact a home. A bungalow has a way of making the most ordinary of homes feel extraordinary. Sitting down to read the morning’s paper with a cup of coffee will never be the same!

Prairie Style Home Plans Renaissance

The characteristic low slung Prairie house floor plans style with its emphasis on open spaces was developed in the American Midwest by Frank Lloyd Wright, whose premise was that homes should serve people’s real needs without being ostentatious or showy. Wright was reacting to the architectural excess of the Victorian architectural style, and he was deeply influenced by the nineteenth century Arts and Crafts movement. Whereas the typical Victorian style home had many little rooms, Wright’s open Prairie style was a direct assault on this box-like thinking. Wright conceived that the entire ground floor should be one room, to create a flow within the house. The appearance of the outside of the house took its form from what was going on inside the house, rather than dictated it. This style is named “Prairie” from Wright’s 1901 building plans published in A House in a Prairie Town. The style quickly caught on among other architects, especially in and around Chicago, and it inspired the America Foursquare style.

Distinguishing features of Prairie style home plans include the horizontal lines and orientation inspired by Japanese prints and architecture. The homes emphasize the flow of space through the house, and from inside to outside. Wright viewed homes as promoting family life, so Prairie homes were usually centered on the dining and living rooms. Prairie homes featured open, flowing space for entertaining. Wide views of the outdoors were obtained from rows of large windows placed together to form a glass wall. Wright favored organic patterns, such as the geometric patterns on window dividers which resembled wheat plants. Everything in a Prairie home was oriented horizontally, such as the bricks, the trim, and the cedar siding. Wright rejected the overwrought and frivolous Victoria style of decorating, so Prairie homes featured built in furniture, and simple and functional decoration. Another Wright hallmark is the use of simple materials and natural stains, in order to allow the wood’s character to show through. Prairie homes featured flat, cantilevered roofs with large, straight overhangs – up to four feet wide.

The chief drawback of Prairie house plans is that Wright favored a living- or dining- area centered house, whereas most modern families prefer a kitchen-centered house. This means opening the kitchen area to the rest of the house, and designing the house around appliances. However, the original homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright – of which there are several hundred around the U.S. – are extremely expensive to buy, and very few of them come onto the market in a given year. Most of the existing Prairie homes are located in the Midwest, where the style began, especially in Wisconsin and Illinois. The tradition is being carried on by the Taliesin School of Architecture in Wisconsin and Arizona.