The great thing about having a custom home built is having the flexibility to have the house built to your specifications. Most people focus on looks when designing their home, but it is important to also consider function. A home built to suit your lifestyle, functionally, will be a home you find easy to live in. Here are a few functional ideas to consider as you work with the builder to create your custom home.
Put the laundry area near your bedrooms.
So often, people are left carrying their laundry through the entire house or lugging it down into the basement. You can do away with this labor if you simply locate the laundry near your bedrooms. Some people even put the washer and dryer in their master suite, although this may not be the most functional option if you have kids who also use the laundry facilities. Putting a small laundry room in the hall near the bedrooms tends to work well for families. You could also build a bigger linen closet and plan on putting a washer and dryer in there.
Include a mudroom.
Mudrooms were once really common in homes, and then they faded away for some reason. However, if you're aiming to build a really functional home, it's wise to have your builder include a mudroom. You'll enjoy having a separate place where you can strip off your muddy boots and clothing after being outside. It's also nice to have an area to park sporting goods and outdoor apparel. Consider having your builder include built-in shelving and some hooks for easy storage.
Create pocket doors in open-concept spaces.
If you're building a home with an open floor plan, meaning that the dining room and living room are all one area, then you might want a way to close off these spaces from time to time. You can ask your builder to create pocket doors in any place where the room narrows. Pocket doors are encased in the wall and slide out to close. This way, the doors won't always be in the way, but if you do need to separate the rooms, you can pull the doors out and create that separation.
When working with a builder to design your custom home, you need to make sure you keep function at the forefront. Use the ideas above as inspiration, and build on them to make them your own. Contact a contractor to help fulfill all your custom home construction needs.
