How to Design a Dream House Floor Plan

Designing the floor plan for your dream house can be challenging, but with a little research can be accomplished with ease. A custom design allows you to incorporate the design features most important to you. You can hire an architect, do it yourself with a computer program, or draw it out.

1. Determine your needs before you get started. Consider square footage and the type of family activities that take place. You’ll need to know how many bedrooms and bathrooms, plus any special needs or wants based on your particular family.


2. Consider the surrounding landscape and homes. The elevation and climate are also factors to take into consideration. 


3. Plan out the details. You may need a library with built-in shelving to display a large book collection, or you may want a sitting area in your bedroom. It is important to make a list of what is crucial to have and what you want to have. Do this for every room in the house. Bathrooms next to or on top of each other saves money plumbing wise. There are design features to consider everywhere in the home.


4. Consult an architect. If you are planning to hire someone to design your home, the architect will take your ideas and transform them into a house plan you can approve or disapprove.


5. Use architecture software like “Plan 3D” or “Broderbund 3-D Home Architect” to design a floor plan. It lets you see your design in 3-D, and easy to make changes.


6. Draw out your new floor plan by hand. Use graph paper and designate each square of the paper as one foot. Remember to add space for windows, doors and storage.