When we are looking for effective solutions for our home, we must learn how to balance between the price and quality, so we don’t spend all our money on one thing but still get a good one. It can be challenging, stressful, and energy-consuming, especially if you want to do everything by yourself, so you can save some money.
When you build a house from scratch, you need to come up with a floor plan, or at least have an idea of how do you want it, so if you hire an architect, you will be able to give the exact instructions and get the floor you want. Also, you can use some software you can find on foyr.com, and draw your ideas, and then work with the builders and architects to see if it’s possible to be released.
A floor plan is a drawing of the building, as seen from above, with every dimension entered. It’s pretty helpful, so you can plan where to put the furniture and appliances, or even if you need to change something in the plan. It’s also good for those who have to install the electricity and wiring system.
Probably you’ve seen that a lot of real estate agencies provide the floor plan too, so the potential buyers can know what to expect when they visit the property. You probably know this, but the photos of the property can give a wrong image, even though they are authentic. So, the floor plan is here to help get the right idea about the available space in some house or apartment, or for the builders before they build it up.
When you plan it by yourself, you are able to create the ideal layout of the rooms, and then proceed to buy the furniture and everything else you need. That will help you create a balanced and flexible idea about how you want your home to look. Surely, you need to follow some rules and tips, that are very useful when it comes to designing the interior, and here are some of them:
1. Give enough space for the storage
Don’t fill up the rooms with a lot of furniture, before you plan the storage and wardrobes. You must keep in mind that you have a lot of clothes and other useful things that you can’t simply throw in the middle of the room.
Planning the storage must be your priority in this case. After you do that, you can go to the next step, and think about the furniture you will use, and how to get the maximum of the size, without ruining the sources of daylight, making it cozy and comfortable.
2. Plan the rooms carefully
You can’t plan a living room far away from the entrance. You surely don’t want someone to get in your bedroom first and then go to the living room or dining room. Most of the real estate agencies and investors already have plans for the rooms, but if you are building the house from scratch, you really need to be careful with this one.
Also, every room should provide enough space for those who will live or sleep there. Even if it seems like an easy task to make this plan, it can be pretty challenging, and you really need to take your time to carefully plan all of these things.
3. Plan it for the next 10-20 years
This is more personal planning than practical, but if you plan to have kids soon, or you already have a baby, that soon will be a toddler, and later grow up in a teenager, you have to plan a separate room for them.
Remember, you can always adjust the furniture later, but it doesn’t mean you will have to do it every season. Be smarter, and take in mind the personal plans too, because even if you are single right now and you don’t plan to expand your family, it may happen at the moment you don’t really expect it.
4. Follow your lifestyle
If you are a person who loves to fall asleep in the living room while watching TV, consider planning this part properly. Also, if you spend a lot of time working from home, set a home office. Depending on your cooking preferences, you can plan a bigger kitchen with larger countertops or a smaller one you will use just for a quick meal.
Also, as we said in the previous paragraph, don’t assume your current lifestyle is forever, because the personal plans can change overnight, and you will have to adapt to them as soon as possible.
5. Plan it to be cost-effective
We all want that advanced lighting, and big windows and doors, but keep in mind that the maintenance of these features can be very costly in the future. Also, special architectural requirements can add more expenses, and go over your budget too.
You are smarter than that. Don’t let yourself get inspired from the movies, because that’s just a production studio, and you want a practical and efficient home for comfortable living.
6. Ensure there is a window and door in every room
On the Internet, we’ve seen a lot of architectural fails, and you surely don’t want the same for your home. You should always be careful there is a window in every room because the natural light is very important.
Only bathrooms and kitchens can be an exception from it. But, every other room needs it, and you must be careful with this one, so you won’t end up placing a window behind the wardrobe, or covering half of it with some piece of furniture.
Use some help if you think you can’t do it all by yourself. Ask your parents or friends what they think about the plan. You can even draw it together with the siblings or the spouse. Every additional idea can be useful. Floor plans are really valuable, and you really need to dedicate enough time to them, so you can be sure everything is done properly with your new home.
