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Today, we continue our looking at the different categories of house plans that attract a certain groups of people.  When you look for a house plan online there are hundreds of styles to choose from and it can get hard trying to decide what you want.  You may be thinking, “all I want is a house where I can come home and relax, why do I have to pick from so many options?” The Plan Collection has taken care of that and has provided a couple extra house plan options so you can more easily find a house plan that works for you. Yesterday we talked about transitional house plans.  Today we are going to talk about the art of Feng Shui and the application of it in house design.

Feng shui has had lots of criticism over the years and there are a lot of false ideas about Feng Shui.  Feng Shui is all about trying to have positivity in life.  There are many levels of Feng Shui practice in today’s world.  Many people just want a little Feng Shui in their homes to help them relax.  Others are more firm believes in the theology of Feng Shui.  It doesn’t matter at what level of Feng Shui practice you are.  All Feng Shui house plans give you a place to relax and enjoy more of the earth and its elements.

You can practice as much feng shui as you want in a home.  A Feng Shui design is a smaller design with lots of open space.  One of the keys to Feng Shui is being able to have space to move around and with some quick reevaluations of the floor plan any home becomes more Feng Shui.  With the open air feeling you naturally feel more at ease.  The house provides a place for you to get away from the stress of everyday life and relax.  There are certain elements that can add a lot to the Feng Shui feel of a home.  For example, house plan M-2228 has open floor plans and glass walls that give lots of air flow throughout the house.  The plan also has open wall space so you can decorate with all the Feng Shui items you need.

A Feng Shui floor plan is open and allows air flow

There are dozens of Feng Shui house plans that you can choose from at The Plan Collection.  Take some time and find the one that works best for you.

Tags: feng shui, feng shui design, feng shui house plans

We are going to look at a style of home that is overlooked a lot of the time.  There are plans out there that let you house a family member that needs a little extra assistance but what happens when you get older?  Eventually, all of us will get older and the kids will all grow up and move out.  What do you do when you wake up one morning and realized you are left with a big house and no one but you and your spouse to live in it?  This is when it’s time to start looking at Transitional House Plans.

Transitional house plans aren’t a real house plan design style per se.  Transitional homes are house plans that have been designed for those transitioning years after the family leaves.  They are generally a smaller design with easy access to all the main living spaces.  Many of the times, these plans come in a single story floor plan so you don’t have to fight going up and down stairs all day.  The transitional house plan has lots of features to make life a little easier for you, now that you don’t always have to be thinking about a handful of people.  The houses are stylish designs without being too big.  They could be just what you need to make your years of transition easier.

Tags: empty nester, transitional home, transitional house plans

For the most part, all the passive solar house plans that you see are contemporary in design.  They feature crisp lines and look very unique.  That is a great style but not everyone that is looking into a passive solar house wants a contemporary house plan.  There are still a few different options out there.  Floor plan LS-H-9702 shows what other things you can do with a passive solar designed house plan.

The outside of LS-H-9702 features a rustic charm, much like a cabin house plan.  The exterior will allow you to keep it simple or decorate it to your own taste.  The interior of the home follows in the path of the exterior.  The floor plan allows you to design your own dream home.  The big living room can be styled in many different ways, taking advantage of the wood stove.  Wood stoves not only add to the efficiency of a passive solar design but they give you a unique object to mix into your decor.  Every passive solar plan has a sun room and deck but this house plan has an especially great placement of the two.

The dwelling areas of this house plan are also well designed.  The only problem that could come up is that the master bedroom doesn’t have its own bathroom.  Other than that little problem, you get a big master bedroom with lots of closet space.  Both the master bedroom and the second upstairs bedroom have a built-in desk for easy studying.  If an extra bedroom is necessary there is a study/bedroom area on the ground level.  There isn’t any reason to worry about room for people here.

Just remember, you don’t have to have the usual contemporary home design when you’re looking at passive solar house plans.  There are other options out there.  Get both the house you want and the house that you need.

Tags: passive solar, passive solar design

Building a home can be a big decision.  There are a lot of things that go into building your own home.  The best part is that you get to decide pretty much everything.  You can make the home exactly how you want.  One of the first decisions you make when picking a set of house plans to construct with is the style of home you want.  Let me suggest looking at Arts and Crafts house plans.

Arts and Crafts house designs look great from every angle.  The design of an Arts and Crafts house is very decorative.  The exterior of the house has many subtle detailing that all combine to make one beautiful, fluid look.  Some of the common features are a mix of exterior finishes and artsy woodwork around the tops of the gable roof lines.  The exterior is actually one of the main factors that goes into making a home have the true Arts and Crafts look.

The interior of an Arts and Crafts home is a very practical design.  It has all the basic living necessities and adds a little flair to it.  Exposed beams and other rustic decor are very common in Arts and Crafts houses.  Another feature that you find in a lot of Arts and Crafts houses is a large masonry fireplace to provide both beauty and a great heating device. Everything is put together to give an easy to inhabit floor plan with beauty.

Arts and Crafts house plans can be anything you want them to be.  Constructing an Arts and Crafts house adds lots of pleasure to your life.  It is a house design that will hold up for years and never go out of style.  Arts and Crafts houses have been constructed for years and continue with the same look, even in today’s modern design craze.  This is definitely one of the architecture styles that will not drift away after a couple years.

Tags: arts and crafts, arts and crafts house design

Our good pal Punxsutawney Phil gave us word yesterday that Spring is coming sooner than most people thought.  We have had an extra harsh winter throughout many parts of the States.  Luckily, Phil came through and didn’t see his shadow for only the sixteenth time in over 120 years.  We are now set to start our real plans for 2011.  While still basking in the dreams of sunny springtime dreams, I started looking at some coastal house plans over at The Plan Collection.  Right now, nothing sounds better than getting a beach house ready for Spring Break.

There are lots of coastal house plans that would make for great times but I especially liked the floor plan LS-H-964-1A.  It is very open and you don’t waste extra money for fancy features that you will never really use.  If you have a vacation home on the coast you are really only going to be there a few days to a week.  You don’t have to get super technical.  In fact, if I were to build a house on the beach I would be looking for a place to get away from everything and enjoy nature.  Floor plan LS-H-964-1A is a simple design that provides just what you need.

During the day you are going to be out playing and enjoying the sun.  This home will have the party continue when the sun goes down.  The huge great room has lots of window space and opens to the big deck outside.  The sky is the limit with party possibilities in this home plan.  You could stay entertained for hours.  When it is time to hit the sack you have a big master bedroom upstairs that has its own private bathroom and a big walk-in closet that has even more storage behind that.  You could fit just about anything in there.  There is also another bedroom downstairs for another guest that would be staying with you.  Another feature that caught my attention about this vacation house plan is the full laundry room.  When you have a longer stay, laundry can start to become an issue.  With a setup like this you will never have to worry about clothing.  You can dry swimsuits, do quick spill cleanup, keep all your linens at the vacation house, the list goes on and on.

I’m just so excited to see that Spring will be coming early this year.  Well, let’s just hope that Punxsutawney Phil hasn’t deceived us.

Tags: beach house, beachfront house, coastal house plan, vacation home

Last week I was looking at a bunch of ICF house plans.  I had seen a bunch of plans and I was starting to really like the look of houses that utilize that wall construction.  Well, this weekend I was going for a drive through the farmland of Northwest Utah when I noticed how many log homes we have around here.  I have spent my whole life driving around that area and had never noticed them before.  I guess you just don’t pay attention to stuff like that until it becomes the way you make a living.

I have been doing some research this week and log homes are actually a good idea to look at in home construction.  I always figured log homes were designed so you could have a hunting lodge or a nice place to stay while at your favorite ski resort.  After doing a little studying on log homes I found out that log homes have been being constructed for centuries all over the world.  These homes were some of the best houses that were constructed in eastern Europe, where the climate can get quite harsh.

I know that these house plans have received a connotation of being overpriced getaways hidden in the trees but they definitely didn’t have the reputation in the early days.  Log houses were first design as a practical way to help the family survive very harsh conditions.  Eastern Europe abounded in timber and the people knew they could make houses easily out of all the free wood.  Over time they learned how to stack the logs and plug up any gaps with mud and other natural materials so they had an air tight home that kept the cold out.  They perfected the art in Europe and 18th and 19th century immigrants brought it over to America.

Log homes have been embedded in American history since the beginning.  There are so many legends of the early greats and their log homes.  This whole home styling has taken on a romantic mystic.  You can’t help but all in love with one of these beautifully crafted homes.  It makes me happy to know that there are still many log home designs that are used as full time living arrangements.  I wouldn’t enjoy anything more than being able to go home to a log home everyday.  There is just a certain feel to a log home that you can’t get anywhere else.  If your dream home happens to be a log cabin, as well, check out all these log home plans you could have: http://www.theplancollection.com/log-cabin-house-plans

Tags: log cabin, log home design, log home plan, log house plan

Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) framed houses have become a lot more popular lately.  It is a great option for your home.  ICFs are insulated forms that are filled with cement and then connected piece by piece until you have a complete home.  ICF homes have many benefits for you to consider.  The energy efficient is a lot higher than usual wood framing.  The insulated forms keep the outside out of the picture and you can control your interior temperature easier.  Going along with this, you get a home that is a lot quieter.  The design of the forms muffles outside noise and lets you enjoy your peace and quiet inside.  One of the most important features of an ICF home is the protection you receive.  If you look at the materials that are being used you can only guess how strong and durable your home would be.  The forms keep all the pests and mold out and they have proven that they can withstand some of mother nature’s biggest storms.  I love the idea of ICF homes because they are virtually indestructible and they still look great.  You aren’t losing anything going with ICFs instead of the usual wood frames.

House plan AA6075-0355 showcases how much you can do with an ICF house plan.  This floor plan is one of my dream plans.  It is a huge house that has everything you could imagine.  All of the rooms are extra spacious and give you a luxurious look has you feeling like a celebrity everyday.  The great design has a room for every occasion.  On the ground level there are many gathering areas with a big garage on the front and a long covered porch on the back.  The second floor has lots of balcony space which I always like to see and four huge bedrooms.  The master suite has a really big bathroom and the closet space in this home is unheard of.  The master bedroom and one other bedroom also feature their own covered balcony.  This plan is more of an example of what you can do with ICF construction.  I know I would never be able to use all that space but it is nice to dream.

The Sierra house plan is something anyone could afford.  It is a quaint southwestern design that has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.  This plan, unlike AA6075-0355, has only the bare necessities.  Some of its selling points are a large vaulted ceiling in the living area, a long patio in the rear and a garage with lots of space.  This home is much more simplified but it still has enough to draw your attention.

House plan PS-2755 is made for the family.  It is probably one of the most practical ICF house plans that I’ve seen.  This house plan has two main living areas and a lanai in the back.  There are many options for family parties and hanging out with the friends.  The master suite is off by itself and has a door opening it to the back lanai.  The rest of the bedrooms are lined up along the left wall.  Two of the bedrooms have a shared bathroom and the last bedroom has its own bathroom.  With a three car garage, you can fit the family minivan and your other play toys.  I believe this plan would take advantage of all the benefits that come from ICF wall framing.

Tags: ICF construction, insulated concrete forms

Do I have news for you.  The Plan Collection has a special deal going on right now.  Starting at 12:00 PM today they will be offering the Vellum Reproducible set of blueprints for house plan EDC-R2240 for only $150.  They have this offer going for the next 24 hours.  Call them at 866-787-2023 within the next 24 hours and they will give you the plans with the huge discount.  Be sure to check it out.

Tags: cheap house plans, EDC-R2240, special deal

Like we hear so many times, great things really do come in small packages.  I was recently looking at the house plan #SU-B1267-441-FT and I really liked the look of this home.  It is one of the smallest house plans that can you find that can still houses a family.  With all the rising costs of today we find it harder and harder to find a home that suits your family needs and is also affordable.  I was called to this plan because it managed to fit three good sized bedrooms into 1247 sq feet.  Most house plans require a lot more space to fit all the basic features and 3 bedrooms.

The designer of this plan did a really good job of adding all the stuff you need in a home without making it too big.  You get a lot of the features that bigger houses have but you don’t have to add lots of square footage and extra building costs.  The garage of this home plan is a 2 car garage and it has a small storage space in the back.  There is a big corner fireplace in the front room.  One cool feature are the 10 foot ceilings throughout the living space and a coffered ceiling in the master bedroom.  That is not regularly seen in small house plans like this.

Plan #SU-B1267-441-FT is a great all-around home.  You can have your family happily living in the home with subtle features that keep your interest level up.

Tags: small home design, small house plans, SU-B1267-441-FT

I know that Georgian style homes aren’t the most popular house plans right now.  Most people are looking for something that is a little more hip.  Truth be told, Georgian house plans can be turned into a great living space that will have you satisfied.  Georgian homes do have a little different exterior but the floor plan of a Georgian home is quite practical for a family.

First off, I would imagine that most people aren’t familiar with the typical characteristics of Georgian architecture.  Georgian architect gets its roots from 18th century Great Britain.  This style of architecture is very simplistic.  Almost every Georgian home design has a symmetrical front and a panel front door with a columned porch.  The windows on a Georgian house are almost always paned windows and there are general 5 windows per story on the front of the home.  To top off a Georgian design there is usually a shallow gable roof.  This is what we have come to know as typical Georgian exteriors.

A lot of times people stop there, at the exterior of the home, and never even look on the inside.  Georgian homes are very practical homes.  The Georgian styling was formed long before we had today’s current high tech decorating.  Everything about Georgian design is more about having elegant handmade ornamentation.

The floor plans are also designed with everyday trafficking in mind.  LS-97822-RE had a great example of what a Georgian floor plan looks like.  The layout of this plan is much like a home that I was in recently.  I liked the layout of the home because of its openness and the feeling of freedom that you had.  Many times I get claustrophobic when I am in a house that is crammed into a little space and doesn’t have any openings and low ceilings.  LS-97822-RE has a long space between the kitchen and the family room and they have 9 foot ceilings throughout the whole house.  The family room has 4 big windows and the dinette area has a sliding door.  These features greatly enhance the flow of air and light into the home, getting rid of that stuffy feeling that happens in smaller homes.

This particular plan also does a great job of using all the upstairs space.  There are 4 decent sized bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.  A special feature of the plan is a balcony that extends from the master suite.  Georgian architecture is also known for having balconies over the front entry.  They add a little style without being too extravagant.  The architects that original started the Georgian style did a very good job of designing accent pieces that look nice but don’t require too much extra effort.  This mindset has continued throughout the years.

Georgian house plans are wisely designed and for some reason don’t receive as much recognition as they deserve.  You should take some time to take another look at Georgian homes.  You might be surprised at what you see.  It always helps to come into something with an open mind.  Georgian homes aren’t what you’re accustomed to seeing but they are nice looking designs.  They will serve your family well.

Tags: georgian architecture, georgian homes, georgian style, LS-97822-RE