Explore Style Options When Building Your New Home

Building your own home is a thrilling experience. It affords you the opportunity to plan even the tiniest detail in the interior as well as the exterior. It also allows you to build a dream home in the style you want. If you’ve looked into purchasing architecturally designed house plans

then you know there are plans available for many styles. Selecting one that suits your is a joy but it can be overwhelming too.

The best way to start is to answer some basic questions. What size home do I want? What is my life-style? Do I want a home that reflects my life-style or something different and maybe even exotic? If you want your home to be your castle, by all means go for it. But make sure you have explored your alternatives and done your homework.

Here is a short summary of popular styles that may lead you on your way towards deciding what type of dream home to build.

Victorian homes are characterized by their asymmetrical shapes, steep roofs, large porches and highly decorative ornamentation. They are designed to have unique interior living spaces with high ceilings, long windows and often with angled walls reflecting exterior bays or turrets. Victorian homes usually have a second floor. A charming and elegant life-style would benefit from the distinct features found in Victorian replica homes.

Colonial homes were popular during the 18th century and made a revival in the 1880's. Colonial architecture is based on symmetry, large square rooms and a central entrance. Colonial homes can be elegant and formal or more simple structures like the "salt box" house or the "expandable" ranch with some upstairs bedrooms. Medium pitched roofs and evenly placed tall and narrow windows add to the sense of dignity and order. Rich materials such as brick and stone are often used on the exterior and act as ornamentation.

English Tudor homes were inspired by homes erected in England during the late Medieval period. Many English cottages are built in the Tudor style using alternating stucco, half-timbering and fieldstone accents. Exterior features include soaring gables, hip roofs, dormer windows and mock exterior beams. The interior space is usually planned around a “great room” where family and friends can gather in a casual atmosphere.

French country homes are known for neatly laid brick work or stucco exteriors, with copper topped window bays and pediment accents. Steeply pitched roofs often allow for high interior cathedral ceilings in multiple rooms. French doors with leaded glass are often found throughout the house and sometimes replace windows. French homes have details that really make them standout in an elegant rustic manner.

Once you’ve selected the style of house you want, the next step is to have estimates drawn up so you can make your final decision. Some internet sites that sell professionally designed house plans can give you precise estimates for constructing the home of your choice based on the area where you live and your building materials.