What to Consider When Customizing Your Home's Floor Plan

One of the great things about building a new home is the ability to customize your floor plan's layout. It is important that you carefully think through each of the decisions as they will have an impact on how much you enjoy being in your home.

Consider your family size and its needs. Think about whether your family size will remain that way. Do you plan to have more children? Are your kids about to leave for college? It is possible to convert offices or dens into bedrooms or easily convert a bedroom into an office space when they have moved out permanently.

Do you entertain guests often? How do you entertain them and how many people do you need to accommodate? If you usually have small gatherings, your layout can look one way. If, however, you like to throw big bashes, you might need a more flexible, open living space.

"Do you often or always work from home? If you would like to have a home office, it is important to consider who will use the space and how often they will do so," said a spokesperson for 651 Carpets & 651 Housing. "Consider how the space will be used. What type of furniture will the layout of the room need to accommodate? Is it a single desk for one person or a work table that will be used for several people? Lastly, if you need a quite office space, consideration will have to be given to where the room is located in relation to other spaces."

Your lot size and shape will have a significant impact on your layout. If you have a large lot, you have flexibility in your home's floorpan and footprint. This means you can build a sprawling, single-floor layout. If your lot is narrow and smaller, you might need to add a second floor.

How does your family live and interact? Some families feel more comfortable in smaller, cozy spaces while others prefer a big, open room that includes a kitchen and living spaces. Great rooms are more open. Where would you like your master bedroom in relation to the children's rooms or other spaces? If your children are small, you might want to have a master room closer, but if they are teens, you might want to be as far away as possible.

Marc H. is a marketing manager and copywriter.