A Pet Center – here’s the backstory on this design amenity:
Dogs play, get dirty, and aren’t inclined to wipe their feet before heading into the house. “There’s not a shower on the main floor, so I have to carry the dirty dog all the way upstairs to give her a bath.” A guy quipped, “My wife says we really need a dog shower near the garage entry for when our dog rolls around in dead fish, but I think she wants it for me when I come home from hunting or trapping.”
The bottom line, pets are members of our households, too. Planning your new home to better address the realities of pet ownership – from kennels to feeding, washing, and specialized storage – makes the home more livable and enjoyable for everyone!
In the Costello (plan 42139), the pet center is located just inside the rear foyer entry from the garage, providing easy access and not in the direct line of traffic into the house. The rendering above is one configuration; depending on your size and type of pet, you may want a larger or elevated shower, kennel or pet bed area, feeding station, etc. The choice is yours!
Problem: Ladies have told us they would like to have a seat in the owner’s bathroom…that we need more hanging for towels…and that the clothes hamper/laundry basket is always in the way.
Solution: Design Basics’ new Stor-N-More™ presents a cushioned seat with flip-top bench, hidden storage for your laundry basket under the seat, extra towel hanging, and linen storage all in the cavity previously shown simply as a linen closet!
Consider how we live: We undress in the bathroom for showering. Where do the dirty clothes go? Where do you hang a towel rack and robe hooks? The size and placement of the Stor-N-More in Design Basics’ Jensen Falls Plan (#29385) could easily have been just a regular linen closet. This new design amenity belongs in your next model (or Parade) home!
Search plans for the Stor-N-More amenity already built in by choosing the “Stor-N-More” filter under “Other Amenities and Features,” or let us help you find your perfect plan and incorporate it!
With construction costs approaching all-time highs and buyers facing more volatile mortgage interest rates, new home affordability was a recurring theme at the 2019 NAHB International Builders’ Show. At Design Basics’ booth, homes 40-44 feet wide were the most popular (reflecting higher lot costs), and value-engineered plans with straightforward, cost-effective foundations in demand.
Just as companies’ advertising is typically the first thing to be trimmed to meet budget, storage is often the first area in a home to be cut when designing smaller homes. Home buyers may not recognize lack of storage during an initial model home visit, but according to Realtor Magazine, not having enough storage space leads to buyer’s remorse for 80 percent of home buyers. Buyer remorse is the surest way to shut down referrals, which should account for at least one-third of your new home sales.
Rather than minimizing, or having to apologize for lack of storage, making storage a priority in design renders your homes more marketable. In fact, it’s easy to sell against other builders’ similar-size homes that skimp on storage! Design Basics’ new Natalie Park (plan #42416) proves that storage need not be sacrificed in modest-sized homes. Whether walking in the front door, or entering from the garage, there are coat closets to greet you. Speaking of the garage, there’s a 7-foot by 6-foot storage area at the back, ideal for a lawn mower and/or a snow blower. At 24-feet deep, there’s also room for shelves in front of the laundry area.
The rear foyer’s drop zone is the perfect repository to keep clutter out of the kitchen. Kitchen storage (and organization) is a priority in any size home, but particularly important in smaller square footages. There’s abundant cabinetry in the kitchen, a corner pantry, and importantly, with no cook top or sink in the island, there’s welcome storage there, too. Storage atop the washer and dryer testifies to the concern for this laundry room essential.
Rather than becoming “wasted space,” a recessed area behind the door into the owner’s bedroom showcases built-in shelves. The walk-in closet is nice-sized, and there’s a hall linen closet for extra sheets, blankets, and towels. Secondary bedroom closets were made as large as possible, and assuring you never run out of storage space in the Natalie Park, there’s over 300 square feet of storage available over the garage!
They may have stone counter tops and high-tech connectivity, but new homes lacking storage, especially smaller square footage homes, can turn buyers’ dreams into nightmares.
Change is all around us, having become the norm in American society. And as our lives change, we begin to appreciate homes that were designed to adapt to our changing situations. It’s called flexible design.
Flexibility in Design
With a flex space, you are in charge. No longer need that guest room? No problem. Designed to work for any function, Flex Spaces are easy to transition with your changing needs.
We live in the digital age and virtually anything can be done online, including many of our jobs. Did you recently transition to a work-from-home career but don’t have a home office? A Flex Space offers the perfect solution. Whether it be a full-sized room, such as a guest room, converted to a home office or a Pocket Office, a smaller space that can be closed off when not in use, the choice is yours.
Take for instance the Woman-Centric designed Sinclair IV (plan #42159) that presents the Pocket Office design concept rather than a full office.
With our Livability at a Glance™ colorized floor plans you can easily see flexible living areas of the home. Learn more by clicking here.
Creating textured walls that add interest without overwhelming your living space can be a challenge. One easy way to add interest and soft texture is by adding white shiplap to your space. The unique design is perfect for the popular modern farmhouse look, and your budget.
Photos Courtesy of Artistic Tile
Another option is to add textured monochromatic tile, like the Ambra Collection from Artistic Tile. Each piece is hand carved and honed to polish and shape the stone, giving it a wave-like appearance. You will instantly feel more serene as you look at the gentle flowing design of each tile. The Ambra Collection is available in six color options and because it is natural stone, it will accentuate any décor.
Bringing the outside elements in has never been more elegant.
Read more in our latest edition of Her Home™ Magazine.
Learn more about Artistic Tile.
(Product spotlights are for informational purposes.)
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A Pet Center – here’s the backstory on this design amenity:
In the Costello (plan 42139), the pet center is located just inside the rear foyer entry from the garage, providing easy access and not in the direct line of traffic into the house. The rendering above is one configuration; depending on your size and type of pet, you may want a larger or elevated shower, kennel or pet bed area, feeding station, etc. The choice is yours!
Creating textured walls that add interest without overwhelming your living space can be a challenge. One easy way to add interest and soft texture is by adding white shiplap to your space. The unique design is perfect for the popular modern farmhouse look, and your budget.