It can be difficult to think far into the future when you’re designing a new custom home. Often you’ll focus on what you and your family need and want NOW. That office may seem like a great idea now, but if you have another family member move in and need to convert that office into another bedroom, it’s best if that office already had a closet and window. Creating a home that has living spaces that can easily be converted from one type of space to another is a must in good home design.

Tips and Tricks for Building and Designing a Quality Home Important Design Element – Flexible Living

Flexible living areas allow your home to adjust as your life evolves or changes. Children moving out of your home, temporary visitors, crafts or hobbies and a home based business necessitate rooms to serve dual purpose for temporary periods of time.
Here are some areas of the home that are commonly build without flexibility that you may want to reconsider;

Main Floor

  • Flex room: A ‘flex room’ is a room with no set purpose and is often used as an office. If you design this room with a closet and egress window it can be used as a spare bedroom, toy room, office, bedroom, music room, crafts room, or even a formal dining room during the holidays! By adding the closet and window you’ve nearly doubled the possibilities. You can also consider adding a reading nook the the spare room or even a exercise/yoga area.
  • Pantry: With the right amount of space, shelving, and electrical a storage pantry can become so much more! With these simple additions, your pantry can turn into a work-in pantry which allows for room for a counter top height shelf, and enables you to store appliances and prepare food. If you have enough room you can even add a vegetable sink, this means that the mess you make preparing a meal can be hidden away behind a closed door when you’re entertaining.

Upper/lower level

  • Lofts: Lofts have amazing flexibility in the home. It can be an area for quiet reading, a tv room, an office, or even a spare bedroom! A loft generally is set by the furniture that you place into it.
  • Basement rooms with no windows: The basement is an extremely cost efficient space and has a multitude of options! The additional space can be used as a storage room, exercise room, toy room, theater room, craft area, and more. The great part about these rooms is that you can simply shut the door and the mess will have magically disappeared.

If you’d like to learn about more ‘Tips and Tricks for Building and Designing a Quality Home’, check back at our blog every now and then, or if you’d like more info now, sign up for our FREE planning guide where you can find this information and more! Secrets to Building a Quality Custom Home.