One of the most exciting experiences in life is when you finally get to the stage where you are ready to build your own home. You may have dreamed most of your life about what your dream home would look like. However, when it comes time to make a decision, you will find that there are many things to consider. Putting all your favourite things together under one roof might not be practical or possible, and perhaps some of your ideas need a little more extra thought. If you are at this stage right now, here are some things to consider when choosing a house design or plan.
- Family Needs and the Future: When you build a home for yourself, you are most likely planning to live there for a long time. Depending on what stage you are at in life, your needs will increase or decrease as your family either grows larger or moves away. Knowing what the future needs might be is essential in deciding on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and what sort of mutual living areas you would like to have.
- Privacy, Play Areas: These days we spend more time at home than ever, for the sake of unity, everyone should have their own places where they can do their own thing for a while. Creating custom house plans (known as แบบแปลนบ้านสร้างเอง in Thai) is a good idea to create both private areas and play areas. And if you entertain, you will want to make room for that as well.
- Kitchen: The kitchen is usually the most important room in the house. Pay special attention to this space and make sure that it is a room with good workflow and has the personality you would like to present as a reflection of your style. You might even consider a two-part approach, having a kitchenette in your entertainment area, and a butler’s kitchen/pantry combo where all the mess and preparation can occur.
- Office Space: These days most home should include office space, probably at least two offices, as the trend to work at home is getting stronger and stronger. Consider if you like personal spaces, or an open office plan for collaboration.
Most importantly, make early decisions about your home style and the design cues that will tie the whole house together. Use durable materials and high-end appliances. And make sure that the master bathroom is spacious and as luxurious as a spa. Make a scrapbook of ideas, and take your time putting the final plan together.