4 Things You Need for Your Family’s Dream Home

You're building your dream home, which means you get to customize it to your heart's desire. With so many decisions to make about flooring, paint colors and light fixtures, it can be difficult to think of the extras you want. Don't forget about the kitchen, master suite, and laundry room, but also think through other unique spaces that will be useful and fun for you and your family. Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Space to Play

Whether you have kids or not, your new home needs areas dedicated to playing. The benefit of designing your house is that you can plan to keep these rooms separate from your main living spaces. You could create your own game room with pool tables and arcade games or set up a movie theater. Add in plenty of room for snacks and beverages, as well as some comfy seating, and you have a setup for a great house party. If you have kids, you could even set aside a room with tough carpet and light fixtures for them to store and play with their toys with no risk of breaking anything. Add some doors so that you can shut off the mess when you have unexpected visitors, or put out some pillows and blankets and use it as a sleepover spot.

2. Outdoor Living Areas

Having comfortable and even luxurious outdoor living areas will be a vital addition to your dream home. Think through what you already love to do outside and design your space to accommodate that. For example, if you love to grill and prepare meals for guests, an outdoor kitchen might be a good investment. For eating and lounging, create a comfortable seating area with a sturdy covering so that you can use it even in bad weather, and add plenty of built-in and string lights. You may even want to install an outdoor fireplace or fire pit for warmth when the evenings get cooler. A pool or hot tub is also always a good idea, especially if it's designed with rocks and waterfalls to look nice even when you aren't swimming. Remember to budget money to invest in landscaping as well, as that will also make your outside space feel like your personal paradise.

3. Customized Storage

One benefit of designing your own home is that you get to create storage solutions that work exactly the way you want them to. Think through spaces in your current home and how you would change them. Look at your pantry, for example. Are there items that you wish you could store that your shelves are too short or too shallow to hold? Consider putting adjustable shelves in your new one or having them placed farther apart. In other parts of your house, you may also want to add systems like a custom gun safe, wine cooler or tool bench designed to fit your space and storage needs, so make sure you plan to leave space for those items as well.

4. Plenty of Windows

If you love natural light and a view of the sky or trees, think of ways to add extra windows to your home. Whether it's skylights in your kitchen and living room, floor-to-ceiling windows in your bedroom or bathroom, or retractable windows over an enclosed porch, installing custom windows can add a lot of wow factor. Just make sure you think through which rooms you want to get the most natural light and warmth so that you don't find yourself spending extra money to counteract them. Instead, use them to your advantage to save money on heating and lighting.

Creating your dream home can be an exciting yet involved endeavor. When you get overwhelmed with all the decisions you have to make, be sure to go back to the fun aspects of your home and visualize the great times you'll have there with your family and friends.