Most Popular Articles

Articles by Topic

A Home Builders Opinion Air Conditioning Tips Beachfront Houseplans building lots bungalow Cape Cod House Plans Color Schemes Contemporary Style country house plans craftsman house plans Curb Appeal Custom vs Stock House Plans Do-It-Yourself Dream Homes Engineering House Plans european house plans Exterior Materials Feng Shui Floorplan Layout Frank Lloyd Wright Garages green design Home Builders Home Designers Homebuilding activity homeplans house plan styles house plans Housing Market Indoor Gyms in-law suites Jake England Landscaping Log Cabins luxury home plans Mediterranean Homeplans modern home plans Modifications Mortgages Mountain House Plans National Association of Home Builders Passive Solar Design Perfect House Plans Plan Images Prairie Houseplans Ranch House Plans Remodeling Saving Money Selling Your Home

Recent Articles

Articles Related to House Plans

  • Small House Plans -- Big on Comfort!

    Small House Plans -- Big on Comfort!   The common attitude today is that "Bigger is Better." People will do almost anything to own the biggest and the best. The homebuilding industry usually seems to follow this trend. When people think about Luxury Homes, they think that size equals luxury. Recent trends, however, indicate that attitudes might be changing. People are beginning to be much more energy-conscious and as a result, our designs are evolving. All the time, you see people trading in their large SUV's for smaller, more economical hybrids. Attitudes of homeowners are changing as well. Not only do large homes cost much more to build; they can also be quite expensive to heat and cool. It seems like the homebuilding industry is beginning to lean toward designing smaller and more compact home plans. The

    Read More...

    Published On: 7/22/2008
    15 Views

  • Luxury House Plans, Large and Small!

    Luxury House Plans, Large and Small! Are you looking for a Luxury Home Plan with a comfortable floor plan? You want plenty of style, but you don't want to waste a lot of space? Well, allow me to introduce you to a collection of house plans that may be the answer you've been looking for.   All of these elegant European and Luxury House Plans come from the same designer --- one of the most elite in the industry. Aren't they great? The best thing about these houseplans is that the designer understands that not everyone needs or wants a 5000+ square foot home. Most of these Luxury Home Plans are 2000-3000 square feet. This is the Worthington house plan, offering plenty of amenities in a 1539 square foot package!   Perhaps you're looking for something a little bigger. Well, this wonderful collection of

    Read More...

    Published On: 7/9/2008
    88 Views

  • Luxury European Home Plans

    Luxury European Home Plans   Some of the most recognizable and attractive homes around are European House Plans. There is just something about the "Old World" charm that draws people's attention and commands their respect. Even with their bold style, European Home Plans offer the utmost comfort. In fact, European-style architecture is sometimes synonymous with Luxury Home Design. GMLC-929 is a very luxurious European home plan. It offers a sprawling layout with elegant style. Its single story design includes a large vaulted family room with so many windows that it almost gives you the feeling of sitting under a covered porch. Speaking of porches, there is a very inviting covered lanai that is perfect for almost any season. Near the master bedroom is a study that is perfect for some personal time; it

    Read More...

    Published On: 6/30/2008
    140 Views

  • Mountain Home Plans – Stylish Ingenuity

    Mountain Home Plans – Stylish Ingenuity   Mountain Home Plans, like almost any other style of architecture, were developed foremost for function. While settling fertile mountain valleys overlooked by the snowcapped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, people needed homes that could withstand the long harsh winters. The result of the settlers' ingenuity is known today as Mountain style home design. Mountain house plans are a hybrid of several stylish and functional types of home design. They often combine the rough-cut quality of Craftsman House Plans with the rustic appeal found in Log Cabins. Mountain houseplans also borrow design principles from Swiss chalets in order to provide you with a stylish home that was made to adapt.   This is R3102b. It is a perfect example of Mountain Style Home

    Read More...

    Published On: 6/24/2008
    169 Views

  • Luxurious Mountain Craftsman House Plans

    Luxurious Mountain Craftsman House Plans   This is the Avalon. It is a spacious craftsman lodge home with its style rooted in the past. Near the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, society was changing forever. Everyone was interested in machinery, and automobiles were the all the rage. The world was caught up in the Industrial Revolution, and Home Design was also in the midst of change. Victorian Homes, with all their pomp and pageantry, had been the height of style, but views were changing. While much of society was caught up in everything modern, there were some people that still remembered and cherished the workmanship of yesteryear. Names like William Morris and Gustav Stickley were strong advocates for the return to Craftsmanship. They designed homes simply, so that good craftsmanship was

    Read More...

    Published On: 6/13/2008
    249 Views

  • Traditional Home Design with a Modern Twist!

    Traditional Home Design with a Modern Twist! We've recently added a new home designer to The Plan Collection Team. With over 60 designers and more than 18,000 house plans, you might expect that we've seen it all. Well, not quite! This new home designer offers over one-hundred different home plans, and each one sports a style all its own. Each houseplan seems to have a traditional Old World style, but there is always an attractive and modern twist to make it unique. Take, for instance, The Cadillac. Here is a wonderfully refreshing home design that displays the perfect combination of several architectural styles. The Cadillac mixes design principles from the Tudor style with a somewhat traditional country shell and the effect is amazing! The result is like a breath of fresh air --- an eclectic grouping of classical,

    Read More...

    Published On: 6/6/2008
    259 Views

  • Great Photos of a Great Plan

    Great Photos of a Great Plan   We just got some fresh pics from one of our favorite designers. The house shown is the NDG-844, a great solution for mainstream suburbia. The house is built with practically no modifications, which makes it nice for comparison with the plan. Check out the beautiful pictures below.     The great room is wide open with an eating bar at the kitchen. Though the plans won’t come with any decoration packages, the designer has a Design Plan in a Can for sale.     The kitchen is probably my favorite part of this house. It’s plenty large and packs a whole lot of storage. The style here is great. I love the industrial look of the ceiling in contrast to the more traditional feel of the granite countertops and wood

    Read More...

    Published On: 5/27/2008
    308 Views

  • A Masculine Cottage, A Feminine Craftsman

    A Masculine Cottage, A Feminine Craftsman   Home plans come in many varieties, large and small, plain and detailed. The DDI105-202 is a very exclusive variety not commonly found just anywhere. This design is full of character, charm, and a good blend of masculinity and femininity. In other words, it has a rustic nature to it that's cottage enough to be cute and craftsman enough to keep a mature, slightly rigid, architecture.   This plan stands out because of its curb appeal and masterful blend of styles. The blend is what achieves the natural aesthetic, and the masculine/feminine neutrality. The basic structure of the house is rigid and square in nature, based on a Bungalow design. The floor plan follows this rigidity, managing transition from private to more public spaces of the home. The square columns

    Read More...

    Published On: 5/15/2008
    388 Views

  • User Tips and Info

    User Tips and Info   We at The Plan Collection just wanted to say thanks for your visits, your interaction with us, and your business. We whole-heartedly appreciate the opportunity to dream with you as we search for the perfect house plans. Its been our privilege to hear many stories, needs, wishes, and realities that have not only helped us understand the human nature of a home, but have strengthened our passion for home design.   A lot of exciting things have been happening at The Plan Collection. In September we loaded up our new and improved website. Weve been adding and honing the best features out there and think youll find them of particular interest.   Search:   Searching has never been so easy. Our quick search, featured on our home page, is a great way to get

    Read More...

    Published On: 5/12/2008
    152 Views

  • Green, Stylish, and Functional House Plans

    Green, Stylish, and Functional House Plans I get to talk about cool house plans all day long (eat your heart out George Gray), so I'm pretty excited when one comes a long that hits all my favorite features. The 1978 is just one such house.   Favorite Feature #1: Big Green   The 1978 has the potential to be a pretty awesome green home design. The designer definitely had this in mind when he started this project. From his site: "Being earth-friendly can be fun, and can save you a lot of money, Buy [house plans] that [use] natural lighting, and maximizes your view of the outdoor world." Natural lighting is proven to reduce stress. It's also proven to save on electricity bills and, if done right, heating and cooling bills. Passive solar design is by far the most effective and efficient way to use the sun's

    Read More...

    Published On: 4/29/2008
    544 Views

  • New from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

    New from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Allow me to introduce you to one of The Plan Collection's newest house plans, M-4455 extreme. Unlike most of our new additions, this home is already famous. M-4455 extreme was built and featured on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". For those of you who are unfamiliar with "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", it is ABCs Emmy Award-winning reality TV series that brings entire communities together in service to provide a deserving family with a new home and a new chance at life. Since early 2004, the Extreme Makeover Team (led by Trading Spaces' Ty Pennington) has been traveling the country in search of families that are in serious need of a new home. The family is then given a week-long, all-expense-paid vacation, meanwhile, the Extreme Makeover Team joins with volunteers from the

    Read More...

    Published On: 4/24/2008
    425 Views

  • Structural Review - Engineers and Architects Stamps

    Structural Review - Engineers and Architects Stamps   We want to revisit a topic that we covered quite a while ago. We continuously get questions regarding architects and engineers stamps, or structural review. Our very own Jake England wrote the following quite some time ago, and it still holds true today:   What is structural engineering?   Structural engineering is the analysis of home plans or a building's proposed structure [or even existing at times] to verify that the framing members and the method of construction is sufficient to withstand local weather patterns, soil types, earth movements, wind speeds, and so on. For example, the areas where homes receive significant amounts of snow in the winter will require a roof structure strong enough to hold the weight, while homes in areas that receive no snow,

    Read More...

    Published On: 4/16/2008
    Filled under: ,
    271 Views

  • A True Craftsman

    A True Craftsman Home design has long been plagued by home budgets. Sky rocketing costs have pushed us to build track homes and other poorly designed homes to keep the cost low and the profit high. The damages this has caused are various and are topics of more in-depth discussions. Suffice it to say that theyve created a cost driven society that ignores quality in areas like proper indoor flow, aesthetic detail, materials, environmental safety, health, etc. Home designers arent to blame for this, and neither are builders. Society evolved this way and its a problem in more than just homes. Lets look at a home that strives for something beyond quick construction, low cost, and mediocre design. The Corbin Park, from one of our newest home designers, is a beautiful Craftsman with a thoughtful

    Read More...

    Published On: 4/4/2008
    460 Views

  • A Beautiful Southern Belle

    A Beautiful Southern Belle Southern house plans wouldn't be southern if they didn't display the generous hospitality known for the region. House plan number SU-5669-2538-1607-I has a long name and a longer list of outstanding features. Without question, this southern belle has a sense of hospitality to the owner and visitors alike. The stunning and refined look of the exterior is easy on the eyes and very inviting. The style gives an Italian villa on a horse ranch kind of feel. Upon entering, you are greeted with a large two story foyer with formal rooms at either side. The great room is beyond and is open to the large kitchen. A guest room with a private full bathroom ensures that friends and family are welcome. The main floor also enjoys one more feature that is uncommon to most houses even

    Read More...

    Published On: 4/2/2008
    497 Views

  • Luxurious Craftsman on the Beach

    Luxurious Craftsman on the Beach DDI103-206, one of our best Craftsman house plans, is truly something to behold. After just one look, you can see that a lot of time and effort was involved in designing this charming set of house plans. This home designer was able to incorporate so many unique and exciting features, and at the same time, avoided the pitfalls that are often associated with luxury home design. Oftentimes, a luxury home will offer every amenity, but it just feels forced or rushed - like the designer was trying too hard and included features that just don't fit. Although they are designed specifically for comfort, luxury plans often lack that indefinable quality that makes a house a home. This is where DDI103-206 breaks away from the mold. This luxurious home plan offers many large windows

    Read More...

    Published On: 3/21/2008
    487 Views

  • Ranch House Plans = Affordable Style

    Ranch House Plans = Affordable Style Most of the time, when we feature a house plan on The Plan Collection, we usually choose the biggest, the best, and the most impressive set of home plans that we can find. I have to admit, it is really fun to look at (and fantasize about) 8000+ square foot luxury homes, top-of-the-line log homes, and cutting-edge passive solar houseplans, but for most of us it just isn't practical. That is why I am featuring one of our Ranch House Plans number GAR-74007. This classy Ranch Home provides a lot of comfort and style, but won't empty your pocket-book. GAR-74007 is very attuned to the needs of today's family. There is a large bonus room above the garage that would make a great playroom for the kids, but it could be used as an office or a studio just as easily. The master bedroom, with

    Read More...

    Published On: 3/4/2008
    622 Views

  • Modern Prairie House Plans

    Modern Prairie House Plans Once in a while, we get to be surprised as we find a new house plan we havent seen before, and its awesome. This time its plan number CD-R5300A3F-0DB, a mouthful. Though the name may be hard to remember, the design is not. This unassuming Prairie home opens up to an immaculate interior that features excellent line and a slightly retro-modern floor plan. The Prairie exterior is an elusive façade that does not portray the depth of the interior. Passing through the front door, youre met with and elegantly informal floor plan, with a large kitchen to the left, the great room beyond, and the dining room ahead and to the right. The gallery is the centerpiece to this design, giving curvature of line and creating a barrier between the public and the private. The main floor is surrounded at

    Read More...

    Published On: 2/27/2008
    722 Views

  • Craftsman Bungalow House Plans

    Craftsman Bungalow House Plans There has been a lot of buzz lately about craftsman and bungalow house plans, so we’re ready to show you what they’re talking about. Craftsman home DD-3608 is a good way to start. Craftsman home plans start with an old world charm and quality that honor the artisans that brought them to us. This architecture cut out all the fluff of the Victorian era and gave the average citizen something they could appreciate: craftsmanship. This rudimentary design offers a close up on the raw beauty of the material. Stone and wood combine to create a natural art piece, something that doesn’t need to be polished and kept on a shelf. The charm that comes from our craftsman house plans is that blue collar quality, that humble elegance that can only be seen when we clear away all the extras. This

    Read More...

    Published On: 2/19/2008
    680 Views

  • Garage House Plans and Apartments

    Garage House Plans and Apartments I want to let out one of our best kept secrets. We have a unique collection of versatile home plans, and that is our garage house plans. These come in two different groups: simple garages of all sizes and garages with apartments above them. Each offer a powerful set of options to your lifestyle that make storage, play, housing guests, nurturing children, and making money easy! Storage is a problem with a lot of smaller homes and with the cost to build only rising; it can be difficult to justify moving to a larger home. Another garage is often the answer. If you have the land and a permit, a second garage can be the bonus space youve been looking for. These structures are perfect for a secure shop or barn. Play time is another problem with most house plans. How can we create

    Read More...

    Published On: 2/12/2008
    788 Views

  • Luxury Log House Plans

    Luxury Log House Plans Looking at a home in all of its contexts is an important step in choosing a particular design. In fact, it makes the home plans, or the house plans, or whatever your preferred phrase may be, just that much more important. The plans must have the context of the home inherent in the design. So what are the contexts; what do we look for in a home? To be fair, we must note that the answer is different for everyone. It depends on your last home, and what it lacked or didn’t lack. It depends on how much you have to spend… well, usually anyway. Too often we think of house plans in terms of how many square feet, how many bedrooms, how many bathrooms, etc. Instead we need to think about the indoor environment Looking at the environment, or the

    Read More...

    Published On: 1/30/2008
    725 Views
[1]23456789101112131415Next >>