Latest Stories
When building a house, it’s important to track your costs throughout the project. So how do you know if you can include your favorite designs, materials, and other elements? By using The Plan Collection’s Cost-to-Build Report, you can create a realistic building budget for your dream home.
From sketchbooks and blueprints to today’s building-design software, architectural drawings have undergone an evolution. As digital technology permeates the architecture and home building fields, computerized images are slowly but surely replacing hand drawings. We focus on computer-aided design (CAD) and how it is changing the house plan industry.
From The New American Home 2021, with its innovative design concepts, to the creative use of features in home spaces, the International Builders' Show highlighted some key trends that are likely to resonate in the architectural residential market. Here are home-building-design and product trends gleaned from virtual sessions at the IBS Show.
From lavish chandeliers and pendant lights to sconces and wall lamps, lighting your dream home can be tricky and challenging. Illuminating the home is part of its design and should figure into the building plan from the outset. We look at common lighting pitfalls and how to avoid them.
Is it “New Year, New Home” for you? Have you designed the perfect home in your mind, with beautiful features and fixtures? While there are challenges, consider the benefits of building a home that exactly matches your lifestyle. Before you take the leap, explore our tips, which will help the process run smoothly.
What can be more convenient than multiple master bedroom suites with all the amenities? As family needs and lifestyles evolve, an increasing number of Baby Boomers and young homeowners are looking at the flexibility and functionality of multiple suites. This is a hot trend that offers families the ultimate in comfort, luxury, and privacy.
Want a more unique look in your home’s exterior facade? For sheer visual appeal and character, there’s nothing like the unconventional touch and charm that vertical siding adds to the home and its architectural features. We explore some of the ways vertical siding can enhance your home’s appearance both inside and out.
Ready to say goodbye to 2020? The new year will combine clean, modern, and sophisticated styles with function and purpose. Look for high ceilings, super-sized walk-in showers, double kitchen islands, Country and Farmhouse chic, and more. Let’s explore the design trends that will pop up in the American home in 2021.
Many of us have re-discovered outdoor living! We've also found out that there can be so much more to our outdoor living spaces than a table, a couple of chairs, and a grill. Are home improvement projects related to outdoor living near the top of your to-do list? If so, here are 13 outdoor living projects you can do to make your home more enjoyable now or what to consider adding to your dream home as an outdoor living space when planning and designing your next new build.
From having done comfort baking to sewing face masks and binge-watching TV during stay-at-home Covid-19, many of us are becoming restless. Why not take on long-avoided home projects like reorganizing spaces, perking up the interior, or freshening up the exterior. Here’s a suggested list as we shelter-in-place.