Latest Stories
For most of us, Texas means rambling ranches, mission-style homes, stately mansions, and plantations. To others, it’s also the Alamo, John Wayne, the Dallas Cowboys and those feuding Ewings of Southfork. And to anyone who was raised or spent significant time here, it is also the home of quaint towns, rolling hills, creeks, and rivers. So, it should be no surprise that Texas house styles are dictated by the state’s natural landscapes and unique geographical characteristics.
If you’re fascinated by Elizabethan England, castles and turrets, or the tranquil beauty of an English cottage and its garden, then the Tudor house plan is for you! Influenced by architectural designs of the Medieval Ages, the Tudor home design with its storybook charm has withstood the test of time.
One of the most beautiful and colorful house designs in the world, the Mediterranean house plan is a mix of the romantic, elegant, and exotic. Its attractive lines, courtyards, stucco walls, low-pitched roofs, arches, and columns create a bold – and yet inviting presence.
When you think of the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard or Cape Cod, what architectural style comes to mind? Most likely it is the New England shingle style house plan. Its weathered, wood shingle exterior siding and often irregular floor plan give shingle style homes a warm and inviting feel – that is simply perfect for a summer day.
If that home you’ve sketched and furnished in your mind can actually be yours, what would your top wishes be? Something practical like a walk-in closet? Or something a bit more outrageous like a bowling alley or basketball court? We did an informal survey of our users to come up with this Top 12 list of rooms and features – we can't wait to see what you dream up next!
Yearn to be a kid again – or catch the joy in your children’s faces? Maybe a treehouse is just what you need as part of that next dream home. Perhaps desiring a bit more privacy or “get away” time at home? Then a mini backyard cabin or cottage might do the trick. Our readers and home builders had almost countless ideas for amazing outdoor rooms and features for their next dream house plans. We listed the Top 8 here…
Whether you dream of the Mount Vernon mansion, the house in “Driving Miss Daisy” or the home where Kevin ruled in the “Home Alone” movies, the Georgian house plan remains a classic American favorite that captures the historic, elegant, and stately.
Described in 1991 by The New York Times as the “the enticingly titled bonus room,” the distinctly American term for an extra room can serve as a family room, play room, den, home office, guest room, or anything the homeowner desires. Here’s a look at house plans with the very popular bonus room.
Has the housing market really turned a corner that Americans are buying/building bigger? Why do home buyers want all that space? More than a desire for larger homes, the American homeowner is “sizing up” to accommodate family members or to build a “forever” residence that’s friendly to future senior living.
From the Arts and Crafts bungalows of the 1900s, to beachfront properties, classic ranch homes, Mediterranean and Spanish Mission designs, the row houses in San Francisco, and modern contemporary plans, California house styles are distinctly casual, comfortable and made for relaxed living.