Why You Should Visit Local Model Homes for Dream House Ideas

Show Homes in New Developments Can Inspire Your Dream Home Decor

Are you ready for your dream home – or perhaps anxious to renovate and refurbish your existing one? Whether you’re building your own home – or having it built – or considering some needed updates, start your planning by going to open houses and scheduling a tour of model homes in your community. It’s an educational and informative way to see current home decor ideas, learn what’s important to you, and envision what you really want and need for your house design – including architectural style and fixtures.

As you set out on this exciting adventure, let’s find out how you can apply house designs and interior design, and décor ideas to create ambiance in your dream home or in a specific room.

7 Model Home Takeaways

Picture yourself – like the nervous homeowners on Fixer-Upper – standing in front of their home as Chip and Joanna Gaines pull out the canvas for the big reveal – or as they enter the newly-renovated and redesigned home. There’s always a collective “wow” and amazement at these unveilings as they discover what lies behind the front door.

Much like the homes on these shows, model residences have been professionally designed and staged to give potential home buyers an idea of what their homes can be – and how they can see themselves living in the space. Keep an open mind, and use your imagination as you walk through the home. And if at all possible, take a look at an empty model to see if it’s a fit for you, your family, your belongings, and your lifestyle.

So what are the hot design trends behind the closed doors – and what can you “borrow” for your dream home or for a particular room in your current residence?

1. Color Coding  

Create an atmosphere in a room with your color scheme. While you can go bold with paint colors, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the entire room has to be that one vibrant color. Use a vivid shade as an accent – but remember that your primary color scheme has to flow smoothly from room to room.

Try painting exterior or interior doors and walls to add a splash of color and sparkle to the space. If painting is not your thing, there are other details to focus on. For example, when you walk through the model home, be sure to observe how colors and patterns are put together and how furniture is organized to get a feel for what is comfortable and what may work in your home.

Brighten up a room by featuring interesting and colorful artwork, wall hangings, window coverings, area rugs, and cushions that contrast with the wall color.

2. Greater Great Room!

Make a statement with a dramatic Great Room. Go from the mundane to a show-stopper Great Room with intriguing artwork, accessories, and a combination of the latest color trends in furniture and décor accents. At the same time, stick to clean lines and an uncluttered area.

3. Clever Kitchens

Update your kitchen layout, materials, and fixtures. While visiting model homes, you can also learn a few things about efficient layout, whether for a new or reworked kitchen. So what’s in and what’s out? Get rid of a double-height island and “continue the counter height the full length.” Instead of the standard 42-inch height for the bar, designers are now lowering it to 36 inches so that family members dont have to climb on bar stools and theres more flat space for prep work when its needed. Other kitchen trends include:

• less clutter
• adding more color to the wall
• replacing granite countertops with new options like Silestone and other quartz products, which work well with contemporary and traditional kitchens
• no more baskets and trailing ivy plants on the counter and atop wall cabinets
• accessorize with larger, fewer, and cleaner pieces

4. Better Bathroom Tile

With changes in the tile industry come opportunities for bathroom finishes. Instead of the standard 12x12 and 6x6 measurements, there are now tiles that come in different shapes, patterns, sizes, and color, including the large rectangular ones that are now used in some master baths. By mixing and matching tiles of different sizes and colors, you can create an attractive and modern oasis.

5. Attacking Awkward Spaces

Learn to highlight small – and sometimes awkward – spaces. In any home, there are spaces and corners that can be challenging to decorate. No homeowner likes a cluttered room – and on the other hand, a blank space is also disconcerting. Here are a number of ideas on how to fill empty spaces in the home – that you may see when you tour model homes.

• Space near or under the stairs

• Blank Walls – Why not convert them into “exhibit” spaces for personal photos or artwork?

• Awkward Corners – These are not as difficult as they look. With a few touches, you can have a movable bookshelf, a cozy sitting nook, or even a place for your Christmas tree. 

6. Welcoming Guests

Whether you’re planning on designating flex space in your floor plan for guests or considering updating an existing guest room, pay close attention to the one in the model home. As in your kitchen, think simple, clean, bright, comfortable, and uncluttered.    

7. Up-to-Date Kids Rooms

Come up with a style balance for a kid’s bedroom. While you may have some specific ideas from all those HGTV shows about decorating a child’s bedroom, there can be additional information – and inspiration – from a model home. Whether the bedroom you’re thinking of renovating is a girl’s or boy’s, make it fun, exciting, and comfortable.

Strike a balance between the whimsical and functional – by fashioning a place that reflects the child’s personality and interests; and at the same time providing the basics – shelves, bins, cabinets, desks – for them to get organized.

As you take that first step toward owning your home, be sure to keep an open mind. And at the same time, remember that the floor plans and designs of each model home must match your family’s needs, lifestyle, and preferences.

Additional Source:

Niblock Homes