Direct from the Designers
Posts tagged House Plans
Summer Issue of Her Dream Home | house plans
1 year ago
by admin
in House Plans
Designers Direct House Plans, America’s leading online house plan provider recently released its summer issue of Her Dream Home magazine entitled “Outdoor Living Spaces.” This bi-monthly magazine is one of the newest publications from the leading residential architects and designers, whose renowned collection of over 6,000 house plans only be found at Designers Direct House Plans.
Designers Direct House Plans is known not only for designing traditional architectural styles but unique and innovative homes like ENERGY STAR approved, affordable, fabulous kitchens and exclusive home designs.
“This issue celebrates homes that are designed to extend a home’s interior living spaces to the outdoors so you can spend time with family and friends in an inviting gathering space,” said Christine Cooney, Creative Editorial Director of Designers Direct House Plans, the Internets leading provider of residential house plans. “With the rising cost of fuel and travel expenses, many homeowners are deciding to stay closer to home. Creating a vacation-like oasis in your backyard can be much cheaper than taking a family vacation and it’s a space you can utilize for years to come.”
You’ll find inspiring house plans with gorgeous and functional outdoor living spaces to help create an enjoyable outdoor living space in your new home or redesign an existing space. You’ll find everything from covered patios, barbeque porches, dining and living room vignettes, gourmet kitchens, custom pools and much more in a wide range of architectural styles.
Stepping Outside: Creating an Outdoor Living Area features innovative design ideas and tips including helpful suggestions for lighting, patio furniture, decks and more!
Since summer is all about outdoor cooking and barbeques you’ll find some of the newest outdoor cooking appliances that were featured at the April 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. This issue also includes 5 Sizzling Tips for Cooking Outdoors so you can learn how to create the perfect grilled dishes, including a recipe for Chicken Teriyaki Sticks from the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Summer is also the perfect time to get your garage organized to make spending a day at the park or beach a stress-free packing event. This article is packed with affordable tips and products so you can organize items like bikes, sporting equipment, beach gear, toys and gardening supplies.
This issue also features a selection of new and exclusive house plans that only be found on Designers Direct House Plans.
Five New Innovative House Plans | new house plans
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
Designers Direct House Plans just added five new innovative house plans to its extensive collection of over 5,000 unique home designs, including the only collection of ENERGY STAR approved house plan.
The designers set out to create flexible floor plans that minimize wasted place and provide future expansion options for rooms like a home office, media room, extra bedroom or playroom so homeowners don’t outgrow their home. Today’s budget conscious homeowner is looking for value, both in the cost of the blueprints and cost to build their home.
Stock house plans offer something very important to new consumers – great value. Not only is the cost of a stock plan considerably lower than a custom design, but also you””””ll save on building costs because stock house plans have already been built thousands of times and the design is proven. A custom plan works out the kinks as you go along, which can dramatically increase your cost to build.
For example, a custom blueprint by an architect or designer can begin at $2 per square foot, which means a 3,000 square foot home plan would cost minimally $6,000 while a similar stock house plan averages around $750. Even with modification costs (we offer free modification quote), a stock plan is considerably more affordable than a custom design.
Designers Direct House Plan continues to add to its collection of energy-efficient designs to meet the demands of consumers looking to build their dream green home. Fresh off the drawing board are:
This small house plan is packed with flexibility and amenities including a 350 square foot second floor bonus room, a fourth bedroom that can easily be used as a study or office, an open kitchen and nook that overlook the family room with fireplace and rear lanai.
Our newest designer has just added seven new house plans to the Craftsman Collection, including the Red Cottage House Plan, which features a second floor plan above the garage with a private, spacious master suite featuring a living space and kitchenette. This plan is packed with amenities for its 2,339 square feet and also comes with an optional basement floor plan.
This traditional home is extremely energy-efficient is available in 3D views so you can visualize this home plan from all orientations. It’s also part of the new collection of ENERGY STAR approved house plans.
This versatile house plan features open living area and split bedroom to offer larger living within a smaller footprint. Suite four can be used as a dining room or office and there’s a large bonus room featuring a full bathroom that can be used as a guest apartment.
This two-story traditional design features ample room for you to grow with a finished lower level floor plan, bonus room and plenty of amenities and built-ins.
New European Green Design Voted “Best Outdoor Living” | green house plan
2 years ago
Everything about this European house plan is green, especially the way it integrates the indoor and outdoor living spaces. From sustainable materials like stone and stucco to barrel tile roofs to energy-efficient appliances to eco-friendly floors, countertops and decorative millwork – this home is designed to last forever. This breathtaking design is filled with plenty of entertaining areas like the lanai, loggia, courtyard, porch and pool. Inside you can enjoy an open floor plan where the gourmet kitchen looks into the great room with fireplace and gallery.
You will also enjoy browsing our collection of new green house plans (all part of our first ENERGY STAR house plan competition), which you cannot find anywhere else. For more information on how to build or remodel a home to incorporate sustainable and energy efficient practices and products, check out the newly added Green Living section. It is packed with informative articles on the latest tips, trends and products so you can live healthy and smart.
This gorgeous European house plan took "Best in Outdoor Living" in the first annual ENERGY STAR house plan competition.
Editor’s Choice “Smart Craftsman House Plan”
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
This smart Craftsman house plan is ideal for small families, empty nesters and first-time homeowners looking for an efficient and flexible design. Don’t be fooled by the compact footprint of this smart floor plan. It features a generous great room designed for casual living with a large fireplace and open kitchen with an island and walk-in pantry. The flexibility of the floor plan continues to through to the bedrooms, which can easily be converted into a den or office
Total Square Footage: 1,624
Main Level: 1,624
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2
Garages: 2
Width: 50 ft Depth: 50 ft
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The exclusive ENERGY STAR house plan was designed for efficiency and affordability. It's perfect for first time homeowners or empty-nesters.
/1161ES%20Rear.jpg "Craftsman house plan")
2nd Place Winner of Green House Plan Competition
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
This warm and charming Craftsman style house plan won 2nd Place achieves energy efficiency through the utilization of ENERGY STAR® rated materials and Green Building practices. This plan boasts the effective use of insulation, high-performance windows, tight construction and efficient heating and cooling equipment so you will enjoy years of savings and total home comfort. Added design features include a covered veranda that can be accessed through the gorgeous master suite and two-story family room with fireplace.
Total Square Footage: 2,508
Main Level: 1,788
Second Level: 720
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 Half: 1
Garages: 2
Award-winning new green house plan
Rear view of the award-winning green house plan
Compact Cottage Designed Efficiently | small house plan
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
This delightful cottage took 1st Place for its “Most Efficient Use of Space” in our Green House Plan Competition. This house is compact yet efficiently designed so you can enjoy daily living. In addition to the many energy saving features like insulated doors and windows, this house plan utilizes all of its available space to create a functional, affordable home. The kitchen features easy access to the washer/dryer, pantry and carport. A small eating bar and built-in desk make it easy for you to share time with your children while preparing meals. The second floor features two bedrooms with large closets and built-in desk and bookshelves to economize on space but not functionality. There’s also a flexible room that can be used as a game room or extra bedroom.
Total Square Footage: 1,628
Main Level: 870
Second Level: 758
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 2
Garages: 1
Width: 41 ft Depth: 45 ft
Award-winning new green house plan.
Rear Rendering of Award-winning Green Cottage House Plan
New ENERGY STAR Home Plans | ENERGY STAR house plan
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
In celebration of our new collection of exclusive ENERGY STAR® house plans, Dream House Plans recently released a special issue of Her Dream Home magazine to preview all of these innovative, eco-friendly designs from the leading architects and designers in the United States. These new plans were part of our first ever Green House Plan Competition, designed to inspire consumers and builders to build an energy-efficient and healthy home that utilizes all the latest green building techniques and features the best in green home building products.
You’ll find over 40 of the most amazing and energy-efficient designs offered in a wide range of architectural styles, sizes and amenities so you’re sure to find your dream green home.
The special green issue also features some great articles to help you create a healthy home environment. Find out about the best exterior products based on their performance and beauty in our article Stronger, Stylish Green Home Products.
Additional articles include The Top 10 Commandments to Home Design, which offers insightful tips to creating your dream home, as well as Our Editor’s Choice 5 Best Kitchen Appliance Suites. It may not be the most glamorous item you choose for your home, but insulation is key to providing your home with total comfort and efficiency while reducing your operating costs significantly. Insulation is Key Element to Your Home’s Efficiency is definitely word a read.
Check our blogs daily because we will be featuring a new green house plan a day to showcase the new collection. We’d love to know which one of these are your favorite so please share your thoughts and post a comment.
Staying current on the latest green home products and design ideas is easy by signing up for our free e-newsletter Dream Green.
Latest issue of Her Dream Home Magazine previews our new collection of exclusive, innovative ENERGY STAR house plans.
New Contest from Therma-Tru Doors
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
Dream House Plans wanted to make sure that you were aware of a recent contest being sponsored by one of partners – Therma-Tru Doors. It’s called “Unlock the Opportunities” and features three grand prizes – a vacation to Disney or Las Vegas. In addition they are giving away a $50 gift card (Best Buy, Amazon.com and Cabala’s) every day until April 30, 2011.
Simply visit www.unlocktheopportunities.com and take a few minutes to take an interactive tour of their latest products – Classic-Craft™ Canvas Collection™, Vented Sidelights and Decorative Glass. There will be one $50 gift card (your choice of Amazon.com, Cabala’s or Best Buy) announced every day until April 30, 2011.
To Enter:
▪ Go to www.unlocktheopportunities.com and take the tour
▪ Paint a door from the new Classic-Craft Canvas Collection™
▪ Build a Therma-Tru door system with new Vented Sidelights
▪ Choose a decorative glass option for a Therma-Tru door system
Once you’ve taken the tour, submit your entry. One entry is allowed for every demonstration you take.
This house plan features a fiberglass front entry door system from Therma-Tru's new Classic-Craft Canvas Collection.
Top 5 House Plan Trends
2 years ago
According to our architects and designers, house plan purchasers want to maximize usable space and prefer smaller, better-designed homes with high-end, green features, rather than homes with lavish amenities and too much extra space.
Based on the collection of house plans we sold this year and conversations with our consumers, we have put together a list of five home designs trends that we believe you can expect to see in the coming year – smaller homes, open floor plans, dual home offices, green details and outdoor living spaces.
1. Small is the new big. A shift toward “smaller, better-designed homes” has been occurring for quite some time and our designers continue to add new designs ranging from 1,400-2,800 square feet. What makes these smaller designs so effective is that have flexible living spaces so your home can adapt to your changing lifestyle and needs. Common flexible spaces include rooms that can be combined to create in-law suites, home offices (even his and hers), music/media rooms, craft or hobby rooms, dens that can become guest rooms and dining rooms that can become offices.
2. Open floor plans remain popular. Flexible and open floor plans where the kitchen opens up into the dining room and family room continues to be one of the most sought after features in a house plan. It is especially popular with homeowners who enjoy entertaining. The economy has also impacted this trend, since instead of going out for dinners all the time, homeowners are spending more time at home entertaining family and friends.
3. Dual home offices. Because of two-income families, there has been a rise in demand for extra office space. Many new home plans feature more than one flexible office space. In many cases there are several workstations (laundry room, master suite, kitchen area, great room) to accommodate the busy schedules of working parents.
4. Interest in green products. Interest in affordable, eco-friendly home details is increasing, especially as consumers continue to become savvy about green home building. Some of these new products include concrete counter tops, tankless water heaters, recycling bins built into kitchen cabinets, eco-friendly flooring, water-efficienty bath products and so much more. You””ll find many new home builders looking into alternative home insulation techniques to efficiently heat and cool their home.
5. Extending the indoors outside. There””s a big interest in making full use of ALL their living space, including outdoor areas. That means outdoor living enhancements such as fire pits, pools and patios and kitchens are allowing homebuyers to enjoy as much of their property as possible, for a much longer time.
Bottom line, house plan purchasers are looking for a functional space that is well-designed, efficient to build and maintain and that compliments their lifestyle. This is a big change from prior years when people believed “bigger was better.”
Inspiring Designs from Her Dream Home
2 years ago
by Christine Cooney
in House Plans
Her Dream Home is a new digital magazine from the editors at Dream House Plans, featuring the most beautiful collection of house plans to fit your style and budget.
Find the best ideas and advice for building and designing your home all in one place. Get building tips and design ideas on everything from selecting the right house plans to designing your kitchen from the leading architects and designers in the United States. Find plans with flexible living spaces, gorgeous kitchens, pampering master suites, extended outdoor living spaces and much more.
Discover the latest green building materials and products from the only house plan company that has ENERGY STAR approved house plans. Learn innovative and affordable ways to be eco-friendly with new “green” materials and building practices.
“In addition to our continued effort with ENERGY STAR and our partners – Danze, Therma-Tru, Fypon, Wayne-Dalton, Owens Corning and Lumber Liquidators – to promote sustainable building practices we have converted all our publications to digital,” said Tammy Crosby, Editor-in-Chief of Her Dream Home. “You’ll find each issue filled with ideas, tips and information to help you improve the environmental sustainability of every aspect of your life – home energy, green building, remodeling, interior design, recycling, water conservation and indoor air quality.”
Her Dream Home features the latest in digital publication programming allowing readers to easily navigate and access links to learn about home products, green building practices and ENERGY STAR house plans.
The magazine can be downloaded and easily shared with friends, family and colleagues who are interested in learning how to create an efficient and healthy home environment.
The new Holiday Issue features wonderful green design ideas, informative articles and plenty of photographs to help you create a beautiful and festive home during this hectic time of the year. Get holiday decorating ideas like creating a spectacular eco-friendly holiday light display by using LED lights. Also, check out the “Top Ten Christmas Trees” to select the perfect tree for your home.
This issue showcases seven of the most popular house designs featuring great gathering places like open living rooms, great rooms with two-story fireplaces, gourmet kitchens with islands and elegant dining rooms. Each house plan has flexible living spaces so you can easily customize your dream home.
Whether you’re looking for inspiration to modify your existing home for the holidays or are eager to build a new home, you’ll enjoy browsing their collection of thousands of America’s best-selling house plans.
Enjoy reading the Holiday Issue and don’t forget to check out the premier issue – Fabulous Kitchens. The next issue will feature the winning house plans from Dream House Plan’s exclusive ENERGY STAR house plan competition. This new collection will be added to Dream House Plans Green House Plan collection and available for purchase in January.
Get inspired by our collection of gorgeous, green house plans.
