Monthly Archives: August 2012

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The house you dream of can be yours with the right house plan. Let yourself go with your dreams and then let the house plans you choose fit the dream.

All of us, at some time in our lives, have dreamed of living in a luxury home. What does the luxurious home of your dreams look like? How is it laid out, and what rooms will be inside it? Can you imagine it right away, or do you need to look at some luxury floor plans to get you started?

Let’s start with the rooms – what do you dream of? How many bedrooms will you have in your house plans? How many bathrooms? How big will they be, and what will be inside them? Walk-in closets, of course, an en suite spa with whirlpool tubs and a steam room. Beautiful, but dream bigger. How about a grand entertainment room with a big screen and comfortable arm chairs, a yoga studio or an exercise room—or both?

You will need servants’ quarters in your house plans, a butler’s pantry, and guest quarters. You’ll want them. Your dream house is going to attract a lot of guests. So you’ll also want a big kitchen with a chef and doors opening out into the garden beyond for fresh vegetables and herbs.

Just imagine these other elements of your house plans: the entry way, the long, curving driveway with the shiny sporty car parked in front, the steps leading up to the front entrance with its grand doors made of polished wood and glass that sweep open to reveal a graceful, curving staircase leading up to the second floor. Oh, and you’ll want an elevator, too, so that staircase doesn’t get all cluttered up with people. The elevator will lead down into the wine cellar, which you will keep stocked with all the best of France and Italy.

There will be a beautiful view, naturally, and landscaping. Think carefully planned, meticulously kept landscaping with cut green lawns, stone pathways, and courtyards. How about a tennis court, or swimming pool, or trails through the trees? Don’t forget to include the landscaping in your house plans.

There must be a library in your house plans. One with walls of books and sliding ladders moving along the shelves. There should be long wooden tables in the center of the room, comfy armchairs off to one side, near the fireplace, and windows that let in the light and the view.

What do you think? Is that your luxury house? Can you dream it bigger? Or is that too much house for your family? Even if a luxury house may not be where you’re heading, you don’t have to let go of all of your ideas. You can enjoy some of these elements in any of the house plans that may become your dream house. You can build in some of the features, the ones that are important to you and your family, and let the others go. Monster House Plans has a lot of house plans to choose from—over 22,000 are available. One of those might be your dream home, but if none of them are quite right, they can be. All plans can be modified to your desires, tweaked to become your dream. They have an architect available who has a lot of experience and has heard it all. He can answer all your questions and make sure that the home you dream of is the one you plan.

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Today is the day! That special day you decided to build your house.  Maybe you are a young couple that endured bagged lunches and home brewed coffee for two years while you saved up a down payment.  Perhaps you are in the business of real estate and you build, decorate and sell houses.  Maybe this is the second or third house you have built.  No matter where you are in life, when it comes time to shop for home floor plans, it’s exciting.

Do not let that excitement cause you to overlook some very fundamental facts, however.  A home is a very permanent structure.  Although you can do renovations at a later date, it is much more cost effective and satisfying to get the elements you want the first time around.  Before you decide on which home floor plans are in your top ten list, do the following:

1.    Visit local show homes:  Visit different show homes and open houses that feature a variety of styles.  While you may have your heart set on the beautiful symmetry of Colonial home floor plans, you may fall in love with the chic elegance of French Country home floor plans.  You may discover ways to enrich your plans that you would not have thought of without seeing different options.  For example, an arch connecting the living and formal dining room rather than a door, or ganged windows instead of a single bay window.  Taking a good look around allows you see the actual elements you want to include in your plans as well as others you may wish to add.

2.    Be realistic about your needs:  Sure, it would be great to have a massive pool fed by a man-made waterfall all set in imported Aegean marble, but is that practical for your budget and lifestyle?  Will you use a large, formal dining room or does your entertaining taste run more to a comfortable great room with space for a home theater?  Will several children be living in the home?  If so, plan for storage space and perhaps a playroom.  Does one partner work from home?  Then don’t forget a home office.  Make sure your home floor plans include all the elements that will make your life easier, but do not exceed your budget.  Develop the spaces you will use the most and leave room to expand on the rest at a later date. A simple sod job in the back yard leaves room for a modest pool later on and an unfinished basement can be turned into a pub-style hang out when that bonus from work comes in.

3.    Budget, budget, budget.  You only live once.  So don’t live it under the crushing stress of a debt load you cannot afford.  If the bank approves you for a $300,000.00 mortgage, you do not need to spend every single penny of that on new place.  Budget for closing costs, lawyer fees, home decor – even the pizza and soda you will consume as you live out of boxes for the first few days of settling in.  Once moved in, make room in your household budget for regular maintenance items.  Budget ahead of time for large maintenance repairs that are years down the road, such as hot water heater replacement or re-shingling.  Budgeting for a new home starts when you look at home floor plans and continues long after you unpack the last box.

Shopping for home floor plans, designing your home, and watching the construction is a true joy.  Ensure that lasting happiness by taking the time to do some research, carefully planning for both form and function, and sticking to a realistic housing budget.

Monster House Plans has over 22,000 home floor plans in every style and theme you can imagine.  If you don’t see the one you imagine, you can customize any of our home floor plans to ensure it is perfect for you.  We know you are excited about building your home.  That is why we’ve made it easy for you to search our many plans with advanced search options and browse-by-style choices.  Helpful customer service agents are standing by in case you have questions.  So go ahead.  Take a look.  We know we have the home floor plans you have been looking for.

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What makes Craftsman house plans different from a log house plans, Victorian house plans, Colonial house plans, etc?  The answer is in the word “craftsmanship”.  Craftsman house plans have an exceptional level of craftsmanship in every single detail.

That is not to say other types of house plans do not pay attention to details.  Nothing could be further than the truth!  With Victorian house plans, for example, a great deal of work is put into small touches that hearken back to the rich and opulent Victorian era.  With ranch house plans, care and effort is put into creating that down-on-the-farm feeling.  But with Craftsman house plans, you can count on a strong, comfortable design in which every detail is lovingly handled by a master tradesman.  Heart, soul, sweat, and tears of joy go into every piece of wood, every nail, and every tiny little detail. Craftsman plans are a labour of pure love.

You can see the family orientated feeling of Craftsman house plans.  Although they can range in size from one bedroom dwellings to spacious mansions, they tend to share some common elements.  Wood shingle siding gives a cosy yet polished feel.  Wide window and door casings add an unexpected aesthetic visual. Large front porches with big tapered columns make the perfect gathering place for family and friends and the dominant low-pitched rooflines keep the family inside secure and protected.  All aspects point to a dwelling that every member of the family longs to come home to.

While the finishes and wood details may hint at the grander of yesteryear, Craftsman house plans are perfect for today’s modern family.  Most have a large, spacious kitchen in the heart of the home for parents and children to gather for a meal or to do homework together in style and comfort.  A cosy breakfast nook is the perfect place to snuggle your sweetheart over a cup of coffee or tea before the kids wake up.  The nook is also the perfect spot for a nice chat about your day after the kids have gone to bed.  (Not to mention this is a very handy place for a healthy family breakfast! So many uses!)  Many Craftsman house plans have built in cabinetry and bookshelves, giving you an easy way to keep treasures, books, antiques, and more organized while on display.

Original Craftsman homes were built using local materials, which made each one unique despite their common elements. If you are looking for a house plan that is unique, that has the charm of days gone by yet is fully function for today’s family on the go, you need Craftsman house plans.

Here at Monster House Plans we have hundreds of Craftsman house plans to choose from.  We also have experienced architects on staff to help you with any questions you may have, volume discounts for builders and accurate price-to-build estimates based on your building location and preferred building materials.  Our plans can be modified to suit your needs and style.

Craftsman house plans are among the most unique plans on the market.  You will not be disappointed with this choice.