New home construction and design have changed a lot over the years. This is easily seen when you walk through a 50-year-old home, which often has very low ceilings, dark hallways, small bedrooms, and rooms that are walled off from one another.
Contemporary floor plans are much more open and flowing, and give families options they never had before. Here are some of the floor plan changes which have revolutionized the custom home market over the years.
Floor Plans and Features People Love
- Wide Open Spaces: In so many ways, open floor plans have dominated the custom home market. Kitchens have been opened up to embrace living and dining spaces, great rooms allow for expansive gathering spaces, and soaring ceilings open up your home with light. In the Sarasota and Longboat Key area, walls of windows encompass the outdoor views and expand living areas out into your yard.
- Closet and Storage Space: The lack of basements and attic space in Florida homes has necessitated the need for more storage indoors, and modern floor plans are finding beautiful ways to accommodate the need. Walk-in closets are the most noticeable of these spaces, but other popular options include walk-in pantries, expanded storage in kitchen islands and under stairs, and specialized rooms such as wine closets.
- More Bathrooms: Recently, families have been building more bathrooms for their family members. In addition to master baths with dual sinks and showers, many homeowners adding additional bathrooms for the family, with a jack-and-jill bedroom setup or all master-suite style bedrooms.
- Loft Space: When a homeowner chooses to add cathedral ceilings, there is a lot of space created upstairs. Loft areas are being transformed into usable space, designing playrooms, art studios and quiet study spaces.
- Mother-in-Law Apartments: Traditionally, mother-in-law suites for guests or parents were an extension of your home’s normal floorplan, providing a bedroom suite down a back hallway. Contemporary floor plans often include a distinctly separate structure such as a cottage or apartment connected by a breezeway or walkway. These rooms allow for families to explore multi-generational living without having to share one space.
- Outdoor Living Areas: While not officially a part of the floor plan, Floridians know that our lanais and patios are extensions of our living space. Sarasota homeowners are interested in outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, seating areas, and gathering spaces – which allow for us to live outdoors year-round.
- Bonus Rooms: From glassed-in sunrooms to media rooms, specialized bonus rooms are being added for a host of purposes. So if you want to grow orchids in a sunny alcove, relax by the fire in a screened in patio, or work out in your fully equipped home gym, floorplans are making room for your passion.
New home builders like Lindahl Construction will have pre-designed floor plans for you to choose from; but they are also open to working with you on a custom floor plan that you have envisioned. They will also help you to adapt that plan to accommodate the lot you have chosen, any community requirements which may exist, or to fit within your budget. When you work with us, we will make your dream home a reality – by applying our expertise and local knowledge to your specifications.