How to Design a Perfect Home for a Young Family

Young families have different home requirements than those who are moving up or downsizing. Consider these seven essentials when planning your new home.
How To Design a Family Home That Works Now & Always

It’s only normal for young parents to wish to build the house for their family that will last for years to come. Planning a family goes hand in hand with planning the home in which you will share the happiest moments with your loved ones. Still, one needs to know the features of a young family home. Consider these seven essentials when planning your new home.

The right layout

The easiest course is to go with standard layouts, but you have to think beyond the pre-set architectural solutions. If you actually lived in the house, what features would be most important to you? For example, many young couples prefer open floor plans, so they can have a clear vision of their children both indoors and outdoors. Then there’s the question of how many bedrooms you’ll need. Keep in mind that as your family grows, a three-bedroom home can become crowded very quickly.

Ease of maintenance

Keeping a home clean with a family about is challenging, but manageable. Plan your future home in such a way that it minimizes clutter. Include plenty of spaces for storage and seasonal stuff, such as closets, pantries and basement rooms. Also, make sure you include a drop-zone or mudroom, where everyone can leave their items when coming in from outdoors. This way, dirt and debris will mostly be contained in one area that is easy to maintain.

Safety requirements

Make sure you mention to your builder that you want the home to be safe for your loved ones. First, inspect the neighbourhood you’ll be building in. Does it look safe for children? Are there sidewalks for their bikes and scooters? Is there a place to play with them on weekends? Choosing to build in a planned community is usually easier, as all of your safety concerns are already answered and included in the plan by developers and builders.

Extended living spaces

Once your family starts to get bigger, it’s great to have options. Young couples building their first home often decide to add rooms that improve their relaxation and entertainment. Working with contemporary residential builders, you can rest assured they will bring your vision of a perfect home to life, providing every detail of the project on time and budget. An outdoor dining area or kitchen is a popular addition, which is often used as a living room extension. Another popular addition is a game room or home theatre included in the basement.

Multi-generation potential

Have you considered that one day you might invite your parents to live in your custom-built family home? If this option is realistic, make sure you mention adding in-law quarters to your home. Even if you don’t need them right now, they will provide excellent accommodation for out-of-town guests who come to visit. On the other hand, if you decide to sell one day, custom-built in-law quarters might be a high selling point for many buyers.

Utility areas

Free time is invaluable in family life, so you should do everything to maximize it. This can be achieved by adding convenient utility features to your new home, for example, a laundry on the first floor. Even better, you can include a washer and dryer in the mudroom, so kids can dump their soiled jerseys, socks and hats right into the washer when they come inside. Earlier home designs often placed a laundry room in the basement, where parents had to haul the laundry downstairs and upstairs every time, wasting precious time they could’ve spent with their loved ones.

Added value

On the one hand, you don’t want your budget to get out of control. But on the other, you’d like to invest in spaces and features that add value to your home. These include examples like kitchens with a modern layout with two eating spaces or bathrooms with both a shower stand and a lavish bathtub. Try to think about the long-term savings and value. Although they might add some to your mortgage payments, having the space you need to grow down the road might justify them.

Key Takeaway

Young families have different home requirements than those who are moving up or downsizing. Keep in mind that a house is not just a place to stay, but the center of your family life, which can affect everything from your kids’ education to your social life.

Understand Your Remodeling Options

Learn how design-build can save you time, money and stress

Related Posts