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Tips on choosing a home design

Worried about choosing a size & style? Read on!


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Nationwide, this is the most popular style. Characteristics include a large front porch or a wraparound porch, and a steeply pitched, gabled roofline that runs lengthwise.

The farmhouse style is often lumped in with country-style designs. This house is typically a rectangular or L-shaped home, often two-story, and is derived from homes built in agricultural communities around the turn of the 20th century.

See the plan pictured above.

See more Country house plans.

This term describes many classic designs with regional characteristics. Georgian, Federal, Cape Cod, saltbox and ranch designs are all regional (and historical) styles.

Simplicity is a common characteristic of traditional designs. They display little ornamentation, simple rooflines and small-paned windows that are usually spaced symmetrically (ranch styles may be an exception).

See the plan pictured above.

See more Traditional house plans.

This traditional-style home has strong historical origins; rooflines are intricate and include turrets, dormers, towers, bays and eyebrow windows; ornamentation and decoration are inherent in the Victorian, and very ornate porches are a prevalent feature.

Shapes are complex and materials are usually shingles or narrow-lap wood siding. This style is more appropriate for two-story homes, although one-story designs with Victorian features are becoming more popular.

See the plan pictured above.

See more Victorian house plans.

This style is strong in the Sunbelt states, particularly in California, Florida and the Southwest.

The exterior is traditionally stucco and includes tile roofs, broad overhangs, lower-pitched rooflines and open-air verandas, courtyards and covered porches. You will find both one- and two-story Mediterranean designs.

See the plan pictured above.

See more Mediterranean house plans.

This broad category embodies many styles and shapes of homes. The common denominators are an absence of ornamentation and decoration, and in general, little or no reference to older styles (although the shingle post-modern styles are derivatives of historical designs).

Contemporary homes display bold geometric shapes, large expanses of glass, and windows that are not framed by shutters or other decorative trim. Rooflines can range from flat to dramatically steep.

See the plan pictured above.

By Jerold Axelrod

As an architect who designs custom homes, I try to help my clients identify their needs so that the design we eventually create will be exactly (or very close to) what they want.

Getting Started: Evaluate your lifestyle

We help clients to develop a program that creates a framework within which to work.

When you develop your own program, write down your needs. Try to be as open and truthful with yourself as possible.

Ask yourself what you expect from your new home. Hopefully, you will recognize that these needs are personal requirements.

Considerations in this area include space requirements -- the amount of space and the type of space you need -- taking into account anticipated changes in your family's size and needs.

Will you need to accommodate aging parents or a growing family?
Will you need a home office to fit your future job plans?
Do you plan to live in your new home after retirement?
Is there a possibility that a child will return home after college?
Do you have the space to accommodate an elderly, ill or disabled person?

As for today's needs, does your lifestyle demand more space for entertaining?

Do you need separate entertainment areas for adults and kids, or are distinct divisions no longer necessary?
How do you feel about a Great Room that opens the entertainment area to the cooking and dining regions?
Do you prefer a country kitchen, where cooking, casual meals and informal entertaining are combined in one space?

In establishing goals for your new home, you also need to evaluate the importance that you place on impressing others.

Perhaps you entertain regularly for business or need a house that is a statement of your hard-earned status in life. These considerations could influence your personal requirements and lead to different choices.

If you are less concerned with the perceptions of others than you are with personal gratification, then let your instincts be the guide. You may need to search deeply to strike a balance between personal needs and making a statement.

Budgets

One of the subjects that your program must address is budget.

A few words of caution, here: leave ample dollars for landscaping and furnishings; an under-furnished, unlandscaped new home can be a real disappointment.

Also allow for cost overages; I always recommend adding a minimum of 10 percent to the total cost in order to cover the unforeseen changes, additions and upgrades that inevitably occur.

Size Choices

The program that you develop will be somewhat of a wish list and reality may force deletions or modifications. This realization will probably occur when you try to zero in on an affordable square footage for your new home.

The size of the home you build is the most important factor in determining the cost. You can determine the average cost per square foot for new homes in your area by calling the local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders. Multiply the square footage of the home that you wish to build by the average cost per square foot to determine a general cost.

If you find yourself staring at a grand total that is far beyond your budget, you'll have to scale down the design or choose a new one.

If it's close to your budget, you can probably adjust some of the options, extras and finish materials to make sure you stay within budget.

Developing a budget and calculating costs will take a bit of time and research, but it is a step that you cannot ignore.

Style Choices

You also need to decide the exterior style of your new home. Many people know what they want, but if you are unsure, don't worry. It is simply what appeals to you.

Exterior designs are very regional and this should be kept in mind; most people prefer for their home to harmonize with the community, so choose appropriate designs for your region. If you choose to be unique, it could affect your resale value.

If you are unsure of your preferences, there are certain characteristics of each style that may help you to decide.

The sidebar at right offers a review of common styles in today's marketplace.

Jerold Axelrod is a practicing architect and president of Jerold Axelrod and Associates. He is one of Long Island's most active architects and provides services to the majority of Long Island's largest residential developers.

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