House Trend: More Playful Homes

The playful Hip Cottage with Basement.

According to a RealtorMag.com article by Barbara Ballinger, more playful homes are what people want.  Why?  "Americans work harder now than ever, with many delaying retirement or starting second careers, so they want their homes to be a refuge and a place to unwind."

Adding that playful aspect to a house is something we know how to do.

Basement bonus room with kitchenette.

We design small homes for those looking to downsize, yet retain that playful space to relax. After deciding on a footprint for the necessary rooms, like the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and baths, we look for ways to increase the enjoyment of your home life.  Adding a basement bonus room to a small house provides a place to unwind after the pressures of the day.  A theater room, billiards table, ping pong table or just a cushy couch and tv provide a place to loosen up and relax.  By adding a kitchenette to the room you've increased the opportunities.   
Example:  The Hip Cottage with Basement Foundation.

Porches Cottage with Roof Deck

We design homes that take advantage of the space under your house as well as above it.  If you're able to, building a basement under your house provides a place for a recreation or bonus room, as mentioned above.  Another way to add playfulness to your home is to build a roof deck above it.  A roof deck provides a place to watch the sunset or entertain guests at a dinner party with a spectacular view.  It's a spot to grill, a location to soak up the sun, or a place just sit and unwind.
Example:  The Lookout Cottage with Basement Foundation and the Porches Cottage with Roof Deck.

Backyard putting green by Carolina Custom Putting Greens.

Some of the ways you can get a more playful home is dependent on the lot you buy.  Look for one where you can have fun things like a backyard pool, your own putting green, a fire pit, install that pizza oven you've always wanted, or landscape the beautiful gardens you've seen in magazines.


If you're interested in designing or remodeling your home to add more playfulness to it, let us help you create a design at www.mcleodarchitect.com.  Or view our architect designed house plans, including the cottages mentioned above, at www.southerncottages.com.

Sunrooms

According to Houzz, one of the top 25 home trends for 2016 is having a sunroom.  A sunroom gives you a place to sit and relax while being bathed in sunshine.  It's a special retreat in your own home.  It's a get-a-way from the norms of life.  It's a happy place when it's too hot or too cold to go outside.

If you are planning on building a home this year and want a sunroom, consider the following:

Side of the Grand Island Cottage.

The Grand Island Cottage will give you a generous place to enjoy the sun. At 12'-4" wide by 37'-5" long, the sunroom gives you a great place for relaxing or a casual place to entertain.  It features windows which are interrupted only by the fireplace.  It also includes doors which connect it to the front and rear porches of the house.

Rear of the Porches Cottage with Roof Deck.

Another option to consider is the Porches Cottage with Roof Deck.  Called a Flexroom in our on-line plan, the room features three large, double windows to bathe the room in light.  This sunroom includes space for a mini-kitchen, bar, or built-ins and measures 12'-10" wide by 27'-8" long. It is located on the rear of the home, which is especially great if that's the direction of your view.

Front left side of the Country Cottage

For those who desire a something a little different, the 3,565 sf Country Cottage features an L-shaped sunroom with windows into the living spaces.  The light-filled sunroom will bring sunshine even further into your home!  In addition to this, the wall-to-wall windows provide a view on two sides of the house.

Rear of the Hip Cottage with Attached Garage.

If you are looking for a smaller home, the Hip Cottage with Attached Garage has an 11'-0" by 11'-0" sunroom in the rear.  This sunroom is lined with windows on two sides, as well, and also includes windows through to the living room.  It is a cozy place to sit, relax and take time for yourself.


For more information about any of the homes mentioned here, including additional pictures, please visit our website.  If you didn't see anything that appealed to you in this post, most of our home plans include screened porches which can easily be changed into a sunroom.

Home Trend for 2015: Small Houses

According to articles on the internet, like this one from The Fiscal Times or this one from Slate, the small home is making a come-back.  Whether you're an empty-nester looking to downsize or a young couple looking for your first home, people are looking for smaller homes and smaller mortgages.

 

At 1,260 square feet, our Hip Cottage fits the bill for being small.  Yet, it still has everything you need!  Inside of this house you get two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open concept living & dining room, good sized kitchen, laundry room, front porch, rear screened porch, plus storage.

If 1,260 sf is too small for you, the Hip Cottage comes in a few different sizes: 

• 1,423 sf which includes a wrap around porch; 
• 1,545 sf with an attached garage; 
• and 2,497 sf with a basement.

What's great about our house plans is that all of the Southern Cottages House Plans are designed by an architect to give you style with a comprehensive design at a price you can afford! 

Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitectpa.com.

View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

Hip Cottage

The Hip Cottage is an efficient yet spacious small cottage with many special features such as a vaulted living/dining room, large closets, and wide overhangs. It is great for a vacation getaway or if you simply want a nice, two bedroom residence with character.

The Hip Cottage plan is compact, yet has all the features that make for comfortable living including a separate laundry room and kitchen opening into the living spaces. Front and rear porches extend the living space to the exterior. A special feature of this design is the clerestory light well above the kitchen and living areas. Light from the clerestory bathes the vaulted ceilings and rooms below to create a cheery mood. Large overhangs protect the interior from direct sunlight.

1260 sf Hip Cottage

The smallest Southern Cottages house plan.

1423 sf Hip Cottage with Wrap Around Porch

Wrap around porches extend the living space to the exterior.

1545 sf Hip Cottage with Attached Garage

In comparison to the standard Hip Cottage plan, this version with an attached garage also has a sun room in place of the screened porch. A spacious wet room that provides easy shower access is also included with glass block windows that glow of natural light.

2497 sf Hip Cottage with Basement

The Hip Cottage Basement Option extends living space into a basement with access to an outdoor patio which blends this house into a sloping lot.

Rear view of the 2497 sf Hip Cottage with Basement

Sloping Sites

Our unique house plans include this selection of home designs for construction on a sloping lot. Our hillside house plans provide an excellent opportunity to use the basement as a garage or to provide a walk-out patio from the basement level. The house plans below are specifically designed as hillside house plans for sloping lots.

Island Cottage Basement Foundation

Available in 2,058 sf or 2,470 sf sizes, plus basement square footage

The Island Cottage House Plan is a playful, coastal cottage getaway with a wrap around porch, roof decks and a roof-top observation loft. The basement version is designed for a sloping lot.

Mountain Cottage

The Mountain Cottage is a variation of the Island Cottage and illustrates one of the many customizations of this versatile plan. In this example, the Mountain Cottage is built into the side of a hill which slopes down to a large lake providing wonderful views.

Country Cottage

The Country Cottage has all the amenities of a larger house designed in a compact space. The basement version provides a rear drive-in garage in the basement which works well with a hillside sloping lot.

Hip Cottage

The Hip Cottage Basement Option extends living space into a basement with access to an outdoor patio which blends this house into a sloping lot.  It is compact, yet has all the features that make for comfortable living including a separate laundry room, large closets and kitchen opening into the living spaces. 

Plantation Cottage

The Plantation Cottage draws upon the southern, coastal, low country vernacular and features large, wrap-around porches and a full basement. Designed for a sloping lot, it provides for a side drive-in garage in the basement of the house.

Garage Plans

Looking for a little extra storage space or simply somewhere you can park your vehicles? At Southern Cottages House Plans we offer several different styles of garage plans. Click on any of the pictures below for more information.

The Porches Garage was designed to compliment the Porches Cottage. This plan provides for a studio apartment above a double bay garage.

The Hip Garage was designed to coordinate with the Hip Cottage. Used together on a site, they create a compound of complementary forms and shapes. This plan is for a (2) bay garage.

The Shingle Garage was designed to coordinate with the Shingle Cottage. It also goes well with the Island Cottage. See this example of the shingle garage connected with a breezeway to the Island Cottage. This plan provides for a studio apartment above a (3) bay garage with separate ground entrance.

New Renderings - Check them out!

Keenen Altic, our graphics technician, has been very busy updating some of the renderings on our Southern Cottages House Plans website. Here are some of his most recent completed houses.

The Grand Gazebo Cottage is a contemporary adaptation of a grand southern mansion. The wrap-around porch is ideal for hot southern climates. The gazebo elements provide opportunity for entertaining and capturing that special view or sunset. The observation loft is the crowning glory of this exuberant structure enabling a spectacular view.

The Shingle Cottage balcony plan has many special features including skylights over the stair, baths and dressing area, an open central stair well, a laundry chute/hamper, vaulted ceilings in upstairs bedrooms, large walk-in closets at all bedrooms, interior columns at living room, built-in storage cabinets and TV/sound system cabinets in the family room, large "table" island in the kitchen, many full height windows with transom windows above and palladian windows at upstairs bedrooms with easy balcony access.

The Hip Cottage plan is compact, yet has all the features that make for comfortable living including a separate laundry room, large closets and kitchen opening into the living spaces. Front and rear porches extend the living space to the exterior. A special feature of this design is the clerestory light well above the kitchen and living areas. Light from the clerestory bathes the vaulted ceilings and rooms below to create a cheery mood. Large overhangs protect the interior from direct sunlight.

The Hip Cottage with wrap around porch plan is similar to the hip cottage above. This plan also includes a separate laundry room, large closets and kitchen opening into the living spaces. A major difference in this plan is the wrap around porches that also extend the living space to the exterior. This plan also features the clerestory light well above the kitchen and living areas. And don't forget the large overhangs that help protect the interior from direct sunlight.

Keenen did a great job on the renderings. Which one is your favorite?