House Plan Blog

Three generations of home buyers with very different lifestyles, preferences and values are driving four distinctive trends in today’s new home design. Baby boomers, Generation Xers and millennials each have very specific objectives for how their living space should function based on what period they’re at in their lives.

Right-sized floor plans appeal to all three generations for simple, easy living.

Baby boomers, Gen Xers and millennials do agree on one major design trend: smaller homes with less maintenance. They desire an open floor...

In the words of celebrity chef and TV personality Rachael Ray, “Good food and a warm kitchen is what makes a house a home.” Today’s kitchens serve so many purposes in the daily life of a family from a cozy place to gather over a home-cooked meal to a makeshift craft room for kids’ art projects to an office for paying bills and doing homework. While American kitchen designs have evolved over the decades, one thing has remained constant: Kitchens have endured as the social hub in every home.

“Kitchens are the hub of all things social in homes today. As a result, we continue to see the trend towards larger...

As two of the most used spaces in any home, today’s kitchens and bath designs are loaded with innovative features, smart technology and a lot of attention to detail. Designers whose home plans are featured by The House Plan Company, a residential plan marketing company based in Oregon, note the following trends this year in kitchen and bath designs:

• Larger kitchen islands for casual dining and entertaining in place of breakfast nooks.
• Upper kitchen cabinets being replaced by more windows and open shelving.
• Built-in coffee bars in kitchens, in butler’s pantries and even in master suites.
• Smart technology in kitchen gadgets and appliances from lighting to faucets....

The term “farmhouse” evokes a sense of nostalgia—of simpler times when families gathered around the hearth to relax after a long, hard day working the land. Often considered the backbone of American residential architecture, the farmhouse represents a timeless setting for a comfortable, peaceful way of life. Grounded in simplicity, purity and practicality, farmhouse design features have evolved over time but still adhere to the principle of form following function. Today’s modern farmhouse designs are more popular than ever, characterized by sleek exterior lines, pitched roofs of varying heights, welcoming porches and open floor plans with abundant natural light.

“The farmhouse is iconic and has remained popular throughout the country—in urban...