House Plan Blog

The Eganville works for multi-generational families, along with those that include teenagers, or just want extra space to spread out. The room to the right of the foyer can accomodate an aging parent, or serve as an office or den. The shop, behind the garage, is another flexible space that could be used as an art studio, exercise room, or a man cave.

This Country-style house plan offers more than 3,000 sq. ft. of living space, plus a thousand more in the storage and shop, along with a two-car garage.

The front facade has welcoming appearance. Nostalgic wooden detailing accents the vaulted entry porch, and wooden shutters highlight the Craftsman-style windows.

A two-story ceiling gives the foyer an expansive feel. Pocket doors on the left lead to a large living room, where shelves trim a gas fireplace. A window seat with storage below fits into the window bay. Across from the window, an arched opening leads into the dining room, which links with the kitchen.

The kitchen is open to a family room and is expanded by a bayed nook. Amenities include: a gas fireplace, entertainment center, and built-in desk. Double doors on the right open into a vaulted play or game room.

Light flows into the kitchen and nook through skylights. A curved-front conversation bar rims a large work island, and the walk-in pantry is large. Laundry appliances are close by in an utility room connected to the garage. 

Three vaulted bedrooms, storage rooms and two bathrooms are on the second level. The luxurious master suite fills the left side. Both of its large walk-in closets are illuminated with solar tubes.

The Rock Creek is a town home that looks small from the front, and extends  behind its charming front. A stucco exterior and gracefully curved entry arch give this contemporary home a decidedly Mediterranean look. 

A welcoming front porch spans across the front, next to the entry arch. Double doors off the porch open into a home office or study. Natural light flows into the foyer through a sidelight, panes at the top of the door, and a wide window on the right. 

Just past a flight of stairs, the entry opens out into a large space that consists of the dining room, living room and kitchen. A large work island rimmed by an eating bar helps separate the L-shaped kitchen on the left side of this open area. The gas fireplace can be enjoyed from anywhere in the room.

From the dining area or kitchen, you can walk out onto a small, partially covered patio. An abundance of light spills into the utility room through one of the inner windows that outline the patio. 

Features in the owners' suite include a walk-in closet, a double vanity, and an enclosed toilet and shower area.

Two more bedrooms, a three-section bathroom, and a loft are upstairs. 

Classic keystones accent the custom brickwork on the front exterior of the Cumberland, a three-bedroom, three-bathroom Country-style design with a large gathering space at the center. Arched Craftsman windows, along with a wide, wrap-around front porch, adds to the welcoming appearance.

Natural light flows into the 16-foot-high entry through a sidelight and overhead dormer. A wide window bay expands the parlor, to the left. 

The entry's right opening leads to a short hallway with a display niche at one end and the owners suite at the other. The owner suite's ceiling is vaulted and features include a spa tub, large walk-in closet, dual vanity, and an enclosable shower and toilet.

Day-to-day living centers around the bright and spacious vaulted family room. Windows fill the rear wall, and a gas fireplace, shelving and a home entertainment center line another. The wide bay window that expands the dining area has sliding doors that allow access to the covered patio.

A raised eating bar rims the kitchen's long, angled work island. A roomy pantry adds to the kitchen's abundant storage space, and appliances are built in.

The powder room and utility room are closeby, as well as the stairs leading up to a bonus room. The utility has access through to the garage which features space at the rear for a shop and storage. Two more bedrooms and a full bathroom fill the left wing.

It’s hard to imagine building anything on a hill, let alone a house. But sometimes, a sloped lot can also be perfectly positioned for a custom home that touches on all your dreams and desires.

“The first reaction to some homebuyers is that a sloped lot is going to be a pain,” said Rick McAlexander, CEO of Associated Designs. “But they really are anything but that. They allow for creativity and design aesthetics that may not be considered in a traditional home design. Plus, in all honesty, I just love them because they make home designers think a little outside the box, as it were.”

Homes come in all shapes and sizes, layouts and possibilities, on sloped lots. It’s important to embrace large modifications to an existing home plan so that your dreams aren’t hindered by the slope of the land. But more importantly, a custom home design can bring you all the joys of easy living with a unique design that doesn’t affect your surroundings or your view.

Sloped lots have diverse design opportunities. Here we present three custom home designs that showcase elements and features that just might work for you -- in the city, to the country, or the garage in the back.

Ridgeview 30-496
 

Unconfined Views

A 2,559-square-foot home on a narrow sloped lot, the Ridgeview (30-496) doesn’t limit you on space or views. The three levels all provide plenty of flexibility and unique features to make the sloped (or ridged) lot seem less a hinderance and more of a bonus.

The Craftsman-style home includes balconies and patios at strategic places around the house to embrace the views of the hillside. The varied textures lend itself to a far more rustic feel, but the interior is a whole other ball game.

“This home is all about leveling up,” said McAlexander. “It captures the views of the city in key living areas as well as the owner’s suite on the second level. So each level isn’t confined or limited.”

The garage/basement is on the lower level with an expansive hobby room that can be transformed into a flex space. The main living areas make up the stairs on the first floor where city views can be enjoyed from the den as well as the living room. Forest views are the focus of the gathering room on the other side of the house. Four bedrooms make up the second floor, including a vaulted owners’ suite.

Each floor, in other words, puts the sloped lot into a new perspective, allowing for both space and flexibility. It is a custom home design that does exactly what the name says: gives you great views on a ridged lot.

Barrett 30-773
 

A Downhill Palace

What if the downhill sloped lot you choose is not in the city, but in the country? The roominess of the lot is one thing, but a custom home design to make use of the sloping landscape may seem like a trick.

Enter the Barret (30-773), a grand ranch home with a hexagonal design that means practically every room has a view.

The great room, for example, is richly glassed to bring in lots of natural light plus a 180-degree view of the surrounding countryside. And if that’s not enough, every room has a similar glassed-in feel -- even the lower level -- so that the home embraces the sloped feature of the lot rather than hides it altogether.

“In this design, the hill becomes a feature of the home,” said McAlexander. “The first floor, which in some respects is also the second floor, gives you these great expansive views. But going downstairs to the walk-out basement… well, it’s just more of the same benefits. Natural light, amazing views, and a spacious combination of comfort and entertaining.”

Does this mean there is no privacy at the Barret? Far from it. The palatial ranch-style home gives the owners’ suite it’s own side of the house, away from the larger gathering areas. Kids rooms and a guest suite are also separated, with a bunk area and extra bedroom in the walk-out basement.

The home takes complete advantage of the hillside and makes it probably the crowning feature of the entire design.

Garage 20-008

Studio Garage

But let’s say the house is on the level, but the detached garage is not. What’s a homeowner to do?

“To put it simply, there’s nothing to fear in such a scenario,” said McAlexander. “A custom home design for sloped lots also works for garages. You can make the garage itself have a little character to match the hillside.”

Case in point, this Studio Garage (20-008) from Associated Designs. Instead of fighting the hilly nature of the lot, this garage is designed to be partially surrounded by the ground. Much like in the Barret, the hill becomes a part of the design itself.

The garage is in the lower portion of the design, nestled into the hill, while the studio apartment takes the featured spot above with a covered front entryway. In a sense, you could say the garage is at ground level, but so is the second floor apartment.

The apartment features a vaulted ceiling in the main room with an L-shaped kitchen and handy breakfast bar or island. An outside staircase leads down to the garage below, meaning that the studio truly is its own place.

What do these three custom home designs have in common? They let the landscape be what it is and create a design that works with it rather than against it. So if you’re wondering how to build a house on a hillside, take some of these ideas into account. In the end, you may have a home design that is original, eye-catching, and close to perfect.

As seen on Newswire

The Lindley is a ranch-style cottage with a slender profile allows it to fit neatly on a narrow building lot. 

Raised trim ornaments the clean-lined wooden posts that support and highlight the front porch. Board and batt siding fills the ends of the low-sloped gables, and decorative corbels underscore the gable-end projections.

Entering the home the three interconnected family gathering spaces spread out before you, creating a sense of spaciousness. A coat closet is to the right while the opposite door opens to the garage.

The living room flows into a dining area that is open to the kitchen. Each of these areas has a side window, with the sliding glass doors which access the covered patio in the dining room is the largest. Twin sets of slender wooden posts support the patio roof.

A long eating bar rims one edge of the peninsular kitchen counter. Kitchen counter space wraps around four sides, providing expansive work surfaces.  A pantry adds to the storage space, and a door at the rear opens onto a stoop. 

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a utility alcove fill the left side. The owners' suite has a large walk-in closet and private bathroom with oversized shower.

When someone says, “ranch,” the first thing you think of is a large farm with a bunch of cattle and horses. But when you hear the phrase “ranch living,” you probably think of open spaces, comfortable rooms, and just the right amount of privacy.

Ranch-style home designs are convenient, economical to build and maintain, and particularly friendly to both young families and empty-nesters. But over the years, these classic designs have evolved and blended with other styles. From modestly-sized simple living to big layouts with a lot of space and flexibility, ranch-style homes are a popular plan at Associated Designs, Inc.

“It’s one of our top-selling plans because the options and the layouts are limitless,” said Rick McAlexander, CEO of Associated Designs. “They are designed to be about comfort, with a living wing and a sleeping wing, plenty of space, flexible rooms, and simple elegance.”

Ranch-style homes also can be influenced by other styles such as colonial and contemporary. In other words, these homes can be as unique as they are spacious. Associated Designs has a variety of ranch-style homes, but here we list the best of the best. What do these three top ranch-style home designs have in common? They are all variations on a classic.

The Ottawa: Embracing Natural Light

For this ranch-style home, abundant natural light is the theme. Windows and atrium doors fill most of the ground level front wall, bringing ample sunlight to the vaulted great room of the Ottawa (30-601).

“The high ceilings, large windows, and open floor plan certainly catch the eye,” said McAlexander. “It’s hard not to be in awe of this home’s brilliance. The poorly lit, low-ceilinged ranch homes of the past are a distant memory with the Ottawa.”

The simple rectangular layout means everything flows easily, one room to the next. The lofty and majestic great room connects to the vaulted kitchen, but not before you see the covered back patio accessible via a windowed door. A large fireplace nestles into one corner of the great room, but again.

Around the corner from the kitchen is a large walk-in pantry, small powder room, and good-sized utility room. There’s also direct access to the two-car garage. To the left of the great room are three bedrooms including a spacious owners’ suite with private bathroom and walk-in closet. This is typical of ranch-style living: separating the living are from the sleeping area for true comfort.

With all that light, this ranch-style home is perfect for both young families who need space or the retired couple who wants to relax or entertain, all while enjoying the sunlight.

The Manor Heart: Blending Traditional and Contemporary

This 2,283-square-foot home has a traditional exterior with keystone-accented stone lintels that inspired the name for this ranch-style home. Manor Heart’s (10-590) stone veneer makes it a dramatic eye-catcher. The front facade includes a porch with wrought-iron railing and stone caps on the column supports.

But let’s stop there before you start thinking this ranch-style home design is overly traditional. The exterior is a blend of both classic ranch and contemporary craftsman. And the interior is anything but traditional ranch-style living. Large gathering spaces fill its core, and private rooms are off to the right and left. The little touches inside make the Manor Heart a winner.

“The Manor Heart has this amazing bright and spacious gathering space,” said McAlexander. “Everything is in its place, and yet everything is not what it seems.”

For example, to the right of the front door is a spacious den. Its ideal as a small entertaining area, or as a home office where you can easily meet with clients and not disturb family privacy.

The rest of the home is all about space and easy living. A large U-shaped kitchen is chock full of cupboards and countertops that circle a center island. A walk-in pantry just means easier storage. The dining room opens up into a covered patio so you can entertain in the great room, dining room, kitchen and backyard, all without having to walk through a maze of walls. A bonus room above the garage is a flex space for whatever suits your fancy: playroom, craft room, storage room… the options are endless.

The Manor Heart breaks with the traditional ranch-style home once again by separating the owners’ suite to one side of the house and putting the other two bedrooms on the other side of the house, making this home ideal for anyone who likes traditional style and contemporary living blended with plenty of beauty and comfort.

The Barnhart: Simply Elegant Ranch-Style Living

The Barnhart (30-946), by far the largest of our three top ranch-style home designs at 3,815 square feet, is meant for the family that loves to entertain. It’s clean lines and uncomplicated exterior are just the icing on the cake to this well-designed home.

Instantly welcoming, the Barnhart opens up into a vaulted gathering space filled with natural light that flow effortlessly with the outdoors using a grand vaulted patio and outdoor fireplace. In fact, covered walkways and patios wrap around three sides of the home, adding even more space for outdoor living.

Like the two previous ranch-style homes, the Barnhart keeps sleeping spaces separate from the great room. The expansive owners’ suite, for example, is tucked away on one side of the house. It features two large walk-in closets with built-in dressers and a bathroom that boasts a heated tile floor, deep soaking tub, and walk-in shower. Upstairs is a bunk room, bedroom suite, and a TV loft area.

The hallway to the owners’ suite is lined with storage cabinets and runs past a small bathroom and extra large utility room before connecting with the garage. The garage also breaks a bit with the typical ranch-style home by being both large and roomy as well as additional living space. How, you ask? Walk up a flight of stairs and a vaulted bonus room or storage area is available, complete with an upper terrace for soaking in the sunshine.

“Ranch-style living is for anybody because these home designs can be as unique and various as you want them to be,” said McAlexander. “It’s our top-selling plan for a reason."

As seen on Newswire

The Wasco greets you with welcoming stone pillars and a cozy covered porch. Opening the front door of this Ranch-style home into a 10-foot ceiling foyer makes for a grand entrance. Once inside the double doors to the right lead to the den. The great room has wide windows to the backyard and a fireplace that can be enjoyed even from the kitchen/dining area. The kitchen has a large island and a walk-in pantry. The bedrooms are separate from the owners' suite and have their own full bath with dual sinks. The owners' suite is private and luxurious and features a soaking tub, shower, a private toilet, and a large walk-in closet. The oversized utility room is near the bedrooms and includes a craft or sewing table. The side facing garage would make a perfect fit on a corner lot.