Have you decided to design your forever home, but have no idea where to start? The reality is, when most people decide to start designing their forever home, they forget to plan for the future, and just focus on their needs at the current moment. This may leave you with some serious regrets in years to come when you realize you should have planned ahead. In this article, we give you some of our top tips on what to keep in mind as you enter into the design process, so you can design a home that will suit you now and in the future.
As mentioned, it’s not uncommon to just consider your immediate needs without considering the future. If you really intend on this being your forever home, then you might also want to consider the future use of rooms, especially if you have children.
Stattonrock Design + Build tells us more on why it’s important to consider both current and future needs:
“When designing your forever home, make sure that you plan alternative uses for rooms and spaces that might not be used later in life. If you have kids at home now, be sure to consider how you might be able to use their bedroom space once they move out. A home office might be needed now, but it will likely be converted to something else once you retire. Some ideas to think about could include having a built-in capacity for some of the rooms to become an in-law suite, entertainment areas, or hobby rooms.”
While it’s important to stick within your budget no matter how long you intend on staying in your new custom home, you may want to take into consideration just how long you intend to be living there when deciding how far you want to stretch it.
Sunwood Home Builders & Remodelers explains why it’s important to budget accordingly:
“If you’re only going to be in your home for a few years, it doesn’t make sense to break the bank on design or upgrades. If you’re going to be in your home for 30 or 40 years, however, you’re better off spending a little more to get exactly what you want. Make sure you know where you stand and that you will get your money’s worth out of any upgrades you choose to make.”
Last but not least, choosing practical fixtures and fittings will most likely suit you both now and in the future. While you may not consider that something like choosing the right door handles could impact you in the future, you might want to start planning ahead for how fixtures and fittings will suit you when you’re old and grey.
Inspired Homes tells us why choosing easy to use fixtures and fittings is an important consideration for both now and the future:
“Choosing the right fixtures and fittings at the start will save you having to spend more replacing them later on. For example, lever-type door handles are much easier for children to use, when you’re handling heavy grocery bags and also when you’re older and your strength isn’t quite what it use to be. Similarly, paddle-style taps are much more practical than round twist styles. Little touches like this will have a big impact upon the livability of your house over the course of your lifetime.”
Are you ready to start designing your forever home? Contact us today so we can get started on your dream home!
