Construction of a new home...what would you include?
By thorgrym
@thorgrym (675)
United States
July 27, 2010 7:36am CST
I have always wanted to build my dream home. I definitely have some ideas about things to include and what to avoid. I really want to be off-grid, so I would like to include solar panels and/or wind turbines to generate power. Also, I want to have an indoor atrium with live plants and animals (birds, reptiles, etc.). Some of the basics would include three bedrooms and at either 1.5 or 2 bathrooms. I want a great kitchen. One thing that I have always been lacking is a decent kitchen. They have always been too small. I want one that is wisely laid out and large enough to allow more than two people to easily prepare a meal. I don't need anything incredible, I just don't want to be squeezed in to a too small kitchen. Fireplace...must...have...fireplace!
So, enough with my thoughts. What would you include in your dream home?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@jenzelvargas (15)
•
27 Jul 10
I'm thinking of a safe room. You never know when something bad might happen to you and your family in your home. A place where your wife and kids may hide if there was a burglar inside and no one to protect them. Thought of this idea from being a pessimist(haha didn't think negative thinking might help sometimes). But I'm still young and have a long way to go before I build my own dream home. :)
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160883)
• United States
27 Jul 10
A storm shelter of some kind accessible from inside. Tornadoes can be rough and so can hurricanes. I think a big pantry for lots of spare supplies.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jul 10
Good idea. I like the idea of a 'storm cellar' a lot. It could definitely double as a safe room.
GG, the pantry is a must for us. We currently use a closet in our basement as our pantry. It isn't too inconvenient, but it isn't great either. I plan to include a nice sized pantry equipped with a chest freezer much closer to the kitchen.
Thanks for the thoughts!
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
8 Aug 10
Yeah, a panic room would be great. No to the storm shelter or cellar in Southern Cal. Pantry I like.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
8 Aug 10
Don't forget the pool, though I wouldn't mind building the home on or near the edge of a lake. I would have a small theater in my dream house and a rec room with a bowling alley and a small pretend bar. The pool would go underneath the house through the rec room, of course. There would be a fireplace in the kitchen large enough to cook in, or would that be, to cook on. My house would also have a library. And we will need stables for all those horses. I think I'm done. I'll let you know though. 
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
20 Aug 10
I would want each bedroom to be a master suite. And don't forget a loft in the barn/stables. The lake, of course, would have a boat house. 
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
15 Aug 10
I missed your response. I don't seem to be getting myLot mail anymore. Sorry for the delay in commenting...
I would prefer a lake/pond to a pool. I just don't want to have to deal with the maintenance of a pool.
I would definitely have a special, home theater room - surround sound, sound-barrier walls to reduce disturbing others trying to sleep, etc.
For the fireplace, I want one of those central ones that can be accessed by several rooms.
Stables, yes. But for us it will be for alpaca, goats, maybe sheep, in addition to a horse or 5.
We already sport a fairly sizable library considering the space we are in, so I don't need to dream on that one. Though I would have more of a sitting area in a more library-dedicated room than we currently have.
@GardenGerty (160883)
• United States
27 Jul 10
Since I want to live out my life in my dream home, I would design it to be handicap friendly. Not obviously so, just wider doorways and lots of open space. Perhaps one entrance can have a concrete ramp that curls around artistically to the ground (I have seen one of these0. I love the idea of the atrium, but also, to help with energy, depending on where the home is, trees to shade at the right time of day and deep overhangs on porches on the east and west. I believe the optimum is 55 degrees angle. Windows that can be opened and closed. See if you can set up a solar hot water system to help with the water heating expenses as well. Geothermal heat pumps would be nice for when you have to heat and cool.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jul 10
I love the ramp idea. I am planning a single level, but there is no reason that it can't have a sunken living room or some such place.
Wider doorways just make sense, anyway. One thing that I absolutely hate about our current home is the tight quarters. The doors are standard, but the halls seem to be really small. It is really hard to move things from room to room (not that we do this often, but still...).
Good stuff!
