Having a house built (update- one year later!)

[erincon23]

We've built three houses, with varying degrees of customization available. Things I've learned:

- not only extra outlets, but put cable, phone and ceiling lights/fans in every bedroom.

- In your living areas, consider ahead of time where you'll place your furniture. Outlets and lighting can be rearranged. In the dining room, don't let them place your light fixture in the middle of the room - measure out where your buffet or china cabinet will go, and therefore where the table will be placed, and figure out where teh chandelier should hang. We did that on house #2, and it was wonderful. House #3 builder wouldn't move it. We were able to get floor outlets in House 2 as well, since it was an open room. Didn't want lamp cords etc. running across walking areas in the room, so we planned out the furniture placement and they added two outlets in the floor. VERY nice!

- French vs. slider -- in House #2, we had a French slider! looked like a french door, but was much heavier than a normal slider and it was beautiful. It never stuck, it sat right, and it didn't take up the extra room that a regular French door would. (House #2 was our most custom home).

- As other posters have said, visit the house frequently as it goes up, and don't hesitate to bring up any questions you have with the builder. On House #3, the picture of the model (there was no actual model) showed a 2-car garage door. The builder started to charge us for the one large garage door, saying the single doors were standard -- we got them to reverse that fast since there was never any indication of that, and plenty of indications to the contrary. They put up the wrong color decorative vent cover above the garage, got that changed right away.

If you're not a big model-home visitor, I'd start looking at all kinds of new home developments. You'll quickly see what you like, what doesn't work, what you want in your home. DH and I have made it a major hobby, and I'd estimate we've seen probably 300 model homes in 20 years. When we bought this house, we didn't have much choice (wanted to stay in the school boundaries). I'm not crazy about the house, and I'm quite ready to move -- we've been here 10 years -- and I know EXACTLY what I want for the next time.

Have fun! Post pictures!

 

[luvflorida]

We are in AZ right now. Our friends have the astroturf grass stuff. It does look pretty real and so easy to keep up. They have the wall/see through fence thing you describe too. They said they don't get snakes in the back yard but they do get some scorpions. They spray every month and don't really have major problems. They have a hot tub and a small pool. They use them both quite a bit. The girls tried to get into the pool yesterday but it was a little too cold. They have a drip system in the back so they have some landscaping back there. They have astroturf in the front yard but most of their neighbors just have rock. I am sitting in their great room watching the sun come up and illuminate the mountains. Considering they are having a blizzard back home, this isn't a bad deal

I am not much into plants so I will do the best I can to describe their back yard--they have a cottonwood tree, another tree of some kind, some bush things that look possibly to be rhododendrons, a couple palm tree top looking "bushes", another tree and then some large planters that have annuals in them (in the summer, not now). On the left side of their yard they have a patio area with a table, umbrella, chairs. Behind that is the hot tub overlooking the canyon. On the right side they have a pool. The area is separated by large paving stones that match the pool decking. They have a "porch" off the back of the house that is covered and have a summer kitchen out there as well as a couple seating areas and a TV. They have awnings that lower to block the sun in the summer. I will try to get some pictures later.

Oh, I'd love to see some photos! Sounds nice!

Here are a few photos of the lot. It was a bit hazy on the day I took these photos, so some of the mountains to the left of the lot aren't fully visible.

front view

side view

back view of the "open view" fencing

other side of lot

 

[MrsPete]

We're preparing to build a retirement home in probably five years, and we want to be sure we do it JUST RIGHT, so we're keeping a list of things that we want. We're keeping pictures from magazines, ideas that we read, etc. -- of course, some of them can't exist in the same house, but all the same, we're "collecting" at this point. Hope this'll spur some ideas for you:


We're looking at building a 1700 sf-ish house that's going to be just right for us. We're not paying attention to resale, but we do care that it'll last for generations because it's going to be built on family land, which cannot be sold. Therefore, it's important to us that we chose a floorplan with room for expansion. IF in our elderly years we need one of our girls to move in with us, we could add a second master suite to the back of the house -- it could be as big as they'd like, even with a sitting room or a family room attached. This just "buys" us versitility. In fact, we're considering all the things that we might need as we grow older and are trying to build them in, which'll be less expensive than adding them later.

It'll be a story-and-a-half, Cape-Cod, country-house, Southern house with a porch style.


Outside:
- Low maintenance exterior
- Keyless entry at least on the main-use door
- Electrical outlets on the front porch posts, etc.
- Driveway'll be a problem /will have to be gravel

Overall details:
- No trendy items that'll date the house (i.e., vessel sinks)
- Lots of floor-to-ceiling windows (easy to clean style) -- love nice breezes to pass through the house, and this house'll be small enough for that to work well
- Energy efficient windows and appliances
- Spaces that would accomodate a wheelchair or walker
- Hardwood throughout (possibly carpet for upstairs bedrooms)
- Built-in vaccum kick-plate system for trash disposal
- French doors with curtains for all downstairs doors except bathrooms
- Automatic lights on/off for hallways, pantry, laundry room, half bath
- Ceiling fans throughout (we do live in the South)

Living room:
- Electrical outlets over the mantle
- Built in speakers / plan for electronic items
- Built in bookshelves / TV shelf

Kitchen/dining area -- no formal dining:
- Space for a medium table that can be expanded to LARGE LARGE LARGE for family gatherings
- Large island with seating /two level island with higher shelf for eating
- Pot filler over the stovetop
- Large arched window over the sink
- Electrical outlets on both sides of the island
- Plan a place for the trash can
- Lighting under cabinets
- Drawers rather than cabinets
- Shallow drawers for bulk-purchased spices in tins
- Large wall of shallow cabinets with glass fronts for dish, glassware storage
- Plan a storage place for cookbooks
- Outlet INSIDE a cabinet for a small TV
- Banquette seating built in
- HUGE PANTRY -- think 8x12 -- which'll allow most stuff to store on neat, easy-access shelves, leaving a fairly small kitchen -- this'll make it easy to keep the kitchen clean and clutter-free. Include cabinet-type shelf for sorting groceries, etc. Include area for recycling. Space for large cooking pots, canning materials, crock pots, etc. -- this means we can keep only our smallish everyday cooking pots & pans out in the kitchen
- Tile in pinwheel pattern

Laundry:
- Add door straight into master bathroom, which means short walk to closet
- Small table (possibly fold-up) for folding laundry
- Electrical outlet for dust buster

Garage:
- 3 car garage -- two cars & storage; we won't have an attic, so we'll want lots of sturdy shelves for the garage area
- Water faucet inside the garage

Master bedroom:
- Comfortable space for queen-sized bed
- Fireplace w/ spot for TV above across from the bed
- Electrical hook-ups for cable
- Four windows (2 on each outside wall) for wonderful cross-breezes
- Easy-to-reach outlets on each side of the bed -- you know what I mean; some hotels are placing their outlets this way, and it's great
- Swing lamps that take no nightstand space

Master closet /bath:
- No clothing storage in bedroom / as you walk through an "alcove" between the bedroom and bathroom, the built-in dresser'll be on the left and the walk-in closet door will be on the right -- difficult to explain, I know I'm going to love it in person
- Master bedroom closet will be HUGE with shelves for jeans, sweatshirts & high/low racks for his/hers shirts, etc.
- Large shower with bench, appropriate for elderly
- NO jetted tub -- I thought I'd like this 'til we stayed in a hotel that had one -- maybe the real lesson is, try before you buy

Office area:
- We're adding this to our plan, but it'll be a connector between the garage and the kitchen -- the pantry (also an add-on) will be next to it
- Tile, to match the kitchen
- A coat closet by the back door
- A niche between the coat closet and the pantry, which will hold a small dresser that I already own -- this'll be a place to drop purse, sunglasses, keys by the door -- mirror above this dresser, space inside to hold tote bags, flash lights, and other back-door type of things
- Long built-in desk with file cabinets underneath -- also space for projects
- Space for one overstuffed-type chair /footstool
- Built in bookshelves
- Wired for computer, cable, etc.


French doors or sliders? I've lived in houses with both, and I don't know. Our house will have neither.

 

[marthachick]

Just remembered one very important detail of our house... 36 inch interior doors. I have arthritis & was looking ahead just in case I am ever wheelchair bound, we won't have to expand doors or move to a house that has them. Also, everything is 1 level and the step from the garage is about 2 or 3 inches, so no ramp will be required.

Hopefully I'll never need a wheelchair, but an added bonus is that it is much easier to move furniture from room to room with the wider interior doors.

 

[golfgal]

Mrs. Pete--just something to consider-I would allow enough space in your bedroom for a king bed. I know you are not looking at resale but you will eventually hand down that house in some way and limiting your bed space to a queen will have drawbacks. Just something to think about. It's also possible that some day YOU will need a king bed--adjustable beds, etc.

 

[Gigi22]

Over the years, we have renovated our house a lot. Here is what I am happiest with: heat light on a timer in bathroom; a shower stall with glass doors and a built-in seat; two sinks in the bathroom; upgrading the lighting in our kitchen, and having some of the lights on dimmers; adding more electrical outlets to the kitchen; removing the wall-to-wall carpets and refinishing the hardwood floors; putting in a gas fireplace; insulating the basement. I would like to do more renos, including: installing a tankless water heater; renovating our laundry, adding more storage space; adding a generator. If I were building a house I would look at making it as energy efficient as possible and using building materials that are environmentally friendly, I would also be interested in making sure that the entire house is as "smart" as possible for computer use as well as lighting, HVAC, security and so on.

 

[luvflorida]

So many things to think about!

MrsPete: Thanks so much for posting your list! You've put a lot of thought into your retirement home!

This afternoon we'll be spending 4-6 hours at the home gallery. Last night, my husband and I spent several hours going over the house plans and making a list of everything we want for upgrades and options. Some things we're sure about, others are possibilities, and then there are things we're totally confused about. Should be interesting!

The wiring/hook-ups for all things computer-related is defiinitely a priority since my husband works from home. He is making sure that everything is covered in that area, and he knows what he wants for every room. He works in the computer field, so I'm leaving all of those decisions for him.

I think the hardest decisions are going to revolve around the color schemes for floor tile, granite countertops, cabinets, wall paint and carpeting. I like a house to have an open, airy feel to it, whereas my husband leans more toward darker colors. So, we'll see how that goes!

 

[MrsPete]

I would have your main living areas wired for speakers. I think you will be amazed at how much you use them. I would also add some outside in the backyard. . . . Make sure they put outlets in all the closets. It is nice to have to plug in cell phones, irons, charging small vacuums, etc.

I hadn’t considered wiring the patio area for speakers, but I’m going to add it to my list. For my family, I’d put that in the category of “nice if the budget allows”.
I’ve included outlets for the pantry and the laundry room – thinking of small vacs. And I definitely want plenty of outlets by my desk in the office and by my nightstand for phone chargers, etc. Outlets in the walk-in closets wouldn’t be a bad idea and wouldn’t cost much at all during construction. My current house doesn’t have enough outlets, so this is something I will certainly not neglect.

- not only extra outlets, but put cable, phone and ceiling lights/fans in every bedroom.

Yes, I hate that my ceiling fans don’t have separate switches for the fan. I’m constantly turning on a switch that doesn’t activate the light – or walking over to pull the chain. I hate it worst in my bedroom, where I’m not quite tall enough to reach over the big chest to the pull-chain; I should get a longer pull chain.

Mrs. Pete--just something to consider-I would allow enough space in your bedroom for a king bed. I know you are not looking at resale but you will eventually hand down that house in some way and limiting your bed space to a queen will have drawbacks. Just something to think about. It's also possible that some day YOU will need a king bed--adjustable beds, etc.

I have a king-sized bed now, and I’m not in love with it. It’s difficult to make up, and the linens cost a fortune (not that one buys new linens on a frequent basis). We sleep in queens frequently when we travel, and they’re plenty big – though you do make a good point that adjustable beds are only available in king-size. Regardless, the bedroom we’ve planned could hold a king-sized bed, especially since the dresser will be in the alcove connecting to the bathroom rather than in the bedroom.

Over the years, we have renovated our house a lot. Here is what I am happiest with: heat light on a timer in bathroom; a shower stall with glass doors and a built-in seat; two sinks in the bathroom; upgrading the lighting in our kitchen, and having some of the lights on dimmers; adding more electrical outlets to the kitchen; removing the wall-to-wall carpets and refinishing the hardwood floors; putting in a gas fireplace; insulating the basement. I would like to do more renos, including: installing a tankless water heater; renovating our laundry, adding more storage space; adding a generator. If I were building a house I would look at making it as energy efficient as possible and using building materials that are environmentally friendly, I would also be interested in making sure that the entire house is as "smart" as possible for computer use as well as lighting, HVAC, security and so on.

All interesting ideas! I’ve stayed in hotels that had the heat-light thing in the bathroom – that’s a maybe. I’ve also considered heated tiles, but that idea’s pretty far down on my list and would depend upon budget. Although I didn’t list it, the gas fireplace is a gotta-have.

MrsPete: Thanks so much for posting your list! You've put a lot of thought into your retirement home!

Glad to be helpful! Yes, we've put a great deal of thought into it already, and we have a couple years before we begin. But, as I said, I want to get it right!

I’ve enjoyed reading the book The Not So Big House. When I was younger, I wanted – wanted badly – a big, fancy house, but the older I get, the less house I want. For example, we’re not planning a formal dining room at all – though we are planning a large eating area. This book (I bought the whole series off ebay) emphasizes how to build a smaller house and get the results that you really want. It emphasizes, for example, that you can build in a little alcove to get a cozy little reading area, that a differentiation in ceiling height and lighting can make a dining area “feel” separate, etc. I like the concept of "structure around activity".

One question that got us thinking was, What words would you use to describe the house you want /rooms you want? I want my house to be comfortable, welcoming, old-fashioned, clutter-free, cottage-y, well-organized, filled with efficient storage. I do not have any desire for dramatic, spacious, cutting-edge, unique, impressive, modern. I definitely dislike dark. The whole series was an eye-opener.

 

[luvflorida]

One question that got us thinking was, What words would you use to describe the house you want /rooms you want? I want my house to be comfortable, welcoming, old-fashioned, clutter-free, cottage-y, well-organized, filled with efficient storage. I do not have any desire for dramatic, spacious, cutting-edge, unique, impressive, modern. I definitely dislike dark. The whole series was an eye-opener.

I agree! The house we're having built is a bit larger than I wanted, but I think it's going to work nicely. There is no dining room. The house we're in now has a big dining room, and we very seldom use it. It will have a guest bedroom, a room for the grandkids and an upstairs den/tv room.

I think it's easier to go with a smaller house in warm weather climates, because the backyard can easily become extended living space. I can't wait to work on the backyard design! I LOVE spending time outside, and all of us enjoy cooking out, sitting around, playing cards, talking and just relaxing and enjoying good weather. I want an area that is landscaped nicely and has plenty of room to sit and relax, and room for the grandkids to run around.

An outdoor ceiling fan for the patio and areas of shade are a must!

 

[MrsPete]

I agree! The house we're having built is a bit larger than I wanted, but I think it's going to work nicely. There is no dining room. The house we're in now has a big dining room, and we very seldom use it. It will have a guest bedroom, a room for the grandkids and an upstairs den/tv room.

I think it's easier to go with a smaller house in warm weather climates, because the backyard can easily become extended living space. I can't wait to work on the backyard design! I LOVE spending time outside, and all of us enjoy cooking out, sitting around, playing cards, talking and just relaxing and enjoying good weather. I want an area that is landscaped nicely and has plenty of room to sit and relax, and room for the grandkids to run around.

An outdoor ceiling fan for the patio and areas of shade are a must!

Yes, we're in the South, and we're opting for a pool instead of a dining room -- the initial cost is about the same. When you consider heating/cooling a dining room 12 months a year, I'd bet the upkeep of the pool is about the same too.

Around here, we have such temperate weather. Some years we've had Thanksgiving dinner out on the porch.

We also have a dining room, which is rarely used -- except by my youngest as an art studio.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

So many things to think about!

MrsPete: Thanks so much for posting your list! You've put a lot of thought into your retirement home!

This afternoon we'll be spending 4-6 hours at the home gallery. Last night, my husband and I spent several hours going over the house plans and making a list of everything we want for upgrades and options. Some things we're sure about, others are possibilities, and then there are things we're totally confused about. Should be interesting!

The wiring/hook-ups for all things computer-related is defiinitely a priority since my husband works from home. He is making sure that everything is covered in that area, and he knows what he wants for every room. He works in the computer field, so I'm leaving all of those decisions for him.

I think the hardest decisions are going to revolve around the color schemes for floor tile, granite countertops, cabinets, wall paint and carpeting. I like a house to have an open, airy feel to it, whereas my husband leans more toward darker colors. So, we'll see how that goes!

Go as neutral as you can on the things you cannot change and bring your color in with the wall color, drapes or accessories.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I agree! The house we're having built is a bit larger than I wanted, but I think it's going to work nicely. There is no dining room. The house we're in now has a big dining room, and we very seldom use it. It will have a guest bedroom, a room for the grandkids and an upstairs den/tv room.

We have a traditional center hall colonial with a Living room, Family room, Study, Kitchen and Dining room downstairs. After we were in it for 5 years we decided the Dining Room was a complete waste. We used it maybe 5-6 times a year. So we knocked the wall down to a half wall and made that our main eating area. We dumped the kitchen table and added 3 big pantry cabinets and a center island where that was instead.

Formal rooms are not practical for most people now since how we entertain has changed. We live in our Family room as it's very large. In the living room we have a couch, love seat and a television. DH goes in there to watch baseball if I want to watch something else and the kids playstation and wii are on that TV. The study right now is set up as a big playroom. When the kids are older it will be whatever we need it to be that will be useful for how we live but at least we use every single room in the house

 

[MrsPete]

Go as neutral as you can on the things you cannot change and bring your color in with the wall color, drapes or accessories.

And in my opinion, the #1 thing to keep neutral is TILE. Tile is so hard to remove. Tile is for life.

 

[luvflorida]

Go as neutral as you can on the things you cannot change and bring your color in with the wall color, drapes or accessories.

This is exactly what we did!

Wow! We were at the design center for a little over 6 hours. So many things to see, so many things to decide on! Our designer said he thought we did a good job and that we got further than a lot of people do on their first visit. They always schedule two sessions, so we have another 4-6 hour session in two weeks.

All structural aspects are now in place. I made sure I got the pre-wiring for my outdoor patio fan and I had a cable hookup put in the kitchen. My two priorities. We did go with the french doors. They open outwards, so no worries about them interfering with furniture placement inside the house.

The two biggest expenses, by far...flooring tile and granite countertops! The entire downstairs flooring will be tile and the granite countertops will extend to the backsplash and to a built-in desk area.

The next appointment will be to finalize color selections and to go over everything once again. We haven't even touched on landscaping yet.

Thanks so much, everyone, for all your thoughts and ideas! I really found it helpful!

 

[jemmouse]

Building a new home can be down right tiring but when it is finished so worth it. We eliminated our dining room and had a country (bigger) kitchen put in. I did standard height cabinets but in the corners I angled them and had higher ones put there along with my pantry, higher than other cabinets. This added more dimension and to me looked more custom. Also do more drawers instead of all cabinets. I also had roll away shelves put in. This is great for the cabinets next to my stove that house my pots and pans. This way I don't need to be straining my neck to see a pan, one of the BEST things I added .

I also arched some entryways instead of having them squared off. I also agree outlets, outlets, outlets, never can have to many. I bumped out my kitchen with a half octagon windows on the side then slider in the middle. One of my other was moving my laundry room to second floor that was my favorite things. I also added 2feet onto my foyer closet. I put a double door closet in my master bath, and I put a 5foot shower with a seat(built in bench) in my master bath.
I went in to as many model homes, talked to builders all the time. When I built my house I thought I had thought of everything but now 3 yearsnlater there is so many adds on I wish I had done, next time

I agree about the outside. I had some much fun designing my landscaping, pool, and burms. Picking out the flowers, the greenery, the stone for my brick walls. Also i did put porch lamps out in my back yard on dimmers, great ambiance reflecting off the pool water. Lastly if you are gonna do a pond, and seeing how you are in Arizona, drive put to the dessert and pick up some rocks that catch your eye. A little something extra to add in your design plan.

Good luck and breathe.....your house when completed will be your castle

 

[Disney Doll]

Below in red:

What changes would you make in your kitchen, or other rooms in your house, if you had the chance? What do you like or dislike about the way your house functions?
~Make your kitchen big. Everyone always ends up in the kitchen.
~Make sure you have enough electrical outlets. When you think you have enough, add a few more!
~Laundry on the bedroom or main level, not in the basement
~Make the "public" areas of your house (dining room, family room, livingroom) bigger than the bedroom areas, if you are a big entertainer.
~Have one really good sized room (ie-family room) where you could hold a bridal or baby shower. Can you tell that I just paid for a bridal shower at a restaurant because I really didn't have a big room in my house?
~You're in AZ, so I am sure that your heating and central AC will be installed together. We installed our central air in 2002 (house was built in 1940) and that was no picnic!
~Think of cabling for TVs etc. in all your rooms, even if you have rooms that you might not have/want TVs in right now. It's easier to install these things before the walls are up.
~Think of handicapped accessibilityin your bathrooms. When we redid our bathrooms, we put fortified blocks in certain spots in the walls in the shower so that handicapped railings could be attached at a later date if necessary.
~Along those same lines of handicapped accessibility, the bathroom on our main level used to have a shower/tub. We converted that to a large walk in shower. In the event that the next people who own our hosue want a tub back, the space is still there. They'd merely have to take up the shower floor and reinstall a tub, and in the meantime, if either one of us (or my elderly parents if they ever needed to live with us) needs assistance in the shower, there's plenty of space to do so.
~In our master bath, we installed a wall hot air blower. It's about 1.5 x 1 foot in size, installed into the wall so it's flat and manually operated. On those cold winter mornings, it's nice to turn it on when I get into the shower because it makes the bathroom extra toasty when I get out of the shower!
~We installed radiant floor heating in our master bathroom. Nice warm tiles under your feet! Love it!

Any thoughts on French doors as opposed to sliding doors going out to a patio? French doors are pretty but then you always have to be cognizant of the door "swing", patio furniture placement, whacking people with the door. I have seen sliders that look like French doors. Perhaps that could give you the look of the French doors with the operating convenience of a slider.

Anything about the building process or about the interior of your house that you'd like to share? We didn't build, but our home was older (1940) and somewhat "maintenance deferred" so we have done a LOT of renovations. Always plan on everything taking 30% longer than they tell you and costing about 30%-40% more than they tell you. There will be some "might as wells", as in "while we have the walls open we might as well put in central vac" or "if we're going to put in a bubble tub we might as well put in the better water heater" and so forth. Some of the "might as wells" make sense and some don't, so think about them carefully when they come up.

I'm open for suggestions, tips, anything! Thanks so much!!

Good luck!

 

[Buckalew11]

Central vac. I had a client suggest it and when I talked to the guy I was working with for all the home supplies (not my builder), I asked him about the cost of one. Since building was slow here when we built, he actually had a builder buy a central vac system from him and had nowhere to put it. He sold it to me at his cost & I hae been very happy with it. I also had 2 of those under cabinet thingees installed to sweep the crumbs into. It's great!

 

[Buckalew11]

I hadn’t considered wiring the patio area for speakers, but I’m going to add it to my list. For my family, I’d put that in the category of “nice if the budget allows”.
I’ve included outlets for the pantry and the laundry room – thinking of small vacs. And I definitely want plenty of outlets by my desk in the office and by my nightstand for phone chargers, etc. Outlets in the walk-in closets wouldn’t be a bad idea and wouldn’t cost much at all during construction. My current house doesn’t have enough outlets, so this is something I will certainly not neglect.

Yes, I hate that my ceiling fans don’t have separate switches for the fan. I’m constantly turning on a switch that doesn’t activate the light – or walking over to pull the chain. I hate it worst in my bedroom, where I’m not quite tall enough to reach over the big chest to the pull-chain; I should get a longer pull chain. I have a king-sized bed now, and I’m not in love with it. It’s difficult to make up, and the linens cost a fortune (not that one buys new linens on a frequent basis). We sleep in queens frequently when we travel, and they’re plenty big – though you do make a good point that adjustable beds are only available in king-size. Regardless, the bedroom we’ve planned could hold a king-sized bed, especially since the dresser will be in the alcove connecting to the bathroom rather than in the bedroom. All interesting ideas! I’ve stayed in hotels that had the heat-light thing in the bathroom – that’s a maybe. I’ve also considered heated tiles, but that idea’s pretty far down on my list and would depend upon budget. Although I didn’t list it, the gas fireplace is a gotta-have. Glad to be helpful! Yes, we've put a great deal of thought into it already, and we have a couple years before we begin. But, as I said, I want to get it right!

I’ve enjoyed reading the book The Not So Big House. When I was younger, I wanted – wanted badly – a big, fancy house, but the older I get, the less house I want. For example, we’re not planning a formal dining room at all – though we are planning a large eating area. This book (I bought the whole series off ebay) emphasizes how to build a smaller house and get the results that you really want. It emphasizes, for example, that you can build in a little alcove to get a cozy little reading area, that a differentiation in ceiling height and lighting can make a dining area “feel” separate, etc. I like the concept of "structure around activity".

One question that got us thinking was, What words would you use to describe the house you want /rooms you want? I want my house to be comfortable, welcoming, old-fashioned, clutter-free, cottage-y, well-organized, filled with efficient storage. I do not have any desire for dramatic, spacious, cutting-edge, unique, impressive, modern. I definitely dislike dark. The whole series was an eye-opener.

This is exactly what I got.

I also read those books. My library had them. My house is bigger than we planned because I chose to do 8 foot ceilings instand of trey and vaulted. I'm just not a fan of those types but many people are. I like the coziness of ceilings. So, when I changed all those ceilings, I gained over 600 sq ft of space upstairs and went ahead and finished it off as den and exercise area.

They were great books though!

 

[golfgal]

Here are some pictures of our friends' backyard:

I guess I didn't get one of their 'see through' fence but you can see part of it anyway.

 

[luvflorida]

Here are some pictures of our friends' backyard:

Thanks so much for posting the pictures, golfgal! That looks very similar to what we have in mind. They have more "green" in their backyard than most people out here have. Their artificial grass looks great! Generally speaking, the Phoenix area has more trees and grass than the Tucson area. Tucson retains much more of the desert look.

We spent Saturday looking at a few pool/landscaping companies just to get some ideas. We've pretty much decided on having a pool put in. Again, though, safety is a key issue. When we had our inground pool installed at our other house, our youngest was a teen, so we never had to worry about little ones running around. With two very young grandkids that visit frequently, we will definitely have some type of fence within the already fenced in yard, automatic cover, etc.