While some stages of building your own custom home may be a bit stressful at times, there is one phase of the process that is sure to excite and inspire you. Choosing an architectural style for your home is one of the most captivating and enjoyable steps in the custom homebuilding journey. It’s your chance to flex your creative muscles and explore what you truly want in your own dream home. Keep in mind, you don’t need an architecture degree to find the style that best suits your taste and personality; you simply need the ability to recognize what you like when you see it. Consider the following tips to make the most of choosing an architectural style that’s right for you.
1. Begin collecting photographs or sketches of various styles or features of homes that appeal to you. Anything goes here – if you see a home in the newspaper that you like, cut it out. If you’re surfing the net and stumble across a photo of a home with beautiful windows, print it. If you drive by a home that catches your eye, snap a quick photo. These will come in handy later.
2. Familiarize yourself with basic architectural styles. The web is certainly a great place to begin your research, but starting from scratch with a basic Google search for “architectural styles” will leave you frustrated and overwhelmed. Browse well-known home planning and design sites such as http://www.luxesource.com, or visit HGTV’s http://www.frontdoor.com and search “home styles guide” to view videos illustrating a variety of architectural styles.
For those who prefer the more old-fashioned approach to research, buy a comprehensive guide to architectural styles. Be sure to find one that is mainly comprised of visual representations, sketches, or better yet, real photographs. The classic A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia and Lee McAlester will provide you with an extensive and illustrative introduction to architectural styles. Here’s how it works. Take one of the photos you snapped of the house down the street that you absolutely love. Choose a few elements from the home that you especially like, i.e. stucco walls, tile roof, and arched windows. Using the pictorial key at the front of the book, you find that these elements might represent “Mission” style architecture. Turning to the chapter on Mission architecture, you will find a dozen or so pages of text, drawings, and photographs that illustrate a variety of Mission style homes.
Explore homebuilder websites. Many builders have online photo galleries or portfolios that are categorized by architectural style. Each portfolio shows you several photos of the same house, thereby familiarizing you with various styles and illustrating how to coordinate architectural features and design elements within each style.
While doing your research, keep in mind it is perfectly acceptable to like some elements and features of a specific style while disliking others. Many of today’s homes are really an eclectic mix of various styles; it simply depends on what appeals to you. Once you’ve identified your favorite architectural styles, make note of which elements you like, and which ones you could do without.
3. Use the expertise of your architect or custom home builder. Once you have chosen an experienced builder you feel comfortable with, share the pictures you’ve collected and the ideas you have. They will be able to guide you through the design process which will result in the construction of a home that perfectly reflects your taste, personality, and lifestyle.
With the right approach and outlook, choosing an architectural style can be an enjoyable and rewarding step towards building your one-of-a-kind custom home.
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