Building a New House: 6 Essentials to Make It Functional and Modern

Posted on February 21, 2021

One of the biggest perks of building your own home is the fact that you get to choose everything. From colors and materials to the layout and number of rooms, you’re in charge of every little detail. What this means is that you can easily customize it to fit your and your family’s needs and preferences.

That said, coming up with a plan and deciding which design features to include is no easy feat. There’s a lot of decision-making involved, but we’ll try to help you narrow down your options by listing some of the essentials that will make your new home both functional and modern.

An open floor plan

An open floor plan is one of the main features of newly built houses, so it’s definitely something to consider. It combines spaces such as the kitchen, the living room, and the dining room, which are usually separate areas. This helps open up the space and creates a better flow within the house.

An open floor plan is very practical when it comes to entertaining the guests since there are no visual boundaries. This helps encourage socialization between the guests. Open floor plans are also quite practical for families since it’s easier for parents to watch the kids. They can also make a smaller home appear larger, which is a big plus.

Plenty of natural light

Speaking of features that open up the space, plenty of windows are a must-have for any modern home. An abundance of sunlight coming in makes the interiors feel brighter and airier while simultaneously creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Even smaller, inoperable windows will do the trick, but make sure to include plenty of them – as many as your budget allows for. As for the spaces that require privacy (e.g. bathroom, closet), you can add skylights or solar tubes instead of traditional windows.

Energy efficient home design and features

When building a new home, you also want to think in terms of practicality and cost-efficiency. Expenses of running a household can add up quickly. Because of that, keeping your costs low should be one of your top priorities. To achieve this, make sure to include energy-saving features into your new house design. Consider installing LED lighting, energy efficient appliances, double pane windows, and ample insulation.

Aside from being less expensive to run and maintain, energy efficient homes are much more environmentally friendly compared to older homes with non-efficient systems and features. The idea of saving money while simultaneously doing something good for the environment definitely makes these homes even more attractive.

Smart-home technology

Aside from going greener and improving home energy-efficiency, building smart is another popular home building trend. Smart-home technology lets you simplify your daily routines while its convenience factor makes it even more of an appealing feature to add to your new home.

Popular smart-technology features include home security and automation systems, smart heating and cooling systems, programmable thermostats, and built-in speaker systems. Although you could add certain smart features later on, it’s more practical to install them when you’re still building.

Kitchen finishes

The heart of the home, the kitchen is another area many decide to splurge on when building a new house. As the house’s center, the kitchen space is where a number of activities take place such as meal-prepping and entertaining.

Make it functional by adding a kitchen island and a breakfast bar. To keep your kitchen organized, add open shelving, beverage storage , and a walk-in pantry. Finally, consider investing in integrated appliance garages for a more streamlined, minimalist look.

Ample storage and built-ins

Speaking of keeping things out of sight, clutter-free spaces are the hallmark of modern and functional homes. To appeal to the modern minimalist aesthetic, include plenty of storage options into your home design from the start.

Ample storage along with practical built-ins makes it easier to tidy up and keep everything in its place. Think double-duty furniture and pieces with hidden storage, shelving units, cabinets, and built-in cases. With the help of functional storage, tidying up becomes child’s play, thus ensuring your new home is always guest-ready.

Wrapping up

When building a new house, there are so many things to consider and decisions to make. And while some features make the house aesthetically pleasing and welcoming, others are there to make it functional and to help you maximize your investment. Stick with the tips above, and you’ll have no trouble designing a living space that’s both pretty and practical.