Challenged with a lot that slopes to the back? Looking for a home plan with a great finished basement? Consider this two-story home (“The Allair”, Plan# AM-2381-B): The finished lower-level features a fourth bedroom and guest bath, along with a game room and exercise alcove. The game room and exercise alcove are flexible and could easily be used as a family room and play area. A large storage area, which opens to the backyard, is the ideal place to store tools, potting supplies, and outdoor furniture in the off season.

A Prairie-school inspired exterior blankets the façade, marrying bands of horizontal siding and ledgestone accents. The garage—with its tandem third-car space—accommodates a narrow lot.

From the foyer, one views the great room with its fireplace, media center and corner-window view to the rear. At the other end of the great room, double doors lead into an office with a built-in desk and sun-drenched corner windows. Beyond the great room, the kitchen and dining room unite at the rear of the home. An island defines the work space of the kitchen while windows flood the room with light.

Walk-in closets provide plenty of clothing and accessory storage in the upper level’s three bedrooms. With a laundry room just down the hall, tossing in a load of clothes is convenient. A bath with dual lavs and tub and toilet compartment service the kid’s bedrooms. The master suite has a door that leads to a private deck. A tiled, walk-in shower and large spa tub highlight the bath.

Front view of Plan 2381-B.  See floor plans, specifications and details here!

South Carolina customers, Jeff and Wendy, told us they are “in love” with their new home — built from home plan DW-2112.

(CLICK ON ANY PHOTO to get to the detail page and see floor plans, more photos, and other information about this home plan!)

Wendy & Jeff built this lovely farmhouse design in the South Carolina countryside and have been thoroughly enjoying it with their two dogs. They were first drawn to the home because of its wraparound porch, open floor plan and abundance of windows, light, high ceilings and French doors and say these are still their favorite features.

(Above) View into Great Room. (To see more photos from Jeff and Wendy, view their Customer Testimonial by clicking on the photo above!)

(Above) A view into the kitchen showing the island and breakfast nook. (To see more photos from Jeff and Wendy, view their Customer Testimonial by clicking on the photo above!)

“Each unique, custom detail stands out, and the unique architecture makes our house stand apart from the rest,” say the couple, who fell in love with their home when it was first built and relive that feeling each time they walk into it.

Asked if they would purchase a stock plan again, the answer was a definite “Yes!” Stock plans offered them hundreds of plan choices and the ability to see many of them that were already built in the Customer Testimonial presentations. Their future plans include finishing the room that they added above the garage.

(Many of our home plans include customer testimonials with details and photos. Click here to see all homes with testimonials. Then select “Customer Testimonial” from any plan’s detail page.)

(Heidi, from our Customer Service Team, agreed to share her “fantasy house plan” with us and we thought our blog readers would be interested too. See details on this plan by clicking on any of the images below.)

The house plan that I love and actually printed off and posted at my desk, right above my phone, is Plan L-774-VSB. The moment I found this design I knew it was for me. One of my goals is to build this house for me and my family. The design is a Queen Anne-style Victorian with 4 bedrooms, 3 and 1/2 baths, and 2 stories.

What are my favorite features? 

First of all, the front porch! It seems to just go on and on! There’s a cozy rear porch too (pictured above). I can imagine myself sitting on one of the porches, enjoying the fresh air while visiting with neighbors, watching my daughter play in the yard, working on a project, or just thinking.

The turrets add so much style to the exterior of the house and I love the rounded rooms they create on the interior, in the study on the main floor (shown above) and the alcove and bath on the upper floor.

There are enough bathrooms and they are situated to allow for privacy when family visits or if a parent needs to move in with us down the road. And check out the garden tub in the master bath (above)!

The rooms, like the family room above, are spacious enough to accommodate large furniture pieces.

The kitchen (above) is open and airy.

The foyer is so warm and welcoming (above).

I cannot say enough good things about this house. It’s just a big, classic Victorian on the outside with all the interior amenities that today’s families want. Seeing it built on the shores of a beautiful Minnesota lake would be the icing on the cake!

(To see more floor plans and specifications for this plan, CLICK HERE.  Select “Customer Testimonial” to see photos and read about how one family customized this home to make it their own.)

Beautiful windows seize the eye on the exterior of this Arts and Crafts-inspired home (aka “The Lofton”, Plan#AM-2383). Banks of triple windows and a strip of stationary windows above the front porch gleam with a crisp welcome and offer hints to the light-filled interior. The front porch, anchored by flared pillars atop ledgestone pedestals offers a transitional respite. Beyond the front door, the dining room, great room, and kitchen draw you in to the open living areas. Light spills into the dining room from windows on two walls, dissolving any hint of stuffiness.

Casual Sunday brunches and elegant holiday parties are equally at home in the kitchen, where a long island delineates work and eating areas and a large pantry provides plenty of storage. A bump-out window in the breakfast nook can include a built-in seat or simply provide extra floor space. From the nook, a set of French doors opens to the back porch, which includes an outdoor fireplace.

The master suite wing joins the living areas on the main level. The bedroom and an office flank a private hallway. Built-ins—a desk in the office and bookshelves in the bedroom—supply focal points in each room.

Three additional bedrooms, two baths, a storage area, and a bonus room are on the upper level. The bonus room has many options: it can become a hang-out space for the kids or an exercise room for the whole family.

Exterior Rendering of “The Lofton”, House Plan AM-2383. See plan details here.

A customer recently asked what I’d suggest — a one-story or two-story home plan — for their family with two growing kids. This discussion can easily turn into a great debate! Many homeowners simply don’t like the idea of climbing stairs — either now or, in particular, as they grow older. However, if that’s not a problem for you, a two-story design has some definite benefits. With a master bedroom on the first level, the children (and parents) can enjoy their privacy. Air conditioning can be zoned so that the upstairs system is not used when the children are away (quite important as they grow up and leave for college). Theoretically, a two-story plan is less expensive, per square foot, to build (less roof area and less foundation). However, this depends on the overall design. Architecturally, the exterior of a two-story home offers more opportunity for design details than a single story. Finally, children simply enjoy a two-story design. As for mom and dad — well, climbing those stairs is good exercise!

Example of Two-Story House.  Plan DW-2112

Example of One-Story House. Plan APS-1914