If this house building thing actually goes through, I’ve got a list a mile long of ideas. And you can bet that I’ll be sharing them all with you.
But one of the first things to decide other than 1) how wide can the house be according to the lot size and 2) how deep can the house be according to the lot is 3) what style of house do I like? The first two questions are hard to answer because we do not own a lot because we aren’t completely committed to this process. Selling our current house is priority number one.
Southern Living has a great online resource for house plans and I’ve found a few that I like. Our big criteria, more than minimum square footage, is have good, usable square footage. The purpose of this move is to get more space for our expanding family, so this move needs to last us a while. I don’t want the square footage to be choppy and separated. I want openness that helps us feel like we have more space than we do. I like traditional styles and Southern styles and I have a lot of houses of this kind saved into my “house ideas” bookmark folder on the computer.
My favorite style, however is Acadian or Country French– also known as South Louisiana Amazingness Style. I’m a Louisiana girl. I want to build a Louisiana house if we’re able to.
I love the interesting roof lines and all the windows. These designs are from Acadiana Home Design.
What is your favorite style of home? Do you like old bungalows? Traditional two-story? Low country? Tudor? Colonial?
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i hate you.
that is all.
Those houses are beautiful. You’re right, the roof lines make a HUGE difference.
Just out of curiosity, would you be willing to move to a rental after your current home sold and then get the building rolling to mitigate your financial risk? It sounds daunting even from way over here with Baby H and the dogs, but maybe you could have your cake and eat it, too
Those are gorgeous! I love the upper balcony on the first one.
Well I LOVE LOVE LOVE that second house! I can move in tomorrow
I have just been looking at the same things lately! I think I have decided that I ten to like the style of an older bungalow, but am nervous about the possibility of owning one because I wouldn’t want the inside to be old too. I love these houses with charm and interesting lines. But besides that I am drooling over the landscaping in all of these renderings. How pretty!
I love houses 1 and 5 the most! I like traditional meets low country meets cottage meets high-end. Rough explanation, huh? HAHA! It is hard to put my mental pictures into words, that is why I constantly rip things out of home magazines (SL, Traditional Home, etc.)! I have an entire notebook for inspiration one day. I can’t wait to see what you and TC come up with, I know it will be nothing less than perfect!
LOVE this style, as well as bungalows. I want a very Southern style house one day…hopefully IN the South. I just have to convince B to leave the Midwest! That might be tougher than my dream home.
you should just move to IL and buy Seven Gables – I’m in love with the final rendering. The perfect mix of “old look” and new. I’m giddy with excitement for you!
Check out http://www.maddenhomedesign.com/
He did our house plans from scratch but has a lot of great looking plans on his website. He is in Denham Springs.. Since we were several hours away from him (of course not nearly as far as you) we only went to his office one time to meet about everything. After that everything was done by email. And yes, I agree that roof lines will make or break a house!
I’m a LA girl too! I was born there but have since moved all around the south. Even though I don’t live in the region anymore, I have always loved the Louisiana Amazingness Style homes. It is so unique and brings back good memories for me. Good luck with the house-building process!
Wow those are all beautiful! I love that style.
i LOVE houses with wrap around porches and built in bookcases. i have a growing list of what husband and i want in our next home, but i’ve never thought about what “style” we like. i grew up in a colonial style home that was updated in the 90s, so i’ve always been partial.
I love that style! My in-laws are in Louisiana and those homes remind me of the ones in their neighborhood. I’d die to be able to build my dream home. I’m having to get used to my brick ranch with brown wood trim and doors. Making do, making do.
I’m a bungalow gal myself but I do love the looks of the last image you posted – I love square columns and big, shuttered windows! I also have a “thing” with roofs… there is some perfect visible-roof-to-house ration that I can’t quite calculate, but I know it when I see it! We’ve walked past dozens of adorable houses that I immediately dismiss with a “TOO MUCH ROOF!” … drives Evs batty!
ooo and SUN ROOMS! I would die for a sun room. Our across the street neighbors have one and I’m constantly peering in like a lunatic.
Okay. Done now
These are gorgeous! We want to build a house, too, that we plan on staying in for a LONG time. I hate moving! I think one-stories have a lot of advantages, if you can find a lot big enough to accommodate the square footage that you need. I like the floorplans that have a Kids’ wing – entrances into the bedrooms are off a central playroom that have doors to separate from the rest of the house, if needed. We looked at a house like this and loved it! Unfortunately, we can’t find a lot big enough where we are.
We’re actually in the planning stage of building our own home as well. Although we have different things to worry about (we have 54 acres so lot size isn’t the question), it sounds like we’re kind of in the same boat! It’s such a fun process & the end result is so worth it! Have fun!
They’re all gorgeous! I’ve browsed the Southern Living house plans before too and have fallen in love with several of them. Maybe some day!
Oh, girl! You know I can talk about this (and do) for days!
So beautiful!! I think I have several different styles that I love. My husband is really partial to the old Craftsman style homes and I really love that as well–the details, the combination of different materials, I just love it. I’m kind of a nerd and a sucker for ‘themes’ as in, if we lived in the mountains, I would like my home to feel kind of rustic. The interior of the HGTV Dream Home from 2007 (?) in Colorado is my favorite inside decor ever….I also love the look of a simple southern style farmhouse–with a wrap around proch, dorimor windows and shutters. My sister has the plans for her old home which was MY dream home (farmhouse meets Craftsman) (and why she couldn’t have just waited to move out until I was a grown up and could buy her home is beyond me—kidding!) and I swear that one day I will hijakc those from her and build it on a nice lot out in the country.
I could definitly see you in any of those homes!
Those are gorgeous!! My dream home would be a mix between one of these and a farmhouse. I don’t have a particular style that I love, but I’m with you on open and full of usable space! I hope the whole process works out fr you guys!!
Love the pics of the homes you like thus far. Also check out http://www.historicaldesigns.com/
They have a new French Acadian section as well as the Louisiana collection. I love so many of their plans. Best wishes and I can’t wait to see what develops!
What a fun and exciting process! LOVE the style!
I love a cottage or bungalow house – actually adore the home you are in now! Love older homes, but with the benefit of a fab interior remodel!
Erin-
Check out http://www.frankbetz.com too- most of the houses in the Gates are Frank Betz designs. You can take them and customize plus they show you every little floor plan detail and most of them have extra little keeping rooms off the kitchen!
I know whatever you pick will be BEAUTIFUL and perfectly decorated!
We are currently building house number 3 on your list, with a few modifications of the plan by our builder to best suit our needs. I would be happy to email you some pics of our house (it’s not completely finished yet) if you are interested. I absolutely love the French Country style, which is what our builder calls it. Also would be happy to share interior pics as well if you get so far as to start looking into cabinets, etc. Good luck and happy hunting!
I really like those. The roof lines are so pretty. I like the 4th and 5th pictures the best. They are all nice though. My favorite style is probably southern colonial — big front porch and portico.
All the plans are so great, but that last house is definitely my favorite!
I LOVE that style too! I love so many styles though, even though they aren’t necessarily all appropriate for me, it’s still fun to day dream. English Tudor, Craftsman, French Country…. I could go on and on.
Those are beautiful! I especially like the first two. I love old houses, and houses with personality- Victorian, English Tudor, Craftsman, French Country… If you end up building I’ll be living vicariously through you the whole way!
I LOOOOOVE #1, 3, and 4!!! I want to move in right now! Sadly, you could fit our entire apartment into the little front wing on the right of the sketch #1. I am very, very jealous — but very excited for you!
Ahhhh….I am in love with houses #1,2,3 and 4. I love brick homes. There’s just something so cozy about them. Plus is makes all the greenery and landscaping POP. This post made me smile
erin,
i happened to read your blog today and wanted to tell you about acadiana designs. that is who we used for our house plans. actually,the first house you posted is the one we almost chose (i have a bigger version of the plan like online if you want me to mail it) but it’s already built several places here so i wanted to do something a little bit different. however, if you decide to go with them you should definitely make an apt. you wouldn’t believe how many plans murray has designed. the website doesn’t even begin to touch it. he will let you go home with 2 or 3 ideas to think about. he even remembered us when we called back with our final decision 5 months later. highly recommend him!
Wow! Anyone single one of them would be amazing. I’m English and I can only dream of living somewhere where the plots of land are big enough to build houses like that! I have to agree though, I really like that kind of house. Just make sure you have a great laundry room- I’m soo jealous of houses with laundry rooms!
I love all of those houses! One thing I really want when the hubs and I build a house is to have the garage around the back of the house, so it can be open and yet, no one will see it — does that make sense? Good luck with selling the house!
The first one and the last one are my faves!! My parents are building a new house right now and my mom is having so much fun!
Hey Erin,
We are in the final week of building our dream house (for now). Praise the Lord! We used Steve Madden, like the shoes, I saw where someone else mentioned him. He was great to work with. We also sold our house before we started construction and are currently in an apartment. I will never ever do this again! If we build again we will for sure stay put until we move again. Good luck, it is a stressful but rewarding journey.
P.S. I like the last one.
My husband and I LOVE going to look at houses. I personally like to look for inspiration for the day that we do decide to build our next home. I completely agree with you that a roof makes a huge difference/impact on the look of a house.
I love all the selections you’ve made. I personally have decided our next home will be a single story home. I grew up in a two story and hated it even as a child.
Now having a little one, I am too scared to have stairs until he is older.
I can’t wait to see which one you decide on.
I’m a sucker for a craftsman bungalow!
I just have to say I cannot wait to hear more about the house building process….I love all the pics! I will probably never have the opportunity to build a home but I LOVE the idea of it and I am always dreaming up my “list” that is a mile long! How fun, I can’t wait to see more!
Before we moved to Alabama, there was a chance we’d be moving to Denham Springs, LA. We even looked into neighborhoods, etc. Your first and last house plans were two of the exact house plans that made our short list. They are beautiful! If we ever build here, one of those will be my dream home for sure! I’m green with envy over here! Good for you guys!
Omg I love those houses! I love those arch/rounded doors. I tell my husband every time we drive past this one house in Monroe that I want a door like the one on it.
So many lovely choices! You can’t go wrong with a home that fits your roots and your region. I’m enchanted by old houses – they have personality and stories – but I know new shiny ones are so much more practical and livable… Good luck!
The first and second are my favs!! A laundry room on the 2nd floor (with bedrooms) is a must!!
Best wishes!
I love houses. All kinds. Haha! My favs are mid-century modern ranches, colorful bungalows, beachy townhomes. I am crazy about older homes that have been remodeled and updated inside. However, I live in none of these! Ha! Funny where life takes you. Some day, I will get my dream home. For now we own a newish Spanish style home with very little character built-in.
So excited to hear more about your journey! I’m not sure we could ever build, I’m so indecisive and visual – it would be so hard for me to visual the space just from drawings. Can’t wait to see how the process works for y’all. Maybe I’ll change my mind.
I love all of them, but I think the second one is my favorite. I am not quite sure what style of house I love. I will see one and be like “oh, I absolutely must live in something like eventually”…and then I’ll see a completely different style and fall in love with that. Good luck with selling the house! Its so beautiful and you have done such a wonderful job making it a home…anyone would be lucky to live in it!
I think the fourth home pictured is my little sister and her husband’s actual house design! Not kidding!!
If you love French Country you need to check out Jack Arnold. I die.
http://jackarnold.com/default.asp
When I was little I wanted to be an architect. My Dad bought me a magazine of house plans, and they ALL looked like the ones you posted! I was fascinated because it was a US magazine, and no one had houses like that in South Africa! I immediately yearned for a house with interesting roof lines – like your first pic especially. And bay windows! It MUST have bay windows! That’s actually a big criteria of mine for a house. BIG windows. I need light!
Hey Erin! Randi (Frazier) Anderson here! I found your blog through Katie Nippers and love, love, love it. Your little Hudson is too cute! My son, Frazier, is a month younger than him so your blog is sometimes like a vision of what I have to look forward to a month from now!
Erin,
Hi! Thank you for interest in our house plans. Our website is just a sample of the 7,000+ designs we have in our portfolio. We have designed houses all over the country, with the majority of them in the southern region. We would love to help you with your dream home when the time is right for you.
Thanks again,
Vic