Designing your dream home can be quite difficult. Often you do not know the parameters of building materials, or even what building materials are available.

It's like attempting to tell someone what flavor of ice-cream you prefer when you have no idea of what ice-cream is or what flavors it comes in.

And of course, the dream home of your spouse may be entirely different from yours. My advice - start thinking about it BEFORE you start even the most modest remodeling or renovation project. If nothing else, it really helps to focus your real desires and takes you down a learning path that sticking to the scope of your remodeling project may not take you.

Getting Ideas For Your Dream Home

Keep a box of magazine cut outs. Local real estate sales magazines are great for getting a peak inside current homes.
Take a trip to your local home design center, and start collecting brochures. Doing this with your spouse starts to identify areas of variance in taste, before you have to decide for real.
Be critical of houses of your friends - no, not to them, just in your mind. Look for features you really like, and what ones you don't. Ask your friend for their opinion as to what works in the house design and what looks great but is difficult to clean or live with.
Get House Plan Books from your library. Take copies of any plans you like for future reference.
Visit show homes, keep brochures of those that define freatures you like.
Visit bathroom and kitchen trade centers
Look at houses for sale at your local real estate office, or in other locations.
Television shows, DVD's that are located in beautiful homes peaks the imagination
Commercial foyers and hotel interiors offer some surprisingly easy to do glamour options for reception areas. Hotel rooms are also great at space saving ideas.

Other Things To Consider

Learn about smarthome automation. It's not that expensive and is so much easier to install when the walls are not lined.
Brain storm your ideas with your family and friends. Make it fun! After all it s your dream that you are talking about.
Prioritize those ideas that keep coming back to you, and put them in a clear leaf folder.
List the top 10 bedroom floor plans, bathroom floor plans, kitchen floor plans and of course the floor plan layout styles.
Watch out for appliance specials, it gives you an idea of what bargaining parameters you can expect when the time comes.
Notice the acoustics in homes with various wall coverings and floor coverings
Get to know local building codes and bylaws. Are there constraints on size of dwelling floor plans or height restrictions.
Also check for cladding options suitable for your zone, considering wind, salt, snow or other environmental risks.

By daring to dream early, you will be surprised as to how your taste and ideas evolve. By working together with your partner, you start to gel a consensus about what is mutually acceptable. This saves a lot of grief at the time you actually start remodeling or renovating.

Next: Custom House Plans

Project Blog

Keep up with the latest progress in our feature home renovations project....more