Designing your very own custom home allows you to bring your unique style to life—and it all starts with your home’s floor plan. Choosing the best floor plan for your custom home can feel like a daunting task, but with careful planning and creative inspiration, you can discover the perfect layout that meets all your needs, improves your life’s efficiency, and reflects your own personal tastes.
Follow the steps below to help you choose the right floor plan for your custom home.
Step 1: How much space is available on your lot?
Before can get started with designing your home, it's essential to identify how much space is available on your lot in the first place. This will help you determine the maximum size of your home’s external footprint and what types of floor plans you should likely start from.
When considering how close you should build to your property lines, don’t neglect the outdoor living spaces that you’re envisioning for your new home. With the right design and layout, your yard can become a peaceful, inviting outdoor sanctuary where you and your loved ones can unwind, recharge, and make lasting memories—without ever leaving home.
If this sounds like exactly what you’re looking for, consider building more than one story to help leave plenty of room for the front and back yards.
Step 2: Identify the living spaces your family needs
To better understand what you and your family need to live comfortably and happily, put together a must-have list. This includes all the designs and spaces that absolutely must fit in your chosen floor plan. Along with the kitchen and great room, think about how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need.
Then, consider the additional spaces you’re looking for, such as:
- In-home office or workspace
- Personal gym or yoga studio
- Guest room(s) with an ensuite bath
- Children’s playroom
- 2 or more car garage
- Outdoor living amenities, like a pool or outdoor kitchen
Reflect on the challenges and limitations that you face in your current home’s design. What living spaces could enhance your new home’s functionality by eliminating those challenges? If you’re planning to grow your family, think about where your children's bedrooms should be located and how much space you’ll need in the kitchen and dining room to accommodate any new additions.
Step 3: How much square footage do you need?
With your must-have items decided, you can figure out the minimum square footage and what you have left. For reference, a cozy bedroom usually averages around 120 square feet, while the primary bedroom tends to be larger—around 224 square feet. For the kitchen, often the heart of the home, the standard size falls between 240 and 360 square feet. In terms of bathrooms, a small full bathroom ranges from 35 to 40 square feet, while a luxurious primary suite bath can span from 120 to 220 square feet.
With these considerations in mind, you can start envisioning the square footage that best suits your custom home and exploring other spaces to include within your budget.
Step 4: Create a wishlist for the extras
A wishlist contains additional features and luxurious designs that take your new home to the next level, making it more unique and personal.
Would you love a private primary suite balcony, where you can enjoy the morning sunlight or gaze at the starlit sky? Or perhaps an in-home theater or entertainment space where you can indulge in cinematic experiences with friends and family? In the heart of your home, imagine a personal coffee bar, complete with all the fixings, allowing you to savor your morning brew in style. What about a walk-in pantry fit for a chef, where you can store and organize your culinary delights?
These additional designs effortlessly transform your home from a reasonable place to live into one where you will truly prosper and revel in the joys of a tailored lifestyle.
Step 5: Think about your plans for the future
These steps so far have mostly covered what living spaces you require right now, but your plans for the future can significantly impact how your needs will evolve. One of the many benefits of building a custom home? This is your perfect opportunity to create something that will last. To ensure that your home will fit your life for years, it’s important to consider how you can plan ahead for future changes.
For example, you could be planning to grow your family and might need a nursery room located near the primary suite. Maybe you have older relatives that could someday be moving in. An in-law suite or aging-in-place features would make this transition go a lot smoother. Plan for these features now, so you won't have to make expensive changes or remodels later.
Step 6: Consider your home’s ideal flow
One of the most common mistakes people make when choosing a floor plan is focusing entirely on what’s trendy rather than what is most functional and comfortable for your day-to-day life. Your home’s floor plan should allow effortless and seamless movement throughout your living spaces. To achieve this flow, envision how each space can harmoniously connect as you navigate from the kitchen to the great room, out to the backyard, to the nearest bathroom, and more.
Embrace a layout that embraces a natural rhythm, where each room effortlessly transitions into the next, while also providing quiet spaces to get away from the busier parts of the home. Steer clear of designs that feel disjointed or constraining, as they may hinder your everyday movements and diminish your overall enjoyment of your home.
Step 7: Hire a design-build team
To find the perfect floor plan for your custom home, it can be challenging to pull all your ideas together on your own. Hiring an experienced design-build team will help you organize your thoughts and guide you through the entire process—leaving no detail overlooked.
Unlike the traditional design-bid-build process, the design-build approach is more streamlined. Your designer and builder work as a team to create a custom home that meets all your needs and fits your lifestyle. They can also help ensure that your home is more energy efficient and built to last.
Planning Your DREAM Home in Utah
The floor planning process may seem daunting, but with the right team and a clear vision, choosing the best floor plan for your new custom home can be a fun and rewarding experience. By considering your needs, square footage requirements, and future plans, and with the help of your design-build team, you can find the right floor plan that fully meets your needs and fits your lifestyle.
Looking to build your perfect custom home in Utah County? With our versatile and customizable floor plan designs, the team at 10x Builders would be honored to help you plan the best layout for your new home. Contact us today to get started.
