Timber frames offer opportunities to build homes with no load bearing walls. This same flexibility allows you to design a home that is more efficient and uses space effectively. Halls, notorious for their wasted space, are usually unnecessary. Walls can be moved feet or inches, as best suit the room layout without worries about headers and roof loads.
As you plan your new home, consider how you live and make best use of the space to accommodate your “stuff”. Do you need space for sporting equipment, hobby equipment, or a home office? Design in the storage you need so you aren’t creeping into your living space. This will allow you to design your living space for relaxing and entertaining.
Your pantry should have shelves near the top for larger, seldom used items. That roaster that you use once a year (unless you decide to dine out on holidays) doesn’t need space at eye level. The punchbowl that survived three children, baby showers, and wedding showers…shouldn’t someone else love it now? Open that space up for something you use every day…or at least once a month. Design shelving so the items you use daily are at eye level and easy to reach.
Linen closets may seem dated, but where do you keep towels, fresh linens, extra blankets, and pillows? The space needs to be accessible to the bathroom and bedroom. It doesn’t need to be a deep closet, but it should have plenty of space.
Where will that vacuum cleaner “live”? A closet for the vac and broom is important. It can include a shelf for cleaning supplies or not, but do plan ahead and include this important space.
A closet tucked under the stairs is excellent space for suitcases and seldom used items. Or it can house that seldom used wireless printer… out of the way until needed and then easily accessible.
Roll out shelves for the kitchen cabinets are all but indispensable. Nothing gets shoved to back, never to be seen again. Make sure you have the right mix of short and tall shelves. Baskets on top of the kitchen cabinets offer storage for tablecloths and napkins, even seldom used kitchen tools…I mean most of us don’t use those lobster crackers very often and they take up lots of drawer space.
So, as you design your new home, think about how you will store the necessities of life and about what items you might not want to bring into your new home. A new home offers opportunities to live only with the stuff you love. Lighten up while you have the chance.
small home office, not isolated, but comfortable enough for me and my sidekick (also known as my laptop). I wanted light…natural daylight.. and I didn’t want to feel closed off. Well, it happened and this snowy day made me realize just how important it was.
(I grew up in far west Texas and snow wasn’t in our picture). He’d already been to the barn and even driven me to town (where the grocery store was without power and closing for the day), so this wasn’t a big imposition.
