If it’s time to put your individual stamp on your next house or home renovation, let’s look at the best places to go for inspiration. Some of them require a little leg work while others can be check out from the comfort of your couch.
A custom builder. Get in touch with quality custom builders in your area that have proven plans in a range of prices. They will have the flexibility to modify features to your liking. A bonus: With proven plans, the building experience should be more efficient and less problematic.
Home design websites. Tens of thousands of house designs are available online on sites such as www.houseplans.com , www.homeplans.com, www.eplans.com, and www.monsterhouseplans.com, to name a few. Sites such as these allow you to set search parameters by size, number of bedrooms and baths, and more. Three-dimensional plans are available to order and there are tools to plug in your ZIP code to get a cost estimate for building in your area. Another cool site is www.houzz.com where you can browse an almost unlimited number of design photos for every room of the house. Hover your cursor over features in each photo to get a description of that item, and where to buy it.
Parade of Homes. Watch for a Parade of Homes event that showcases the latest house designs from builders in your area. Even if you are not in the market to buy, go ahead and tour the homes, which are typically loaded with extra features and beautifully decorated.
Pinterest. An online bulletin of sorts, Pinterest.com is the go-to site for ideas and inspiration on just about anything these days — from birthday party ideas to home design and decor. Type in a few key words to describe what you’re looking for, such as “baby’s room,” and you’ll be linked to a wealth of websites, blogs and photo spreads. The great thing about Pinterest is that it allows you to “pin” your favorites so you can reference them later.
Magazines. It may seem old school to thumb through magazines, but they remain an excellent resource. House Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens, HGTV Magazine, Architectural Digest and many more offer a treasure trove of eye-catching ideas. Bookstore and home improvement stores typically have a good selection or check their online editions.
