The Drawing Board

Pro-Tips: How to Choose a Designer or Architect

Rick McAlexander

Springtime is when many are inspired to find their first or next home. Maybe you have decided you want to build and after searching house plans or garage plans on The House Plan Company website, you’ve found a plan that nearly checks all the boxes. Perhaps you would prefer more of an open-concept living area – providing some slight separately of space – over the popular great room style layout. Maybe you want to add a mud hall to help organize coats and shoes. Whatever the changes are that will make a great floor plan perfect for you and...

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A Dream Vacation Home Plan is Available for All Settings and Seasons

Rick McAlexander

With the promise of longer days and warmer weather to come, now is the perfect time to think about exploring new places.

A vacation home is a great option for adventurers who want a place to call home wherever their travels take them. But the perfect vacation home design takes its location and natural characteristics into account. Fortunately, a variety of designs currently presented by The House Plan Company are at your disposal, no matter the setting for your dream vacation home....

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Find Design Inspiration for Your Next Build with The House Plan Company

Rick McAlexander

With winter a time to enjoy the warmth and comfort of home, it’s also the ideal time to imagine what that dream home plan might look like. From bestselling pre-designed plans to customized home and garage designs, The House Plan Company is a perfect design partner to find all the inspiration you need.

Numerous designs currently presented by The House Plan Company highlight how trending design features can be incorporated into just about any owner’s vision for an exquisite home.

The...

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Home Design Lessons from 2021 and Trends to Watch in 2022

Rick McAlexander

Although home design and building trends don’t typically experience monumental change year after year, The House Plan Company in Eugene, Oregon has recognized shifts in home buyer requests that align with nationwide trends that are expected to continue in the new year. From expanded outdoor living to finding new opportunities to reduce energy demands, to placing a greater importance on dedicated workspaces designed for spending more than just a few hours in at a time, homeowners are evaluating a variety of ways to “future proof” their homes.

“The past two years have demonstrated...

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Is the Great Room the Right Room for You?

Rick McAlexander

Both figuratively and literally, the open floor plan design of the Great Room has become the center of the home and what many home buyers believe they want. While it certainly can make a small home feel spacious, and it offers families the ability to stay connected while a multitude of activities take place at the same time, it can also present functional issues. How do you hide kitchen messes from view? Where can you go when you want a quiet place to read, work, or give kids space to play?

“The decision about whether or not to incorporate a Great Room really depends on the home...

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Small Farmhouse Plans

Rick McAlexander

The farmhouse home design has long been a quaint, idyllic reminder of the very best of country living.

But as families have flocked to more urban locales in recent years, they’ve found that there are plenty of ways to combine the classic farmhouse charm with contemporary specifications.

As a contrast to the sprawling, functional farmhouses that have been a staple of rural communities, farmhouse designs in the 1,500 to 2,500 square foot range have become increasingly popular in cities and suburbs alike.

The House Plan...

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Let The Outdoors In: How Home Design Can Connect Us With Nature

Rick McAlexander

Large bodies of research have shown that time spent in or viewing nature can have positive effects on our brains, bodies, emotions, thoughts, and interactions with others. For home buyers looking to build, creating opportunities to incorporate nature and natural settings into the home’s design can be a great way to let the outdoors in.

“When looking at home plans, home buyers should consider how the rooms are arranged to maximize how they would like the home to interact with the outdoors,” said Rick McAlexander, CEO of The House Plan Company. “For example, does the great room face...

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