Best House Floor Plans

Home offices are no longer reduced to the darkest corner of the abode. Given the number of small business owners and telecommuters working from home, the home office is more commonplace then ever. Aside from productivity, there aren’t any rules to setting up the home studio/office. But, there are a few guidelines and home office design tips for setting up an efficient workplace.

Think functionality. Although, the mahogany credenza makes a magnificent statement in the center of the room, does it offer the most functionality? A functional workspace presents accessibility, comfort and visual appeal. Consider the following home office design tips to set up your space:

•    Do you prefer a window-side view of the exterior?
•    Are there enough electrical plugs to accommodate technology needs?
•    Do you plan to host many meetings?
•    Are there certain files, records or documents you require easy access?
•    Is the workspace far enough from your living space to allow for a break?

Opt for ergonomic comfort. Working in the home office does not negate the need for ergonomic comfort. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), back related strains and tendonitis are triggered by furniture ill suited for relaxed posture. Ergonomically designed furniture prevents injuries and promotes productivity.  Use these home office design tips for proper furniture placement:

*    Position the computer monitor within two to three feet from eye level.

*    Select an ergonomic desk chair, enabling the feet to be planted comfortably on the floor.

*    To alleviate back strain, select an armchair with slightly reclined back support.

Select multifunctional furnishings. In many home offices, storage and space are commodities. Select furnishings that serve several purposes.   Here are a few home office design examples:

*   Shelving doubles as an organizer and as a showcase.
*   Elongated tables function as a conference area and workspace.
*   A statuesque corkboard serves as a room divider, a daily planner and/or even a place to post photos.

Do you have a home office design tip, question or idea? Share your design ideas with BestHouseFloorPlans.com

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Interior design tip: Setting the dining table for elegance

Setting, the dining room table for a dinner party calls for a recipe of elegance. Refer to the table on the right to compile the ingredients list and use the tips below to bring a sumptuous dining room table to life.

The Motif
Select hues reflecting the motif of your dinner party. Make sure that the colors concur with your dinnerware. To minimize colors and introduce other textures, opt for napkin ring holders made of wood, metal or beads.

The Centerpiece
A bouquet of flowers, arranged in a crystal or other decorative vase is the centerpiece for an elegant dining room table. (If possible, try to create a floral arrangement that matches the place settings). The wine decanter, candles and candleholders are supporting roles of the centerpiece. To create symmetry, the candles height should not exceed the height of the flower bouquet.

Alternate floral arrangement idea: Bunch several different herbs of thyme, rosemary and lavender into two to three different matching tall glasses.

The Place settings

Silverware
The meat fork is to the immediate right of the plate, followed by the fish knife and then the soupspoon (knife blades facing inward, toward the plate). The main fork dish is to the plate’s left and then the salad fork. (The napkin can be folded and placed in the center of the plate).

Glasses
Place the glassware above the knives. The water glass is positioned directly above the meat knife. Situated at a diagonal angle, the red wine glass is situated at the right of the water glass.

And from there, let your imagination take hold of your elegant dining room table.

Ingredients needed for the Elegant Dining Table

•    Dining room set  (table and chairs)
•    White or any colored linen tablecloth
•    Several pairs of matching napkins
•    Napkin rings/holders
•    Porcelain or ceramic dinner ware
•    Water glasses
•    Wine glasses or other stemmed glasses
•    Silverware
•    Candleholders
•    Matching candles
•    Vase or decorative container
•    Bouquet of flowers
•    Crystal Wine Decanter (optional)
•    Silver or crystal Salt and peppershakers

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How To Decorate A Dining Room With Candles

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If only making over the home or building a new single family home was as fantasy-like as depicted on the television show, “Extreme Makeovers.” The premise of the popular program is to transform an outdated home into a dream domicile. At the end of the show, the homeowner is so overwhelmed with joy that they cry.

In reality, home construction projects rarely conjure the same type of elation. Whether it’s the new room addition, a complete renovation or for the construction for a new home, finding a builder who has the expertise, artisanship and ethical acumen is the difference between sobbing for satisfaction versus shedding tears of emotional devastation.

Hiring the right builder to architect the schematics of your home floor plan is the most paramount aspect of the project’s undertaking. Best House Floor Plans compiled a short list for finding and hiring the right builder.

1) Begin the quest at Home Floor Plans and More. The home design site has a database of 17,000 home floor plans and hundreds of homebuilders throughout the nation.

2) Next, execute the following due diligence:

*  Review the license.

*  Conduct your own background check.  Ask for references. The verification is a two-part process. First, ask to review photos of completed projects. Second, contact the builder’s previous clients to learn about the quality of the contractor’s craftsmanship. If possible, try to schedule a brief meeting with the homeowners to evaluate completed projects. Also, check with your local attorney general’s office to determine if there are any complaints or suits pending against the builder.

3) Ask the pertinent questions:

How many projects do you currently have in development?
If your builder is juggling multiple projects at a time, it could drag out your project’s completion date. A homebuilder with too many projects may be unable to complete your home on time.

What are your policies and procedures for purchasing building parts and labor?

4) Obtain bids from three different contractors. Be sure to peruse and compare the details of each quote.

5) Make sure you download a contract at the Home Floor Plans and More that indemnifies you from legal obligation to any of the builder’s vendors and contractors.

Share your best and worst home design project stories with us.

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We’ve updated the look of the blog quite a bit. I hope everyone likes it. The old style didn’t really match our intention of promoting eco-friendly housing ideas as well as we would have liked. We plan to roll out even more features over the next couple of months.

We are working to find the best resources for materials and designs for your home to help you be energy efficient and eco-friendly. If you have suggestions for topics we can cover or if you have some great tips of your own, we would love to hear from you.

Thanks for your support!

Hi Best House Floor Plans!

We’ve been looking at home floor plans and determined that we don’t need a new one. We have an extra bedroom.  The space serves multiple purposes. When family visits, it becomes the designated guestroom. My husband uses the room to catch up on reading. Meanwhile, my son entertains his guests in the space. Do you have any home design tips for our extra bedroom?

Beatrice Holmes – Kansas City

Greeting BHKC!

Thanks for posing your question. You’re right, designing is not limited to obtaining a new floor plan. Based on the multiple tasks of your extra bedroom, it sounds like you’re in need of home design tips for creating a flex room.

Given all the purposes that your room currently serves, consider how this room is used today and its future functions. Then make note of how your spouse, son and guests utilize the space in terms of lighting, temperature control and electrical outlet requirements.  This will allow you to synchronize the aesthetics with the space’s functionality.

To accommodate the bedroom’s various purposes, consider your color alternatives. At Home Floor Plans and More, a succinct article details how different colors influence the mood. Try to opt for a color scheme that pleases all audiences. For instance, a canary yellow enhances a feeling of happiness. (Light, creamy yellow hues tend to elevate the mood).

In traditional bedrooms, the bed is the virtual focal point. Since the flex room quells a number of purposes, select a bed that blends in like a chameleon. Futons, pullout sofa beds, and Murphy beds make for seamless furnishing alternatives.

As for other decorative accents, remember that an oversized mirror reflects the appearance of an expansive space. Shelving features organization. Armoires divvy up space.

Finally, to minimize future design necessities, remember to create a theme transitional enough to accommodate your lifestyle, down the road.

For additional home design tips in the bedroom and around the home read:

•    Design Facts
•    Décor Facts

Be sure to post your home design tips and questions here and we’ll respond as soon as possible.

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Flex Appeal – Multi-Purpose Guest Rooms