Everyone dreams about owning the perfect home and more and more people are realizing that dream by building their own home or at least helping to design their home even if a contractor is building it for them.

 Even if you know nothing about home design you can still be an active participant in the creation of your dream home by giving the people that do the real home design something to work with.  A home design team is only as good as the idea they are given and you will be the people they look to for their home design direction because it is your home.  So it is one thing to say you are excited about your dream home but a whole other ball game to actually know what you want and to know exactly how you want it laid out.  So take some time to get ready to contribute to your own home design.

Open Houses

The first thing you can do in your dream home development is get out and see what other homes look like.  People all over the country spend beautiful weekend afternoons just driving around town and looking at the sights.  On top of seeing things you may have never seen before you also get to get some very good real life ideas for your home design project. 

If you get out on a Sunday afternoon you may be able to walk through some open houses being held by various real estate agents and this can be a great way to get some real life ideas for your home design project. 

Magazines and Stores

For some reason many people think it is silly to start looking through these perfect living magazines to get ideas for their home design project when that is exactly what those magazines were created for in the first place.  Spend some time with Martha Stewart or spend some time checking out the better homes and gardens of our country to give you ideas on what your dream home will look like.

Remember this is your dream, your money, and the place you will be living so you will want to make sure everything is just as you want it.  You can also spend time at the local home improvement super stores to see what the different components of a home look like and incorporate them into your dream home. 

There are giveaways every year by big companies that promise people the chance to win their dream home.  That has never made sense because how does someone else know what your dream home looks like?  Plan your own dream home out and make sure it looks exactly like you want it to and has everything you have ever dreamed of having in a home.

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The Kitchen

The kitchen is usually the hub of the home. Modern home design decisions made here will affect the rest of the house. First, you need to decide if you would like an open layout kitchen, or a closed in design. The open layout option is good if you like to entertain or talk to people in the living room while you cook or clean up. Next, decide how much natural light and how much task lighting you want in your kitchen. Track lighting and recessed lighting are a very popular modern home design that is used in kitchens. Also, decide if you would like a window above the sink, if you would like and island, a double oven, or a built-in microwave.

An important planning step is to decide where the eating will be done. Will you have a breakfast bar or breakfast nook? Will you have a formal dining room or just a kitchen table? Will you have built-in benches for maximum seating, or will you just use chairs?

The Living Room/Family Room

The living room and/or family room is where the family can gather for fun and entertainment. When planning modern home design for this room, consider if you would like a built-in entertainment center and/or book shelves. Also consider shelving made especially for any gaming systems you may have, including storage for extra controllers. You may want custom built shelves to hold collections, extra wide shelving for board games, a built-in dart board, or other features to accommodate hobbies and entertainment.

Another thing to think about is the TV placement. Do you want it mounted on the wall, in its own recessed cubby, or in an entertainment center? Also, do you want surround sound and how will it affect other parts of the modern home design? Many custom surround sound units can be put in before or during the laying of drywall so that there are no visible wires.

Windows should be carefully planned in the modern home design. Consider if you would like a bay window seat installed for a cozy reading nook, or if you want in-the-window blinds to reduce dust.

There are many things to consider when deciding on modern home design, but they can all be made with a little planning and carful thought to the needs of the whole family.

Tags: modern home design, modern home, home design, home, best home

Home Theater and Living Area

The explosion of flat screen LCD or plasma televisions have really done wonders in terms of modern interior home design for the home theater. Because the modern look is sleek and contemporary with clean lines and no fussy details, the flat screens are perfect. To perpetuate the modern look, you should either mount the television onto the wall (make sure it is in a wall stud) or place it on an anchored pedestal such as an entertainment center made from wood, steel or glass.

You won’t see a cushy recliner or lumpy sofa in a living room with a modern interior home design. Instead you will see contoured furniture in different shapes, angles and materials like metal, chrome, glass or sleek wood.

Colors and Materials

When it comes to modern interior home design, there is really no limit to the colors used in your décor but you will likely not ever see chintz or any patterns which are deemed “busy” or “fussy.” Bold colors like red, lime green and orange are at home in modern interior home design just as much as darker or more muted colors like black, gray, dark brown or even purple. While there are patterns in the modern look, they are typically clean pinstripes or something that would not be construed as busy.

Texture is also very big in modern interior home design and you will find these textures in the rugs, curtains and even the materials for linens. Contrasts of sleek and smooth are identifiable in the modern or contemporary look so you might have satiny sheets paired with an organic, solid color nubby looking or quilted blanket. 

Glass, geometric shapes and interesting contours are often found in modern interior home design as opposed to warm woods and boxy design. Glass tables, frosted glass in lamps or even glass in cabinets sets off a particular modern interior home design look. The use of metal, such as metal framing for a glass table or shiny metal chair legs or even chrome cabinet pulls are other examples of the style.

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There are two stages of exterior home design that you need to think of when you are considering projects as you stare at the outside of your home.  The first is necessary projects that have to be done mostly due to needed repair or regular home maintenance.  The other is the projects that you would love to do if you have time and can fit them into your budget.  Obviously the more important exterior home design projects are the ones that have to be done due to repair or regular maintenance but they do not need to be boring.

Window Sills

If your window sills need work, then take that as an opportunity to spice up the trim on your house.  Decide on a color that matches with the current color of your house and get to painting.  This is also a great time to repair and reinforce any window sills that may have eroded over time and, due to neglect, are now looking like they are falling apart.

It is not uncommon to one day look up at the window sills at the top floors of your home, especially in the back, and realize that it has been years since you did anything to help them out.  Window sills in need of repair can be places where warm air gets out and cold air and water gets in to cause damage.  So this kind of exterior home design project is not only necessary for cosmetic reasons but it is also very necessary for the efficiency of your home and to prevent future damage.

Lawn

When people start considering exterior home design projects they always think about painting the house, adding some siding, or even getting the roof repaired or replaced.  But what about your lawn?  Landscaping is also part of exterior home design and you can use landscaping to really make your house stand out.  Real estate agents call it curb appeal and it means that people looking at your house from the curb will find it attractive if you just add things here and there to your lawn.

Colorful flowers in the right spot are always attractive.  You may not need a whole garden but some color is always nice.  Some sort of border around the sidewalk leading up to your house can also add a nice touch.  Anything that is not over the top but still adds something to your home’s curb appeal is great.

If you really want to start planning a exterior home design project then make sure you get the important stuff done first and make sure that you add value to your home while you are doing it.  There are a lot of great ideas if you just keep your eyes and mind open.

Tags: exterior home design, home design, design