Since green building is not quite mainstream yet, it’s a good idea to research green building on your own so you know what to look for when choosing your site, home plan, builder and sustainable products. A good place to start is looking through home building magazines and books, exploring the internet and talking with your designer, builder and local/regional home building associations, particularly those that are a member of The U.S. Green Building Council. Our latest Home Ideas issues provides an introduction to building green and a useful checklist of things to consider when building a green home.

Beautiful stone and clay roof tiles are reminiscent of a Mediterranean villa. With its large open floor plan this home has plenty of space for entertaining. The luxurious master suite is privately set on the first floor, with convenient access to the study. Four additional bedrooms and a game room complete the second floor of this lovely floor plan. View the house plan here.

We’ve integrated our customer’s most requested features into a mid-sized ranch house plan in the creation of this attractive new house plan design called The Mount Airy. The Craftsman style siding and stone exterior is accented with a “Palladian” window, dormers, multi-level trim and an inviting front porch. A flexible office/living/4th bedroom, an exquisite master suite, a 3-car garage with a utility sink, and a large screened porch are sure to make this 2000 square foot home irresistible.
The exceptional master suite, with direct access to the deck, a sitting area, full-featured bath, and spacious walk-in closets, create a true “Master’s Retreat.” A bay window brightens the casual dining room and kitchen. Vaulted or trayed ceilings adorn the living, family room, master suite and cozy “coffee corner”. Other rooms have 9′ ceilings. The upper level bonus room features 495 sq. ft. of functional living space with 5 ft. knee walls rising up to an 8 ft. ceiling. The secondary bedrooms, each measuring approx. 13′ x 11′, have walk-in closets and share a “Jack and Jill” bath. A breezy screened porch, measuring 16’x13’8”, features a vaulted ceiling with a ceiling fan.

Learn about the latest trends and styles for your home’s exterior, including Red Cedar, fiber cement siding and vinyl siding in the latest issue of Home Ideas. Every week you’ll learn about new home building products, like choosing the right siding to not only protect your home, but give your home great curb appeal.

Learn how to design an outdoor retreat, create an inspiring entranceway or learn how to merge cedar siding with stone to create a unique and timeless exterior to your new home. When it comes to the interior of your home Cedar flooring, paneling and moulding is a smart choice because of its resistance to decay, dimensional stability and thermal and insulating properties.

The Charleston Carriage House is a 2 car garage plan with 792 sq. ft. of living quarters above. With siding exterior and decorative details, this garage plan is reminiscent of a country barn. It would be perfect temporary quarters during construction of your permanent home. Or it could serve as an in-law apartment, nanny quarters, college student apartment, etc. This garage plan design features an eat-in kitchen area, a spacious family room, a bathroom and a bedroom with both a clothes closet and storage closet. Two more closets, as well as an oversized pantry, provide maximum storage in minimum space. Laundry appliances could be positioned in the garage adjacent to the mechanical area. A shady covered porch is perfect for relaxing with friends. We have shown an outdoor fireplace in our rendering to help you plan your recreational space.

View our extensive collection of duplex house plans! Renting out one side of a duplex and living in the other, is great way to get into your first home and having a littlle help with the mortgage payment. Whether looking for a one bderoom or a three bedroom our collection of duplex house plans have it all!!!

Transom windows and a wraparound porch, allow for views for miles in this beautiful mountain home. 16 foot ceilings in the living/dining room create a dramatic appearance and great flow throughout the house. The spacious second floor master suite offers plenty of privacy. With his-and-hers sinks, a tub, separate shower and walk-in closets everyone will be satisfied. Two additional bedrooms complete this lovely design. View the house plan here.

Home Plan Additions are a great way to enhance your home without spending a lot of money. Whether you are looking to expand your kitchen, add on a great room or a new master suite you are sure to find something in our home plan additions section. We have many different addition plans to choose from.

When it comes to designing your stairway you have plenty of design and style options. Whether you choose to use a prefabricated staircase or custom, there are many unique designs available to complement your home.

Look beyond the lines, curves, graceful forms and patterns and make sure that your stairway is practical and functional. All of the stairways in the two-story home plans by The House Designers can be modified to enhance the interior look of your home.

I had a cusotmer today who needed a house on one level, I was able to direct her to the section of the website called ranch house plans. Ranch house plans, also known as one story house plans are the most popular choice for home plans. All ranch house plans share one thing in common: a design for one story living.