Contemporary Home Styles
Contemporary home designs and architecture have become increasingly common and more popular over the last few years, and as we move into the 21st Century with evolving needs, tastes, and concerns, the benefits of such homes are worth examining. Contemporary and modern architecture are often erroneously considered to be the same thing, but the designation “contemporary” refers to building styles that are as functional as they are aesthetic in design – leading to considerable variation between different examples – while “modern” usually refers to appearance alone. Both styles are indeed similar, but contemporary homes tend to prioritize energy efficiency, sustainable materials, natural light, and the use of recycled, environmentally friendly, or non-toxic materials.
Before deciding to construct your own contemporary home, remember that it’s traditionally been difficult for such house plans to be approved where strict neighborhood covenants and or zoning restrictions are in effect, so you’ll want to be sure to get proper approval and check for any restrictions prior to purchasing land with the intent of building a contemporary style home. These restrictions are becoming less and less common, though, as more and more people begin to recognize the benefits contemporary homes offer.
- Efficient Use of Space
When you think about it, most home designs from the 19th and 20th Centuries don’t actually utilize space in an efficient manner. Part of this is because domestic needs have changed, and part of it is due to historically accepted aspects of home design that were never really challenged or questioned by the public at large. Contemporary house plans suffer no such restrictions; space is used as efficiently as possible and is intended to complement the entire structure as a whole. This includes designing ceiling space as well as hallways and corridors to maximize airflow – which can save you a bundle on energy costs – and minimize transitional spaces. Contemporary house plans generally strive for a balance between space and overall home size, often with the understanding that bigger is not always better. The goal is usually to make the best use of space to decrease redundancy and potential for clutter, and as you may have seen in tiny homes, good use of space means you’re going to require less of it. In a break from conventional homes, the living space of contemporary plans isn’t necessarily limited to indoor space but also extends into the surrounding environment. This is part of why you’ll need to take nearby homes, natural features, and city zoning laws into account, but on the whole a good contemporary home design will consider space both in and around the house.
- Natural Light
Contemporary home plans also give considerable attention to natural light levels. Usually this involves not only large windows on less-visible sides of the house, but also smaller windows on multiple sides of a room to bring in a natural light level that provides enough light to see. In both cases, the idea is to keep large amounts of natural light flowing into rooms without compromising privacy, so it’s important to remember to check your house plan against the surrounding area to make sure that the placement of windows accomplishes both goals. When you’re able to maximize natural light levels, you can get away with turning on fewer lights. Again, this can greatly reduce your energy consumption during the day, and it’s a huge help for stay-at-home moms, homeschooling parents, people who work from home, retirees, or anyone who spends the majority of their active time during the day at home as opposed to an office.
- Aesthetics and Design
The contemporary house plans that really stand out are those that maintain a balance between design, structural efficiency, and overall aesthetic value. Ideally, the construction should be as much about form as function, and the efficiencies that are built into the home are often done in a way that’s visually appealing. Common contemporary home features are large, bold exterior massing elements with simple shallow-sloped or flat rooflines, depending on the climate (you don’t want flat rooftops in areas that get a lot of snow, for example, and be conscious of leaks in areas that get a lot of rain). They often employ mixtures of natural wood, stone, metal, and glass elements with an emphasis on clean, sharp lines, and the overall goal here is to incorporate aesthetically pleasing elements into the overall design plan while minimizing unnecessary and redundant structural additions. The ethos of contemporary home design is actually quite simple: homes are investments in which the occupants will likely live for many years, so why not make doing so a visually pleasant experience?
- Room for Customization
Initially we mentioned that there are some aspects of conventional home design that are inefficient or redundant but simply haven’t been challenged or questioned; many of us may not bother to consider how our home could be built differently because we’re not really encouraged to. We may not consider how design plan could have been done better because most of us aren’t architects, designers, or home construction contractors. Contemporary house plans seek to overturn this idea and break away from convention by employing designs that don’t necessarily rely on symmetry or other design conventions, which leaves the homeowner ample room for customization and future expansion. A good example of this is homeowners electing to downgrade in size and focus on building on more outdoor features instead. With conventional homes, additions are almost always made with the intent of making the home itself bigger, such as adding a room. However, with contemporary house plans there’s no need to overburden your home or energy bill with rooms or features you don’t require or won’t actually use. More than any other style, contemporary homes allow you to customize until you have the right design for your unique needs and preferences.
- Environmentally Friendly
Last but certainly not least, contemporary house plans often place a heavy emphasis on energy and environmental efficiency. We’ve seen a few examples of this with regard to airflow, efficient use of space, and employment of natural light to reduce energy costs. This also includes judicious application of certain materials for insulation as well as proper and efficient construction. Maximizing and recycling energy wherever possible is always the goal and extends to things like water-saving indoor plumbing, energy efficient lighting and the use of building materials that are either sustainable or recycled. These, combined with good natural light levels and efficient airflow, are major aspects of a home design that can save you a lot of money and lessen your impact on the environment in the long run.
Before you decide on a house design, remember to spend some time researching and drawing up lists of the features you may or may not need. Take into account the benefits contemporary designs offer with the understanding that you can always customize them to your liking, and don’t forget to check zoning restrictions! For more on home design and real estate in the modern market, be sure to sign up for our Priority Access List for listings and insider info, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
– Get It Right Solutions