Southern Maryland Home Design Tutorial

You may already own the land or you may be looking for that perfect location as part of the home design process. Either way, it is important to recognize that the land and the design of your home are interrelated. Factors such as topography and available views will be key in determining where on the land your home should be built, which direction it should face, and, in many cases, the architectural styles from which you should choose.

We have provided answers to many of the questions you should ask yourself at the beginning of the home building process. Please feel free to contact us for advice or further information concerning these or any other questions you may have.

Buy your land or design your house:  Which comes first?

• Before you buy your property, think of the kind of house you wish to build. Chesapeake Living Treasures recommends choosing a design that blends with its surroundings.  There are also engineering realities that must be accommodated during the design process.  For example, a sloped property may not be conducive to a single floor design but could be ideal for a plan with a daylight basement or elevated decks.

• We also advise that you do not make the final design decision for your home until you have selected the property upon which it will be built. Then you can determine the siting of the home on the location. This will allow you to plan for septic and well systems if necessary, select the most scenic location for placement of your home, and allow you to put bedrooms or other "quiet" areas facing away from roads or other potential sources of noise and distraction.

Some planning tips:

• Decide where you want to live before looking at particular home types.  Do you want to live in the woods, on the water, or within easy commute of your work location?

• Make two lists - what you like and what you dislike about your current home.  Add items to your lists as you visit homes of friends and relatives or tour model homes.

• Look at as many photos of the insides and outsides of homes as you can.  Keep a clipping file or make print-outs of images on web pages that show features you like.  Gather images of architectural styles, window styles, siding, kitchens, baths, and hallways.

• Track the traffic flow in your home. Are you comfortable with the location of the kitchen? Are the children's rooms where you want them to be? Is the laundry area convenient?

• Analyze your life style. How you live can dramatically affect the home environment you create. For example, do you usually eat and entertain in the kitchen or outdoors in the summer? Do you frequently have overnight guests?  Your answers may point to a need for a large formal dining room, guest rooms, or other accommodations to make your new home fit your lifestyle.