GANT Custom Homes
GANT Custom Homes believes every house should have interesting architectural style. Every house can be inviting and comfortable for the homeowners and their guests without being a McMansion.
It seems every housing boom creates new boring houses that all look alike. Some examples include the ranch-style of the 1960s and 70s and more recently the pseudo-craftsman of the 1990s and 2000s with the crazy rooflines.
GANT Custom Homes designs smaller homes with character (800-2200 sq ft). These cottage-style house plans are retro-looking and include a full-length front porch, efficient-open floor plans and detached or offset garages. Our preferred styles include the Craftsman Bungalow (1920-30s), two-story farmhouses with wrap-around porches, and cabins.
Homes should be designed for the way we live. House designs should be planned around our everyday activities and designed to grow or change with us as our lives and family dynamics change.
Most of our plans have a laundry room and computer/recharging station (for cell phones, laptops, & other gadgets) for everyday tasks. Everyday tasks are sometimes overlooked in a house plan. Tasks such as laundry and bill paying are apart of our everyday life and should be made as comfortable as possible, therefore we plan areas in the home for them, [not just a closet and the kitchen counter]. Also incorporated into the plan can be home offices, libraries, handicap accessible entries and bathrooms, covered BBQ porches, and bonus/media rooms.
With our population aging (baby-boomers are getting older – 80 million will retire in the next 20 years!) it makes sense to build homes that are Universally Designed (UD) – accessible to people of all abilities, also known as Aging-In-Place in the remodeling world. In smaller home plans we can do this with minimal increased costs.
Downsizing to a smaller accessible and efficient home makes sense for those who want to stay in their house long-term.
NOTES:
1. Picture above is from Southern Living Magazine’s house plans website, from the “Cottage Living” Collection (http://www.slhouseplans.com/exec/action/plans/browsemode/thumbnails/filter/attid.117). They have many nice plans to choose from.
2. I am a fan of the Not So Big House (Sarah Susanka) series of books and house plans (http://www.notsobighouse.com/plans/index.asp).
3. Ross Chapin, also highlighted on the Not So Big House website has some great plans to choose from as well (http://www.rosschapin.com/Plans/plans.html).
4. The Bungalow Company also has many good bungalow style cottage plans (http://thebungalowcompany.com/)
4. Please contact me before purchasing a complete set of plans. Many have experienced picking their dream home and spending thousands of dollars on plans, only to find they can not use the plans for various reasons.