CHALLENGES: This family wanted to build their own house, and I was lucky enough to be there from the start of the design process with the architect, all the way through to the finish build. In so many ways, building your own house from the ground up can be both liberating and overwhelming for a homeowner. This house was finished in January 2023 and is 7000 sq ft.

SOLUTION: Having good communication with architect, builder, homeowner and designer is critical. I was able to interpret parts of the floor plan to the homeowners that I thought were concerning. Examples include: “This mudroom won’t be big enough for all your family”; “Wouldn't you like more daylight in your shower?”; “If you want to watch TV in this room, we need to create an area for it.”; and “Where would we put winter coats?” It is easy to get swept up in the design process and forget about day to day living.

Advantages of building your own house include being able to specify things to be done the way you want them. You won’t inherit design choices from previous owners. Do you want casing around your windows and doors or would you like a kerfed return? Do you want texture on your walls? Would you like your outlets and light switches to be less noticeable? Not to mention, all the big ticket items such as cabinetry and floors will be picked by you!