Families change. Babies are born, children grow, elderly relatives may move in. A home that easily adapts to your needs leads to a happier family. Builders in Veranda are adept at crafting homes that change along with your family. How do they do it? Take a look.
Open Floor Plans
An open floor plan comprising the kitchen, family room and casual dining area is extremely versatile. Parents can easily keep an eye on young children when they cook dinner. As children grow, they can do homework at the kitchen island. As families begin to entertain more, the great room adjusts simply by moving furniture around. If you need extra office space, a desk can be fitted into the breakfast nook or a corner of the kitchen.
How Does Your Kitchen Adapt?
Young people tend to microwave their meals. Families spend more time in the kitchen. Older adults often host holiday meals. How will your kitchen adapt to these changing needs? An adaptable kitchen is one with plenty of cupboards for storing dishes and plenty of counter space for preparing food. A large walk-in pantry is sure to fill up when you start making Costco runs. Double ovens are a blessing when it comes to baking holiday treats. Kitchen islands are a necessity not only for the extra prep space but to provide additional seating for informal gatherings.
Flex Rooms
A home that adapts is a home with rooms that are easy to repurpose. These “flex” rooms allow you to make changes without extensive and expensive remodeling. Newmark Homes offers floor plans with formal living rooms. Westin Homes boasts designs with formal dining rooms. These rooms can be repurposed as children’s playrooms, media rooms, studies and homework centers. Once fledglings leave the nest, they can become exercise or hobby rooms.
Structural Options
All Veranda builders offer structural options that allow you to adjust your home to meet your needs before you move in. You may need to think ahead, but when the time comes, your home will be ready. If you anticipate elderly parents will be moving in eventually, you may want to opt for a generational suite now. Until your parents move in, these make excellent suites for visiting guests. Adult children returning to the nest will appreciate their own space. A common option is the addition of a media room. Media rooms bring families together and can be used to entertain. They also make great Zoom rooms while working from home.
Storage is Important
Young couples just starting out may not need much storage space. As families grow, however, they acquire stuff and stuff needs to be stored. When considering a floor plan, think about how your storage needs may change. Does the home offer walk-in closets in all bedrooms? Is there a mudroom where backpacks can hang? Your garage should be big enough for your cars and for storing equipment.
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
The placement of bedrooms and bathrooms makes a difference in how your home adjusts to changing needs. An upstairs master suite seems great when you have young children but how will you get up the stairs when you are older? If you want to age in place, a downstairs master suite is preferable. Life is easier when children have their own bedrooms and bathrooms. Once they are grown up, they can be repurposed as guest suites. However, with a little creativity, you can turn them into home offices with storage closets, an upstairs workout room with a shower or a meditation room.
Veranda Homes are Adaptable
If your current home doesn’t meet your needs now, it won’t in the future. Visit Veranda and talk with our builder representatives. They can point you in the direction of a home you will never have to leave.
