Most Popular House Plans of 2021 – 1600 sq. ft. ranch house plan

Open entertaining.  So many of our fondest memories of “home” occur when we’re together.  Family times… holidays with extended family… having friends and neighbors over… open floor plan layouts foster the feeling that everyone is a part of what’s going on. This design’s 7-foot island can double as a buffet servery, while the dining area, unconstrained by interior walls, can temporarily expand into the Family Room when you extend your table for Thanksgiving dinner.

Accommodating bedrooms.  Is your bedroom suite your refuge? Then little things such as the short alcove entry which provides visual privacy even when your bedroom door is open will be important to you.  The 10-foot high boxed ceiling adds interest and allows for a fun touch of an additional color. Pocket doors into the bathroom eliminate the conflict a hinged door could presents someone standing at the first sink, and everyday you’ll be thankful for the nice size 3-foot by 5-foot shower. 

All three bedrooms provide generous walk-in closet storage, helping everyone be organized.  Plus, you won’t be hearing “Where am I going to put it?” when you ask your kids to clean their rooms.  And the hall bathroom is just a couple steps from bedrooms 2 and 3.

Affordability.  Measuring 42-feet-wide, the Shelton Farm fits on most of today’s modest-size, more reasonably priced building lots.  The home’s foundation is straightforward, eliminating expensive jogs that add to construction costs.  Its roof design is similarly uncomplicated and designed with a 6:12 slope, to save on roofing labor costs.  And when built on a basement foundation, value-engineering streamlines the structural components while allowing for a dimensional lumber floor system, saving money as compared with an I-joist floor system.

Enhanced livability.  Coming in from the garage doesn’t mean stepping directly into the Family room in the Shelton Farm.  Rather, there’s a desirable transition space with a wide bench, handy for untying shoes (and sliding them underneath) plus coat hooks above.  Just as important, that transition space is not the laundry room so you need not be reminded of that chore when returning home from a long day.

A sliding barn door reveals an unexpected amenity, this home’s modest pocket office, private space for finishing work brought home, schoolwork, or your planning center.  But in true flex space fashion, some buyers choose to repurpose this space as a powder bathroom, pet center, wine room, or an additional walk-in closet.

Finally, all of this home’s interior passage doors are 32-inches-wide.  Not only are these wider doors more comfortable and appreciated when moving furniture, they are accessible for individuals using a walker or small wheelchair, ensuring your home is welcoming to everyone.

Curb appeal.  Metal shed roofs over the front window and garage door, in concert with the vertical board and batten siding atop stone accents, contribute to this home’s alluring exterior.  Home plan buyers have voted with their dollars in favor of such Modern Farmhouse influences even though they do add some expense.  By way of comparison, the Shelton Farm is outselling its sister plan 42391 Shelton by more than 2:1, even though the Shelton, with its identical floor plan, could be built for less.  And, some buyers prefer the hip-roofline version of this home, plan 42393 Shelton Place.