Is Your Home Stressing You Out?

Is Your Home Stressing You Out?

Gainsville - #6651 floor plan

When building new, if you’ll have individual garage doors, don’t settle for less than nine-foot wide doors. Note also when the front door is open in this layout, the stairs going up are blocked.

It’s been a long day, and you still don’t know what you’re serving for dinner tonight. You slowly pull into the garage, careful to avoid running one of the side mirrors into the garage door frame (curse those eight-foot wide garage doors!).

Fortunately, your granddaughter’s asleep as you lift the carrier out of its car seat base. Bags in the other hand, you navigate around the shelves, then fumble with your elbow for the light switch in the mudroom. You nearly trip over your grandson’s tennis shoes. And yes, you can actually feel your blood pressure rising.

Deep breath. As the grocery bags begin to cut off circulation to your fingers, you wonder why the kitchen is so far away from the garage. Finally, you set the groceries on the kitchen floor, because there’s no room on top of the island. With a sigh, now you remember the family size cereal boxes don’t fit standing up in the pantry cabinet. Lack of storage…tiny closets…that’s the first thing you would change about this house.

Spencer, your grandson, is loading the dishwasher. “Well, at least we did something right, there,” you think to yourself. Of course, when that dishwasher door is open, you can’t get by. “Just like when the front door is open, resting against the first stair, blocking staircase access.  What were they thinking when they designed this house?” And to the other side of the entryway, the home office – the definition of clutter – and there’s no way to hide it with those glass doors. You wince, just imagining your friends coming over and walking by that room.

Bed-Dresser Conflict

Two feet between the bed and dresser is uncomfortably tight. If possible, look for one bedroom dimension of eleven feet, providing a three-foot pathway.

With Abbie still asleep, you carry her up to the nursery bedroom, turning sideways to squeeze between the bed and the dresser. “If beds are 6 feet long and dressers are 2 feet deep, why would they make these bedrooms so tight?” you wonder. And it’s cold – these secondary bedrooms – “Why can’t all of the rooms be the same temperature?” you ask.

Getting into some comfortable clothes always helps, and you grab your favorite navy-blue sweatpants. But as you’re changing, you realize those are the snug, black sweatpants. A single naked light bulb in your closet – what a joke. And your bathroom isn’t much better. No windows. No natural light. Yes, there are more light bulbs, but they’re all on one switch. Off or on – dark or really bright. Note to self, ask Frank about a dimmer switch.

Door-Stair Conflict

Door swing conflicts – when a walking path is blocked because a door was opened – are stressful.

Time to get dinner thrown together. Back in the kitchen, you’re looking for the salad tongs, and they’re in that one drawer. The one that always sticks when you open it and just doesn’t close right. As you dig through the drawer, the ice cream scoop falls out. Great. A new gouge in those birch wood floors. Why didn’t someone tell us birch was so soft and wouldn’t hold up like some other hardwoods?

You bend over to retrieve the ice cream scoop and notice the cobwebs in the toe-kick area under the cabinets, realizing it must have been a month since the hard floors had a good cleaning. And dusting? “Maybe, if I put that on my to-do list for the weekend…” you think.

Abbie had fun playing with her food and some of it actually got swallowed. Your grandkids bring you such joy, you feel your body releasing some of the stress. After dinner, there are a few chores left. There was just enough room for Spencer to fit the dinner dishes in the dishwasher, while you get the laundry started. You can’t wait for Friday when Frank gets back from that business trip. He’s still struggling with being a single dad.

You turn the big TV on in the great room, but with the dishwasher running, you have to crank up the volume, and Spencer has homework tonight. So, you decide to watch the TV in your bedroom, but same problem. Next to your bedroom, that washer and dryer are too loud to enjoy the TV. It’s great they put the washer and dryer up with the bedrooms, but really – a little laundry closet in a home this size?

Ah-ha! A relaxing, hot shower would be perfect. You turn on the fan because the mirrors fog over from the steam. There it is again – noise. Frank always said that bathroom fan must have come from an army surplus store. And then, just for good measure, the toilet flushes…all by itself.

Laundry Closet

Note the laundry closet’s proximity to the bedrooms – noisier than an enclosed laundry room – may possibly interrupt watching TV, sleeping, etc.

The next morning you wake up early. Finally, it’s quiet. No stress headache, like the one you had when you went to bed. Tablet in hand, you decide to take matters into your own hands and de-stress your home. Poor lighting? Frank can probably replace the bathroom switch with a dimmer, and maybe he could put a motion-sensor switch so lights automatically turn on when coming in from the garage. Another light bulb in your closet would be great, but that would probably mean hiring an electrician. And more windows? That sounds like a serious remodel.

Replacing the bathroom fan would help achieve serenity, and a new, quieter laundry pair and/or a quiet dishwasher would be heavenly. You make a note to talk with the heating contractor when they come out to inspect the furnace about the uneven temperatures. Maybe they can do something to remedy that problem.

You decide you’ll buy a couple deck boxes that could go under the deck, to stash garage items and free up some space in the garage. Saturday morning is going to be set aside for organizing the office. No exceptions. There was that ad you saw for a handyman service, maybe they could fix that kitchen drawer. You consider a little more seriously the kitchen remodel for improved storage and organization, but is the kitchen just too small in the first place?

Lighted Closet Rod

Closets are notoriously dark areas. Lighted hanging rods may be just the answer you’re looking for! Photo courtesy of Task Lighting

You start to create a cleaning schedule and realize it’s doable – you could give up a bit of Facebook time, and Frank and Spencer could take on a little more of the household cleaning. Feeling better already, having a plan for things you can do to de-stress your environment, you also realize there’s no practical solution for some of the design flaws such as the door swings that block traffic; room sizes; the wasted space of that big landing at the top of the stairs; even the skinny door into the main floor powder bath that’s too small for your dad’s walker. Those things just aren’t correctable. If you do buy a brand-new home someday, these things are going to be non-negotiable.

If our homes are our havens, our retreats, our sanctuaries from all that life throws at us, how is it that our homes are actually adding to our stress? Stress’ negative impacts on our health are widely known, yet still we under-appreciate the stresses our homes contribute. When remodeling, or purchasing an existing or brand-new home, looking at the home through the lens of stress will help you see the home in an entirely different light – helping you identify areas that cause or add to your stress, and the ways you could improve on the design of those spaces.

Livability at a Glance™ is our proprietary color-coded floor plan system that highlights four different lenses especially important to women: Entertaining, De-stressing, Storing, and Flexible Living. Discover your Lifestyle Profile by taking our Livability at a Glance Quiz, and then search plans using our Livability at a Glance Plan Searcha better way to search home plans.
Cover photo courtesy: <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People photo created by jcomp – www.freepik.com</a>
I Need My Space!

I Need My Space!

Where do you like to go in your home to de-stress? An easy question, right? Except for the fact that the word “de-stress” means different things to different people. Many interpret de-stressing to mean relaxing, or “chilling-out” perhaps watching TV; others seek serenity, needing calm, peace, and quiet; some de-stress best doing something – exercising or hobbies; and, others think of recharging and rejuvenation when they hear de-stressing. For our emotional, mental, and physical health, de-stressing is essential and should be a priority in our homes. Among the most common de-stressing areas in the home are:

DiMarco - #50014 Owner's Retreat

DiMarco – #50014

The Owner’s Suite. Last week we discussed the many de-stressing attributes associated with the owner’s suite bathroom. But it’s the owner’s bedroom that is the go-to spot for a lot of homeowners. The location of that bedroom is an important consideration, particularly if privacy and quiet are important to you. Specifically, what rooms adjoin the owner’s bedroom? If the great room, is its big-screen TV on your shared wall? If the kitchen, is normal conversation going to disrupt your meditation? If the laundry room, will the washer and dryer noise and vibration ruin your otherwise perfect get-away? A sitting area in the owner’s suite can be a beautiful thing, especially if you like to curl up with a good book to relax. The right chair or daybed along with windows there make daytime reading more enjoyable.

Yes, that’s a see-thru fireplace, mini-fridge and wet bar in the Owner’s suite’s retreat/sitting area in the DiMarco (plan #50014)!

Tucker Terrace - #50039 ML

Tucker Terrace – #50039

Outdoor living areas, including porches, courtyards, verandas, decks, and patios, can offer both the solitude and connection to nature you’re after. The home’s design can make a huge difference, with recessed areas providing degrees of privacy from neighbors on either side. Roofs that cover some or all of an outdoor living area allow you to enjoy being outside, even when it’s raining. Even the homesite you choose can make a significant difference – do you prefer to watch sunrises or sunsets? South-facing homes with a nice rear patio may be more enjoyable than if that home faced east on hot summer afternoons/evenings. The right furniture, along with amenities such as added lights and ceiling fans, help create the perfect place.

The Tucker Terrace (plan #50039) provides privacy from neighbors on both sides on its 16’ x 7’ covered rear patio as well as a sunroom.

Sunrooms. Our bodies are wired to seek out daylight, and sunrooms, which in addition to having multiple windows on two or three sides and oftentimes skylights, are a fabulous alternative to outdoor living spaces in colder climates as they can be used year-round. Many colorful and fragrant plants and flowers thrive in sunroom environments, and those sensory inputs can also help alleviate stress. Akin to outdoor living space, sunrooms allow you to bathe in sunlight’s Vitamin D, and that sunlight also triggers the brain’s release of serotonin, which can both improve our overall mood as well as helping to calm us.

Crocket - #50032 Hobby Room

Crocket – #50032

Flex rooms. Prayer. Yoga. Reading. Crafts and hobbies. Exercise. Flex rooms are meant to be tailored for how you want your home to live and make natural de-stressing areas. They may be dedicated to de-stressing (e.g., an inspiration room) or dual purpose, such as a larger laundry room with an area for hobbies and crafts.

The Crocket (plan #50032) offers a generous hobby space in the laundry room where creations can be crafted yet need not be cleaned up from the dining room table or cleared away when guests arrive.

Personal space(s) for De-stressing is an important aspect of your home’s design. Not only the location, but also the design and livability of that space are equally important. When you choose a plan from Design Basics, our Plan Specialists can assist you with identifying, or customizing, a personal space in the home’s design.

Next week we’ll present ideas for De-stressing in laundry room and rear entry foyer design.

Livability at a Glance™ is our proprietary color-coded floor plan system that highlights four different lenses especially important to women: Entertaining, De-stressing, Storing, and Flexible Living. Discover your Lifestyle Profile by taking our Livability at a Glance Quiz.

For more resources on thoughtful design and products:

Ditch the Dirty Clothes Basket

Ditch the Dirty Clothes Basket

Problem: You’re constantly tripping over the laundry basket in your walk-in closet/bathroom/laundry room. It’s something you need to catch the dirty clothes until wash day, but can’t it be less troublesome?

Solution: Design Basics’ plan customization specialist, Tricia Baker, developed a handy and attractive design amenity, the Laundry Solution. It can be incorporated into your closet, bedroom, or bathroom, integrated into your cabinetry as a tilt-out or pull-out drawer. On laundry day, simply lift the clothes basket out of the drawer to transport to your laundry room.

Another concept is a pass-through from your closet, bedroom, or bathroom (see cover image). If your home’s design facilitates a shared wall between one of these rooms, the Laundry Solution conveniently “drops” dirty clothes into your laundry room!

Design Basics’ plan #35038 – Arturo Timbers – includes both types of Laundry Solutions:

  • A Laundry Pass-Through style in the Owner’s Suite walk-in closet
  • A Laundry Tilt-Out/Pull-Out style in Suite 2’s walk-in closet

Let our Plan Customization Specialists help you incorporate a Laundry Solution into your favorite home plan!

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Backstory: The Family Lounge

Backstory: The Family Lounge

A couple with young children was looking for “cuddle space.” In another household, it was the need for an upstairs family area for “together time” before bed. Yet another family wanted a larger open study area where the parents would be involved with their kids’ studies. 

It could be reading with the kids, board games, crayon artwork masterpieces, or a one-act play. The Family Lounge is a space for time together upstairs. The Sussex (plan #42284) offers a generous family lounge space connecting the three bedroom suites. 

The Sussex Main Level
The Sussex Upper Level

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Thoughtful Design: The Coffee Bar

Thoughtful Design: The Coffee Bar

One of life’s little luxuries is the morning’s first cup of coffee. Perhaps it’s the aroma that wakes you up, or just being able to grab a cup and cozy back into bed for a while, carving out a small space in your bedroom suite for a coffee bar is an amenity you’ll appreciate daily. You can design with a water supply line or a sink, depending on the coffee maker; and, even include a mini frig/freezer for creamer, ice, etc.

Coffee Bar in vanityThere are many configurations and areas to place your coffee bar, such as:

  • Right in your bedroom (as in the Locklear – plan #42074)
  • A cabinet tucked away on your vanity (as in the Locklear Manor – plan #42316)
  • In the walk-way leading into your bedroom (as in the Kauffman – plan #50012)

 

Or, maybe if you enjoy grabbing a cup on your way out the door in the morning, the coffee bar could be in the garage as in this homeowner’s requested design! 

Search plans with built-in coffee bars – on the plan search page, select “Coffee Bar” under the “Other Amenities and Features” drop down along the left search navigation. And, if you see a different plan you like, let one of our design specialists help you customize the plan with your coffee bar!  

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