If you’re planning on building a brand new home you’re in the ideal position to ensure that you will be living in your dream home.  Instead of adapting your lifestyle to suit the house you live in, you’re in the unique position of being able to create your home to suit your individual lifestyle.   Once you’ve chosen a piece of land in a location that suits you, it’s time to think carefully about all the features you’d like in your home that will support the life you see yourself living over the coming years. 

Check out the following additions you could benefit from when building your dream home and get some idea on all the options available that would enhance your lifestyle in the future.

• If you’re an outdoors enthusiast, you’ll need to consider how your home can support your love of wide open spaces.  You’ll need a dry space to store all of your outdoor gear where it will be secure and safe.
• If you’re a pet lover and share your home with a small menagerie, then a dedicated room for your pets might be a good idea.  At the very least you’ll need to make sure that the downstairs flooring is non-slip and easy to clean so you don’t spend the rest of your life vacuuming pet hair from the carpets!
• A busy family with children will benefit from the addition of a mud-room to make sure that the dirt goes no further into the house.  This should also have plenty of space for drying off and storing coats, scarves, gloves, wellies and walking boots.  If your family is still growing, perhaps some space to park buggies, trikes, scooters and outdoor toys would be handy.
• The kids will be delighted by the addition of a dedicated playroom or games room where they have plenty of space to spread out and play with their toys, a quiet corner for reading and desk space for drawing and writing.  This is a cost-effective addition that is future-proof as it can easily be repurposed as a teenage chill space with TV and audio when the kids get older.
• A large family will benefit from extra bathrooms, whether these are ensuite, upstairs or downstairs.  Hectic mornings will be made easier if nobody has to wait for their turn to wash.
• If you’re an enthusiastic cook, then a large and well-equipped kitchen is a must, with enough counter space for you to spread out as you create your culinary delights.  If you entertain frequently, combining the kitchen and dining areas is a great idea to make sure you can socialize with your guests as you put the finishing touches on the meals you serve.
• If you’re a wine buff, a wine-cellar would be a great addition for storing your bottles at the correct temperatures and in an organized manner.
• Anybody who works from home will want to include a home office in their house plans.  If possible, this should be located as far away from the busiest part of the house as possible to reduce the number of interruptions.  Making sure that the room has enough space for a desk/worktop, shelving and any specialist equipment are essential when planning.
• If you’ve decided on a formal dining room, then adding a dining space or breakfast bar in the kitchen for family use is essential.  This will act as a cosy meeting place where the whole family can come together to eat and enjoy each other’s company, sharing their daily news and ensuring that the family is a close and cohesive unit.
• Any artist, craft enthusiast or hobbyist will want a dedicated space where they can be creative without having to rush to tidy all your stuff away to make space for other activities.  Make sure that the room design is large enough to store your equipment and materials, spread out your creations as you work on them and that the room makes the most of the daylight.
• One of the most popular additions to a home nowadays is a small movie theatre where friends and family can relax and enjoy their favourite films.  A room that’s large enough to feature home theatre equipment and plenty of large, comfortable seating options can be added to your home design plans.  This should be located relatively close to the kitchen to make the popcorn runs easier.

As you can see from these ideas, the only limit is your imagination, so thinking carefully about your family, your current lifestyle, and your future ambitions is a vital part of planning your dream home and enhancing your future.