Our Newest Plan

We're pleased to introduce our newest house plan called the "Evandale". It's based on the "Glenmoor", one of our most popular plans. Some of the new and improved upon features of this home include a larger Kitchen with Breakfast and Sunroom combination with lots of windows and French doors. This creates a wonderful area for families to gather together and relax as well as for entertaining. Add to this, a Covered Porch on one side of the Sunroom and Screened Porch on the other side with access also from the Gathering Room and the result is limitless funtionality and flow. Although only 2325 heated sq. ft., this home feels much larger due to the openness of the floor plan and the higher 12' ceilings in the Foyer and Dining Room and vaulted ceilings in the Gathering Room and Sunroom. Upon entering the Foyer, a feeling of spaciousness is achieved by being able to see thru the Gathering Room all the way into the Sunroom. In the Master Suite, we added a tray ceiling and a sitting area that also accesses the Covered Porch through French doors. Finally, if you're tired of a Garage that's just barely large enough to walk all the way around your car, and you would like to be able to open your car door without fear of "dinging" your other car's door, then you're going to love the oversized Garage and third bay which provide ample space for 3 cars and/or workshop areas. Needless to say, we're very excited about the "Evandale" and feel it will prove to be that "just right home" many are looking for at this time. So, please take a look at it for yourself. We welcome your comments and hope you will feel the same ...

Selecting a Green Lot

So you're ready to build that efficient and environmentally friendly home. First things first… Do you have a lot to build on? If not, I suggest you get one first. It's best to purchase a lot before you commit to a specific house plan. In most cases you can modify any house plan to fit your lot, but, it's much more difficult to find a lot that will always accommodate a specific house plan. Think about your lifestyle when choosing your lot. Do you have children? Do you have a green thumb? How much yard are you willing to maintain? How important is it to be close to schools, grocery stores, and work? These are important questions to ask yourself, as the old saying goes ... location location location.
Now lets look at the lot. How is the land situated? When choosing a lot with "green" objectives, you will want to take the path of the sun, the corridors of the wind and the slope of the land into your primary factors. Considering how the sun rises and sets on your lot will help you decide on which side of the house you want certain rooms to be, such as a sunroom or screened porch.
Many experts will agree that a gently sloping lot, with a south-facing slope, would be ideal. If your house was located midway between the top and the bottom of that slope, it would be all the better, as you would avoid winter’s cold blast from the north. If you can determine the direction of the winter and summer winds (they usually come from different directions), you can incorporate that into your selection process; since you will want a lot where you can divert or block the winter chill, but channel and exploit the summer breezes. Save as many existing tree's as possible. Trees provide shade in the summer months, but help block cold winds in the winter. Knowing what kind of views you have will also help you select a house plan that will take advantage of the natural setting of the lot. So, Choose a house plan that will best compliment the natural surroundings of the land.

Building Green

Today the Green Building movement is bigger than it has ever been. The environment is precious and anything we can do to help is worth doing. Aside from saving the environment, there are also other benefits from building a green home, a better insulated home will save hundreds in utility bills alone each year. The comfort of being cool in the summer and warm in the winter sounds good too. One thing to remember is that building green can be costly but living green is not.
Most pre-designed house plans you find today, whether it's from a book or even a plan you find at Living Concepts Home Plans is not going to be green by design. Building Green is not just about the plan, it's about how you build the home and the materials you choose to build with. These factors will make the biggest impact on how green and efficient your home will be. Let's face it, the Green Movement is here to stay. So, stay tuned! My next series of blogs will address things that can be done during the building process to build a green and efficient home.

Low Country House Plans

Our new Low Country house plans have grown from a tradition of coastal and resort homes - many were originally elevated off the ground! - to be interesting and complete homes that promise satisfaction for everyday living.

Once especially popular in the South, our Low Country house plan designs have been built – with exciting visual impact and full of relaxing comforts – all over America. The slightly formal appearance of the Low Country home plan emerges from the symmetry of the large front windows, the French doors and the broad front steps. But the warmth of the interior offsets that semi-formal first impression. Your family gathering space is one of less formality: the open floor layouts that waste little space to hallways and make for delightful family-style interiors. See this home plan.

Craftsman House Plans

If you're drawn to an American favorite, consider the broad earthy shoulders, the sheltering eaves and the forceful details of our Craftsman house plans.

Since the earliest days of publishing house plans, Craftsman home plans have been in strong demand.That may be why it’s easy to identify the Craftsman house plan:

• The natural materials and master carpentry leap from one element after another.
• Your new Craftsman home plan welcomes guests onto a spacious front porch, often boasting tapered columns on stone bases supporting the low protective rooflines.
• Wide overhanging eaves with corbels and exposed rafter tails are common features of craftsman house plans.
• Wooden angle brackets along the roof edge, with planter boxes and decorative fretwork at gable ends or along the porch.
• The windows of a Craftsman house plan may feature transomed windows, with a multi-pane upper sash over one large pane at the bottom.
• The options of highly crafted built-ins throughout the Craftsman home plan like ceiling beams, tailored bookcases and a custom-made front door. As if growing out of the earth, Craftsman house plans stand strong – a solid part of the landscape, as if at one with its setting.

Your new Craftsman house plan will be part of a century old tradition but with discriminating new elements and workmanship that have broadened and renewed its appeal – the picture of beauty and strength. See this plan.

Affordable House Plans

The only thing you can be sure of with Affordable House Plans is that they will be less expensive to build.

Affordable house plans are indeed economical. But that is not all. The Affordable Home Plan is just as likely as any other home to be beautiful, charming, and a joy to live in...But the Affordable House Plan we offer, under 2,000 square feet, are not just versatile, inviting and easy to maintain; the cost a lot less to build. Great thought has been engineered into efficient interiors and pleasing exteriors.

The interiors have integrated designs, often with an open style with consideration for the likely placement of furniture. One of the ways that affordability has been achieved is to suggest the use of stock doors, windows and finishes. Limit the corridor space. Even so, you will see that your Affordable house plan can be something very special. Quality and elegance is maintained but without the over the top expense of custom materials.

On the exterior, we refrain from elaborate framing techniques and unique structural fixtures – bay windows for example.

You will find single level ranch plans and two story floor plans in a variety of delightful design styles. Our Affordable house plans have been one of our most popular house plans. Tour through the designs that follow and see if your new dream home is among them.