Blueprint Haven

My best friend in 9th grade, Matt, and I used to spend hours drawing up our ideal house plans. Sounds kind of nutty, doesn't it? Two adolescent drama geeks who liked nothing better than mapping out our future homes and sharing those plans with each other.

Whatever it was the bug bit me. I love looking at house plans, I love looking at house plan books, I love looking at houses under construction, I love looking at existing homes. I love seeing how space is utilized and beautified.

Right now, I live in a little place that's about 500 square feet and it fits me just fine. But I imagine at some future date, I'm going to want something a little bit bigger and more accommodating to a crowd.

© Image courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

This is a house plan I found the other day on the Better Homes and Gardens website. I love it! It has something to do with the garage placed in the back of the house as well as the breakfast area being placed near the front of the house. I also still like formal living and dining rooms. I've always had a fantasy of turning a formal dining room into a dining room/library where the table doubles as a dining spot and study spot and the walls are lined with dishes and books. It seems like a perfect use of space to me.

Now on the ideal scale too, I would turn one of the bedrooms at the front of the house into my study. I grew up with my dad having a study and I've always wanted one. I think it has to be semi-near the main living area and not tucked away in a far corner. Also, if I had a family, I would tack a second story on to the house with bedrooms and bathrooms and if I could squeeze it in, I would want to find a spot on the main floor for a toy room near the kitchen. (I know I'm asking for a lot, but I can dream.)

© Image courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Check out http://www.bhg.com/ to peruse more house plans. But I warn you: You may lose an hour or two if you fall in too deep. It is a distracting hobby.

UPDATE: You must check out my friend H's house plan. So beautiful. If you are not a subcriber to her blog, you can still check out the plans here. Thanks, H.