Florida is the number one state people moved to in 2020 and 2021. People seem to want more than just a vacation from the Sunshine State, whether it’s the beautiful year-round weather or the relatively low cost of living.
One of the joys of living in or moving to Florida—especially the Lee County area—is planning for a new home. If you’re considering a custom house, you won’t want to miss reading this article on home décor.
We’ve put together a list of seven custom home features most homeowners find they can’t live without. Explore these must-haves before you meet with your home builder to finalize the floor plan for your custom build.
1. First Floor Main Suite
If you’re planning a multi-level custom home, ensure your floorplan includes a first-floor primary suite.
Including a first-floor main bedroom or suite in your floorplan keeps you close to the action in the most used rooms of your home—the kitchen and living room. You’ll also love that you won’t need to lug a heavy mattress or other furniture up the stairs.
Main-level master bedrooms provide a safe place for visitors who may have mobility issues. Grandparents may even visit more often.
For forward-thinking homeowners, this isn’t only for the sake of convenience today. First-floor bedrooms also allow people to plan for aging in place. Maybe you start with a second-floor bedroom, and as you grow older, you move to the first-floor main suite.
Who says you can’t have two master bedrooms? One upstairs, for now, one downstairs for later.
Another plus is homes designed with a first-floor main suite generally sell faster and for more money.
2. Home Office
With so many people working remotely today, a home office isn’t a luxury. It’s a must-have. Now that you’re building a custom home, you have the perfect opportunity to create the ideal workspace.
Be sure to consider including these features:
- Built-in desk
- Soundproofing
- Custom bookshelves
You’ll also want to plan for ample lighting. A mix of natural and ambient light will liven up your workspace during the day. Overhead lights and built-in wall lamps allow plenty of light for those late-night projects.
3. Make Room for the Kids
Call it what you want—playroom, gaming room, or entertainment den—a dedicated space for kids to relax and play is another must-have when building a custom home.
In many ways, kids are like mini-adults. They need a place to decompress after a long day. You’ll likely find yourself spending some quality time in the kid’s area as well.
Leave plenty of space for table games, such as foosball and air hockey. Don’t forget the pool table. Of course, if your kids enjoy gaming, you’ll create a space with enough room for game consoles and seating.
Quality family time is another great motivation for creating a space for the kids. You may even find out your home is the gathering place for the neighborhood kids. At least you’ll know where they are and what they’re doing.
4. Your Custom House Needs a Mudroom
Even if your current home doesn’t have a formal mudroom, you probably have a designated area where people remove their shoes, drop backpacks, and store sports equipment. Unfortunately, most mudrooms are makeshift, or they’re such small spaces they’re constantly filled with clutter.
Now that you’re working with a custom home builder, you have a chance to design a well-organized mudroom.
Even though the name may make it sound like a place to dump muddy shoes, a mudroom is much more than that. It’s a place where you transition from outdoors to your cozy home.
The ideal mudroom includes plenty of storage space and durable, easy-to-clean flooring. Depending on the layout of your new home, you could combine the mudroom with your laundry area.
If you were to add a mudroom to your current home, you’d likely spend around $12,000. Including it in your custom floor plan may allow you to save money, but it will also give you the freedom to design a mudroom that meets your needs.
5. A Room for Rover and Patches
It might sound indulgent, but yes, if possible, pets should have their own space. It gives them a place where they can rest, eat, and play without messing up the rest of the house.
When you include your pets in your home design, make sure you select easy-to-clean flooring. Carpets aren’t advised. Here in Florida, you might not need to worry about frigid temperatures, but you want to ensure your pet’s living space isn’t too warm or cold.
A spacious area where you can close the door when visitors come over is ideal. If you’re working with a custom floor plan, your builder should be able to accommodate designated living spaces for pets.
6. Make The Whole House Smarter
If you visited Disneyland in 1957, you might have toured the House of the Future. It featured a microwave oven, refrigerated shelves, whole-house intercoms, a built-in HiFi system, and a climate control panel that not only cooled and heated the home but made it smell good.
Today’s smart homes take advantage of advanced innovations, including:
- Smart doorbells
- Smart locks
- Smart thermostats
- Smart outlets
- Smart smoke and Co2 Detectors
Homeowners looking to utilize innovative technology also install indoor and outdoor cameras, use LED Lightbulbs, and get help from countertop personal assistants and central vacuums.
7. Design a Stunning Outdoor Living Space
Living in Florida means making outdoor living spaces a priority. Some of the best home features include elements that blend the indoors and outdoors. Here are two ways you can expand your living space.
Moving Glass Wall System
Glass wall systems help bring the outside in and vice-versa. These systems operate on either folding, a.k.a. bi-fold, or sliding doors. Moving glass wall systems are popular in Lee County, so mention including them in your floor plan when you meet with your home builder.
Outdoor Kitchen and Deck
With the time most homeowners hope to spend outside, a well-designed deck is a must-have. Outdoor kitchens can be as simple as a built-in grill or can include a food prep area, sink, and refrigerator.
With your builder’s help and your home décor style, your outdoor living space will give you years of beautiful memories of times enjoyed at home.
What Custom Home Features Do You Love?
While this isn’t a comprehensive list of the best home features, it’s a great place to start planning. Deciding which home features are must-haves and which ones are nice but not dealbreakers depends mainly on your lifestyle.
Coral Isle Builders specializes in building on-your-lot homes. We have a team of experts that can help you decide which custom home features to include in your new build.
We’d love to talk with you. You can reach us by phone or visit our Cape Coral, FL, sales center.