We here at NIH know how stressful it can be to start building a new home. Because of this, we’ve put together this post on the importance of storage in good home design. When designing a home additional storage areas are often overlooked for more exciting features like the kitchen, but this small attribute of the home can make or break the quality of living once the home is finished. When building a new home we always take storage into account.
Important Design Element – Storage
An often overlooked aspect of home design is the amount of storage that is placed into the design. Additional storage space isn’t normally at the top of most home buyer’s with lists, but if there is a lack of storage space, or poorly placed storage, the home value is likely to decrease. A lack of storage space in a home design is an example of a badly designed home.
Here are some tips on how to, and why you should, build a home with plenty of storage space;
Bedroom Areas
Linens – Most homeowners, especially any with teenagers, will appreciate any additional bathroom storage space. A framed linen closet with shelving can hold a lot more than a simple cabinet. Additionally a simple framed linen closet with shelving will often be lower in cost compared to other types of linen closets.
Bedroom Closets –When building a new home, often the secondary bedroom closets are kept simple with double shelving where possible in order to save some of the budget for a much more elaborate system in the master suite. At minimum a small walk-in closet with a nice storage system should be included in the master suite.
Main Floor Storage Space
Garage – Garage storage generally comes in the form of simple shelving, elaborate storage systems, or attic trusses with pulldown ladders. There are plenty of garage spaces on the market, so adding a little extra space in the garage can go a long way.
Rear Foyer – The rear foyer is where the family will be entering the home most of the time, and as such, storage elements for coats, backpacks, shoes, purses, phones, keys, and such are needed here more so than even the front door. The storage space in this area could be cubbies and drawers, or a full walk-in closet, whichever the space allows for.
Pantry – No matter how much cupboard and counter space a kitchen has, a walk in pantry is always appreciated.. A walk-in pantry is a great example of storage done right.
Laundry – A laundry room should minimally have a shelf lined along the walls of the room. If you want to go the extra mile, add base cabinets and a countertop for folding. Often the laundry room is where home owners will store laundry related products (ironing board, detergents, hanging rack, etc) as well as use it as a place to store other products like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, and more.
For some great pre-built storage units check out Closet and Storage Concepts.
If you’d like to read more ‘Building a Quality Custom Home Tips’ check back at our blog every now and then, or if you’re a bit more impatient, sign up for our FREE planning guide where you can find this information and more! Secrets to Building a Quality Home.