New House Plans to Start Your Building Season

This week the weather has been positively nasty. It's been cold, wet and it just won't stop raining. I'm hoping that next week that silly groundhog doesn't see his shadow and that we can get spring in here a bit sooner. That would be so nice. Warm breezes, the sun warming your face, being able to wear flip flops and roll the windows down on the car. Ah... It will be glorious. Until then, let's look at some great new plans. That should cheer us up.

Whispering Winds (MEN 5236)

This is one of the newest plans by award winning designer Michael E. Nelson. This farmhouse style house plan is sure to please with just over 2,000 square feet of living space, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 2 half baths. The exterior of this home design combines the traditional farmhouse look with rustic stylings to generate massive curb appeal. On the inside of the home, you will find a split layout that goes against the traditional farmhouse style house plan and incorporates the more modern element of an open floor plan. Be sure to check out the massive walk-in closet in the master suite and the huge pantry just off the kitchen!

You can’t have a farmhouse without a covered front porch and this house plan delivers with a lovely covered porch with exposed timber beams to give it a rustic feel. The porch also has a lovely vaulted ceiling that make sure you and yours are going to stay dry coming into the home.

Entering the home, you find yourself in the foyer. This unique space is a traditional foyer is every sense except for the bank of windows on the wall on the left side. This bank of windows gives you a great view, but it also lets in tons of light in what is traditionally a dark and gloomy area of the home.

To the right of the foyer is a bedroom that can be used as a guest room or study. This room is accessed through barn doors from the foyer and features a double window that looks out under the covered porch in the front of the home.

Bedroom 3 also gives you a large walk-in closet and access to a shared bathroom through a sliding or pocket door. The walk-in closet is so large that it has to have its own window! This shared bathroom is on the interior of the home and can be used in case of severe weather as a safe spot.

Moving through the shared bathroom, you find yourself in the second bedroom. This large room has plenty of space for kids to grow into and has two windows that face the side of the home. Bedroom 2 also has a large walk-in closet. This space can be accessed either through the shared bathroom or from a short hallway between the great room and the bedroom.

This hallway also has one of the two half baths making it a convenient guest bathroom. You can also access the outdoor living area from this small hallway. The outdoor living area is located on the rear of the home.

This large outdoor space is perfect for entertaining in all kinds of weather. It’s split into two sections. The larger section, which is closer to the great room, has a vaulted ceiling and is perfect for grilling. The smaller section is still covered and has a large fireplace along one side of it that would be great for snuggling up close to on a chilly day.

The central core of this home design is the open floor plan. This open floor plan incorporates the great room, kitchen and dining area into one seamless space. The great room features a vaulted ceiling which continues the trend from the front porch.

The great room also gives you two sliding doors that open up to the grilling porch on the rear of the home where that vaulted ceiling is brought to the great outdoors. The great room has exposed faux beams and a large fireplace to give you that rustic vibe in the space. The other side of the great room gives you a bank of windows that looks out into the front of the home. This section of the landscaping would be a great place for a bird feeder or a butterfly garden.

The kitchen and the great room are separated by a very long kitchen island that spans nearly the width of the room. This island has seating for 6 and gives you a perfect place to prep dishes and to clean up after a meal with the large sink and dishwasher. This lets you keep an eye on the comings and goings while you are cleaning up.

The rest of the kitchen has loads of counterspace and room for a large range that is centrally located in the left wall of the space. Don’t forget about the large pantry! This pantry is perfect for those who don’t like to go to the store very much or who want to buy in bulk.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the dining room. This large space gives you tons of room for entertaining. I think you could probably fit a 10-seat table easily into this space. The dining room also features a bank of windows that look out onto the rear of the home.

If you are entering this plan from the garage, you will find yourself in a long hallway. This hall gives you access to the second floor and its bonus room with the vaulted ceiling. You will also find a space with a bench with hanging storage that would be perfect for a mudroom.

Just before you reach the master suite, you will find the large laundry room. This laundry area is perfect for those busy families. The laundry room has space for both a counter and sink as well as storage over the washer and dryer to hang clothing or to air dry them.

The master suite is int the rear of the home and has plenty to offer. The master bedroom features a boxed ceiling that lends elegance and space to the room. Speaking of space, nothing makes a room feel more spacious than windows and this master bedroom definitely delivers with a triple window that looks out onto the rear of the home.

The master bath gives you everything you would need to relax after a hard day of work. It features a double vanity, a free-standing tub and a corner glass shower. Don’t forget about the large walk-in closet! Not only does it give you plenty of space, but putting clothes away is a breeze because of the connecting door to the laundry room.

St. Thomas Place (MEN 5237)

This is one of our newest plans! This modern farmhouse design by award winning designer Michael E. Nelson combines the classic farmhouse look with all of the modern conveniences we’ve come to expect from one of Michael’s plans. This house plan gives you just under 1,900 square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths and a half bath. This home design also makes sure you have a convenient place to store your vehicles with a 3-bay garage. The exterior of this house plan has all of the curb appeal that you love about a farmhouse plan, but there is more to see on the inside. Inside the home, you will find a large master suite with plenty of room to relax and a modern open floor plan.

This lovely farmhouse style house plan gives you plenty of curb appeal with a small covered porch and a mixture of exterior materials. The materials used on the exterior of this home give it a very rustic look and is sure to make your home stand out from the rest.

Approaching the home, you find yourself on the covered porch. This covered porch may seem smaller than other farmhouse style plans, but it packs a big punch. This porch gives you beautiful stone accents on the columns and exposed beams on the front.

Stepping into the home, you find yourself in the foyer. This one is actually a very traditional foyer in that it is a very small room that is not part of a larger room or an open floor plan. This foyer is perfect for greeting guests or just coming in out of the cold and gives you a perfect place to get out of your cold weather gear before moving into the rest of the house.

To the left of the foyer is the first of the 4 bedrooms offered in this home design. This one could also be used as an office. This bedroom gives you a large double window that faces the covered porch on the front of the house and a small closet.

Moving around the home in a clockwise motion, we find ourselves in a short hallway that gives you the other two smaller bedrooms and their shared bathroom. Bedroom 3 and 4 each have a double casement window that faces the front and rear of the home, respectively and share a hall bathroom with two vanities.

From this area of the home, if you continue in that clockwise motion, you will find yourself in the great room. This great room is part of the open floor plan that includes the great room, kitchen and dining area. The great room is very large and takes up the majority of that space.

The great room features a large stonework fireplace. You will be awed by the vaulted ceiling and exposed beams running throughout the great room and the kitchen. The great room also features a large sliding glass door that opens up onto the grilling porch on the rear of the home.

The kitchen is separated by a large island that runs in between the great room and the kitchen. This large island not only gives you seating for 5 on the bar side but makes a perfect place to have informal meals or to snack while you are keeping an eye on the children while you clean up from a meal.

The rest of the kitchen gives you lots of counter space and room for a large range. The kitchen also has a very large pantry that is perfect for the cook in your life. The dining room is adjacent to the kitchen and gives you windows on two sides of the space. This dining room is perfect for the family that loves to entertain.

Coming in from the garage, you find yourself in the kid’s nook. This small hallway is perfect for a mudroom. This space gives you a bench with hanging storage and easy access to both the kitchen and the laundry room.

The laundry room gives you access to the master suite’s walk-in closet. The laundry room gives you plenty of room for storage over the outlets. The laundry room also has a soaking sink that is perfect for dye projects or for really bad stains.

The master suite finishes up this floor of the house plan. The master bedroom features a large bank of windows the look out over the rear of the home and a high vaulted ceiling that gives the room a bright, airy feeling. The master bath features a double vanity, a free-standing tub and a very large glass shower.

Greensboro Place (MEN 5211)

This lovely farmhouse plan by award winning designer Michael E. Nelson is sure to please. This home design gives you just over 1,800 square feet of living space with 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths. Unlike a traditional farmhouse style house plan, this design gives you a 2-bay garage. The exterior of the home has classic shiplap style siding that would look absolutely divine in almost any color. Inside the home you will find a large master suite and an open floor plan featuring the great room, breakfast room and kitchen.

Approaching the home, the first thing that you notice is the shiplap style siding that gives this home massive curb appeal. Shiplap siding is very popular and can be painted in a variety of colors including dark grey and white to give it that classic farmhouse style vibe. The front of the home is faced with a lovely covered porch that just makes you want to sit down with a cold glass of sweet tea and relax.

Entering the home, you find yourself in the foyer. This is a traditional style foyer that separates this space from the rest of the home. This separation is ideal for those days when the weather is just not cooperating in keeping your floor clean.

To the left of the foyer is the flex area/dining room. This space can be used in many different ways. This space is large enough to fit a large table and entertain plenty of guests. This room has a lovely double window that faces out over the covered porch in the front of the home.

Stepping from the dining room, you find yourself in an open floor plan that incorporates the kitchen, great room and breakfast room. This airy space makes this home feel large and impressive to even the most discerning visitors

The great room features a vaulted ceiling that makes the large space feel even more open. The great room also features faux beams that are exposed to give the home a rustic, country feel. In the corner of this space, you will find a large fireplace that is perfect for cozy nights staying in.

The rear wall of the space gives you plenty of light from a large triple window that faces out onto the rear of the home. This wall also gives you access to the grilling porch. The grilling porch is uncovered and perfect for entertaining in the warmer months or grilling during the big game.

Moving further into the home, you find yourself in the breakfast room. This space lies between the great room and the kitchen and has that same rustic, country feel with the vaulted ceiling and exposed beams. The breakfast room is cozy but has plenty of light from the window on the rear wall of the space that faces out into the rear of the home.

Adjacent to the breakfast room is the large kitchen. This kitchen has its own entrance from the covered porch through a small space that has access to the pantry. The kitchen gives you tons of counter space and room for a large range.

Separating the kitchen from the great room is a large “L" shaped island with seating for 6. This island is the perfect place to clean up after a meal with the sink facing the great room to allow you to keep an eye on the comings and goings while you load the dishwasher.

Just past the kitchen you will find the laundry room and kids nook directly off the garage. The laundry room has its own window that faces the front of the home while the kid’s nook gives you a place to store cold weather gear and wet shoes as you come into the home.

At the rear of the plan you will find the master suite. This large space gives you everything that you would need to relax after a hard day’s work. The master bedroom continues the theme from the rest of the home with a vaulted ceiling and features two windows that face the rear of the home. The master bedroom also has its own entrance to the grilling porch.

The master bath has everything you need to slip into relaxation. The master bath gives you a double vanity with plenty of room for both you and the spouse. It also has room for both a glass shower and a whirlpool tub. Don’t forget about the large walk-in closet!

On the other side of the plan, just off of the foyer you will find a short hallway with bedrooms 2 and 3 and their adjacent bathroom. Each bedroom has a large window that faces the front and rear of the home, respectively and their own linen closet. They share the hall bathroom that has plenty of space with a double vanity and a standard sized tub/shower combo.

Maybe you're looking for something in particular? Don’t worry, we have you covered. Come check out Nelson Design Group’s collection of over 1,800 house plans. And come check out the past blog posts in our house plan series:

• Farmhouse style
• Farmhouse House Plans
• Contemporary Modern style
• Contemporary Modern House Plans
• Rustic Style
• Rustic House plans
• Mountain and Cabins House Style
• Mountain and Cabin House Plans
• Examining House Styles: Pool Houses
• House Plan Spotlight: Pool Houses
• Examining House Styles: The Florida Collection
• House Plan Spotlight: The Florida Collection
• Outdoor Buildings: Garages and Pool Houses
• American Style House Plans
• Starter Homes Spotlight: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Here at Nelson Design Group, we are always ready to make your dream home a reality. If we don’t have the plan that is right for you, we’ll make one. We are experts in our field and have been doing this for over 30 years. Give us a call today and we will be glad to help.

Benefits of Nelson Design Group

If you are looking at building a house, check out our Building Your Dream Home blog series. This series walks you through step by step on how to build a house and is updated regularly.

• Building Your Dream Home: Concept and Design
• Building Your Dream Home: Loans and Permits
• Building Your Dream Home: Site Prep and Grading
• Building Your Dream Home: Foundations and Underground Utilities
• Building Your Dream Home: Framing
• Building Your Dream Home: Roofing
• Building Your Dream Home: Rough-In
• Building Your Dream Home: Exterior Doors
• Building Your Dream Home: Choosing Windows
• Building Your Dream Home: Choosing Siding

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