Whole LLC - Blog #floor plan design

Why Birmingham Homes Need Their Own Floor Plan

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:07:39 -0500

Your Birmingham Lot Deserves Better Than a Borrowed Plan

A family in Mountain Brook spent the better part of a year touring homes. They had a budget that most buyers in the Birmingham area would consider generous, a clear sense of what they wanted, and the patience to wait for the right thing. What they kept finding instead were homes that had been designed for a demographic, not for a life. Rooms in the wrong place. Kitchens that faced west and cooked in the afternoon sun. Rear porches that looked good on a listing photo and were unusable by July.

They eventually stopped looking at existing inventory and asked a different question entirely. Not what is available, but what should actually be built for this lot, this family, and this part of Alabama.

That question is the beginning of every serious custom home conversation in Birmingham. And the answer almost always starts with the floor plan.

Birmingham Is Not a Flat City

The first thing any floor plan for a Birmingham-area home has to confront is the terrain. The city sits in the Jones Valley, flanked by Red Mountain to the south and Shades Mountain beyond it. Neighborhoods like Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, and Homewood are not gently sloped. They are genuinely hilly, with grades that regularly run eight to twelve feet across a single residential lot.

Production builders solve this the fast way. They cut and fill. The land gets flattened, the topography disappears, and the imported floor plan drops onto the site as though the hills were never there. The result is a home that works, technically, but wastes everything interesting about the lot.

A floor plan designed for a specific Birmingham site does the opposite. It reads the grade as an asset. A nine-foot slope from front to back becomes a split-level entry that feels considered rather than accidental. The rear of the lower level opens directly to grade, turning what a generic plan would call a basement into legitimate living space with natural light and a direct connection to the yard. Retaining walls become landscape architecture rather than structural corrections.

According to a 2023 report from the National Association of Home Builders, lots with significant grade variation add between 8 and 15 percent to foundation costs when handled generically. When handled through design, that same grade can add equivalent value in usable square footage and architectural character.

The Problem With Plans That Travel

Pre-drawn floor plans have an obvious appeal. They are immediate, they are visual, and they give a homeowner something concrete to react to. The architecture is already solved. The rooms are already sized. The whole thing feels settled.

The problem is that it was settled somewhere else, for someone else, on a lot that bears no relationship to the one being built on. Pre-drawn plans are designed to be sold hundreds of times. They are optimized for average conditions because average conditions are the only ones they can anticipate.

In Birmingham, average conditions do not really exist. The solar orientation alone varies enough between a wooded lot in Homewood and an open hillside in Vestavia Hills to completely change which rooms should face which direction. A master bedroom on the west wall is a reasonable choice in many American cities. In a Birmingham summer, where afternoon temperatures regularly reach the mid-nineties and the sun is intense from early afternoon onward, it is a choice that a homeowner notices every single day.

A study published by the Department of Energy found that orientation-related design decisions account for up to 30 percent of a home's annual heating and cooling load. In Alabama, where residential electricity costs have risen over 18 percent since 2020 according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, that figure is not abstract. It shows up on the utility bill every month for the life of the home.

What a Birmingham-Specific Plan Actually Solves

Designing a floor plan from the survey rather than from a catalog changes the conversation at every level. It starts not with rooms but with conditions. Where does the morning light come from? Which direction does the lot drain? Where is the noise coming from — a road, a neighbor, a commercial property nearby? What does the view look like from eight feet above grade?

Those answers shape the orientation of the main living areas, the placement of the primary suite, the depth of the porch overhangs, and the position of every major opening in the house.

For homeowners building in Vestavia Hills or Mountain Brook, where lots often carry significant tree canopy, the floor plan also has to account for what stays and what goes. Mature hardwoods in Alabama take sixty to eighty years to grow. A plan that saves them adds something that no amount of money can replace quickly. A plan that ignores them removes it permanently.

If a home in the Birmingham area is being designed at this level of specificity, Whole Construction Solutions drafts the drawings. Custom homes, additions, significant renovations, all produced from the actual survey, to permit-ready standard, for lots across Birmingham, Auburn, Huntsville, Montgomery, and Lake Martin.

Room by Room: What Changes for Alabama

The floor plan decisions that matter most in a Birmingham home are not always the ones that get the most attention in design conversations. Here is where the Alabama context actually shows up.

The kitchen needs to be oriented away from the western exposure if at all possible. An open kitchen facing west is a kitchen that absorbs heat from mid-afternoon onward during the eight hottest months of the year. In a home designed for entertaining, which describes most of the custom builds in Mountain Brook and Hoover, that is a significant comfort problem during precisely the hours when guests are present.

The porch has to be designed for depth, not appearance. A porch that looks proportionate in a rendering but measures six feet from wall to railing is not a porch anyone uses when it is raining, which in Birmingham happens an average of 112 days per year. The minimum functional depth for a covered porch in Alabama is ten feet. Twelve is better. Sixteen is a room.

The mudroom is not a gesture. Alabama is an outdoor state. Hunting, fishing, youth sports, gardening, and dogs are not niche interests in this market. A mudroom that handles wet gear, dirty boots, and a large dog coming in from the yard simultaneously is not a luxury amenity. It is a daily functional requirement, and floor plans that treat it as an afterthought produce homes that feel chaotic within six months of move-in.

The primary suite placement is worth more thought than it typically receives. On a wooded lot, the suite that faces the trees gets something irreplaceable every morning. On a lot with a view, the orientation of that room toward the view adds more to daily quality of life than almost any finish decision made later in the process.

Neighborhoods That Shape the Brief

In Mountain Brook, the floor plan operates under a set of aesthetic expectations that the neighborhood has established over decades. Rooflines, setbacks, exterior material choices, and window proportions are all in conversation with what already exists on the street. A plan that ignores that context produces a home that wins arguments with itself and loses them with the neighborhood. Buyers in Mountain Brook know this, which is why serious custom builds there tend to involve more design iteration and more investment in the exterior envelope than projects in newer suburban corridors.

In Hoover and the southern Birmingham suburbs, the lots are generally more forgiving in terms of grade, which gives the floor plan more freedom in how it programs the outdoor spaces. Larger rear yards, more room between structures, and easier drainage conditions mean that outdoor rooms, pools, and secondary structures are more viable here than on the tighter infill lots closer to the city center.

In Huntsville, where the economy has been reshaped by aerospace, defense, and a significant influx of out-of-state professionals since 2019, the floor plan conversation increasingly includes dedicated home office space designed to professional rather than residential standards. Acoustic separation, independent HVAC zoning, and natural light calibrated for screen use are requests that show up regularly in Huntsville projects and almost never in the catalog plans designed a decade ago.

On Lake Martin, the floor plan begins with the water and works backward. Every major living space, every bedroom with any claim to being a primary suite, every porch worth calling one, faces the lake. The plan that does not start from that premise is not taking the site seriously.

What to Bring to a Drafting Conversation

The homeowners who get the most from a custom floor plan process are the ones who arrive with a clear account of how they actually live, not how they imagine they might live in an ideal version of themselves.

That means knowing how many people are in the house on a typical Tuesday, not just a holiday weekend. It means knowing whether the adults work from home, and how often, and whether that requires acoustic privacy or just a dedicated desk. It means knowing whether the family eats together at a table or grazes through the kitchen across the span of an evening. It means knowing whether the outdoor space will be used for quiet mornings or for regular gatherings of thirty people.

A floor plan built from honest answers to those questions produces a home that fits. One built from aspirational answers produces a home with a formal dining room that stores seasonal decorations and a home gym that holds tomorrow's intentions.

Birmingham homeowners building at this level are not buying a floor plan. They are commissioning one. The difference is that a commissioned plan begins with the life it will contain, not with the rooms that tend to sell.

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The Home You've Always Pictured Is Closer Than You Think

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:44:45 -0600

A look inside Alabama's most beautiful custom home styles and what makes each one unforgettable

By Whole Construction Solutions LLC · Auburn, Alabama

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There's a particular moment that happens when someone steps into a home that was designed specifically for them. They don't just say "this is nice." They go quiet for a second. And then they say, "this is exactly right."

That feeling doesn't happen by accident. It happens when a home has been thought through: not just how it looks, but how you move through it in the morning, how the light falls in the afternoon, how it holds the people you love on a Friday night. Every detail considered. Every space intentional.

Here in Alabama, from the waterfront lots at Lake Martin to the rolling neighborhoods of Auburn, the historic streets of Birmingham to the emerging estates of Huntsville, we're seeing a new era of custom home design. One that blends timeless Southern character with modern sophistication. One that doesn't look like a neighborhood. It looks like someone.

We're sharing four of the most compelling design styles we work with, and what makes each one worth knowing about.

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01 · The Lakefront Home: Living Where the Water Reflects the Sky

There is no design challenge more rewarding or more specific than a home built for the water.

A true lakefront home isn't just a house with a view. It's a home that's been oriented around that view from the first sketch. Floor to ceiling glass positioned to frame the cove at golden hour. Multi level rear decks that step down toward the dock like a conversation happening between the house and the water. A great room that flows outdoors so seamlessly you're never quite sure where inside ends.

"The best lake homes feel like they grew there, as if the land always knew a house was coming."

At Lake Martin, one of Alabama's most coveted waterfront destinations, we've had the privilege of designing homes that honor the setting without trying to compete with it. Exteriors in deep charcoal and warm cedar that disappear into the tree line. Interiors bathed in natural light. Roof lines that echo the slope of the hillside.

What most people don't realize is how much goes into getting a waterfront home right before a single wall goes up. The orientation. The sight lines. How the topography affects the basement level. How a covered porch can extend the livable season by months. These are not afterthoughts. They are the foundation of a home that will be extraordinary for generations.

If you've been holding onto a waterfront lot, or dreaming about one, this is the kind of design that makes the investment undeniable.

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02 · The Modern Farmhouse: When Warmth and Sophistication Share the Same Roof

The modern farmhouse has earned its place in the canon of American home design. Not as a trend, but as a philosophy. It says: I want a home that feels genuinely lived in. And I want it to look beautiful doing it.

The best examples of this style aren't the ones that simply add shiplap and call it a day. They're the homes where the exterior, with board and batten siding, metal roofing, and deep covered porches, flows naturally into interiors with soaring ceilings, wide plank floors, and a kitchen designed for people who actually cook.

"The magic of a modern farmhouse is that it's equally at home on five acres of Alabama countryside or a premier lot in a suburban neighborhood."

What makes the style work in our region is how naturally it adapts to the Southern landscape. A broad front porch is not decoration. It is a room. A mudroom is not an afterthought. It is the first thing a family reaches for at the end of the day. When these elements are designed from the beginning as part of the home rather than additions to it, the result is something that feels rooted and right.

We work with clients to take the farmhouse silhouette, with steep gables, honest materials, and generous proportions, and make it theirs. Sometimes that means a more traditional exterior with a dramatically modern interior. Sometimes it means a home that reads as farmhouse at every turn. Either way, the result is a home that photographs beautifully and, more importantly, lives beautifully.

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03 · The Fully Custom Luxury Home: No Compromises. No Template. Just Yours.

Most people have spent years accumulating a mental list. The butler's pantry with the right countertop depth. The primary suite that feels like a private retreat rather than just a large bedroom. The entry hall that makes a quiet statement when guests walk in. The home office with the window that faces the right direction.

A fully custom luxury home is the only opportunity to turn that list into reality. Not approximately, not close enough, but exactly.

This is where our process is designed to be genuinely different. We begin with a conversation that's less about specifications and more about life. How do you actually use your home? Who comes over on weekends? What's the first thing you do in the morning, and where do you do it? What did your last home get wrong that still quietly bothers you?

"The details that make a custom home extraordinary are usually the ones only you would think to ask for."

The result of that process is a home that couldn't have been designed for anyone else, because it wasn't. The proportions of each room calibrated to how you use it. The exterior character that feels genuinely personal rather than pulled from a catalog. The small decisions, the height of the windows, the placement of the mudroom bench, the way the staircase lands, all accumulate into something unmistakably yours.

Luxury isn't a price point. It's precision. And precision starts with listening before drawing.

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04 · Southern Traditional & Brick Estates: The Architecture of Belonging

Certain homes have an authority that newer styles simply haven't earned yet. You know them when you see them: the brick facade that looks like it was always there, the symmetrical windows that frame a gracious front porch, the gabled rooflines that give the home a sense of permanence against the Alabama sky.

The Southern traditional home, when done well, is not nostalgic. It's confident. It speaks a visual language that has been refined for generations, and it does so without apology.

What we bring to this style is the ability to honor its proportions and character while meeting the expectations of how people actually want to live today. The grand foyer that opens to a well connected floor plan. The formal dining room that transitions naturally to an indoor outdoor living space. The timeless brick exterior paired with a primary suite that rivals any modern luxury home.

"The goal is a home that looks like it's been here for a hundred years and will be here for a hundred more."

We've worked on estates across Alabama where the brief was simple: build something that belongs. Something the family will be proud to pass down. Something that adds to the neighborhood rather than simply occupying space in it. That's not a small request, but it is one we've been answering, one home at a time, since 2016.

Whether the setting is a large lot in a Birmingham suburb, a premier parcel near Auburn, or a new development in Huntsville, this style brings a sense of arrival and permanence that no other design achieves quite the same way.

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The Right Home Begins With the Right Conversation

If any of these visions stirred something in you, if you found yourself lingering on one of these ideas and thinking "yes, that's what I want" that feeling is worth a conversation. At Whole Construction Solutions, we don't start with blueprints. We start with you: how you live, how you entertain, what you've always wished your home could be. Then we draw it.

We work across Auburn, Lake Martin, Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, and throughout the Southeast. Every project begins with an initial consultation, a real conversation about your vision, your lot, your life.

When you're ready, we'd love to hear what you've been imagining.

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Why Entry Sequences Matter More Than You Think in Residential Design

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:08:52 -0600

The First Space You Experience Shapes Everything That Follows

In residential design, much attention is given to kitchens, living rooms, and bedroom layouts. These are the spaces where people spend the most time, and naturally, they receive careful planning. However, one of the most influential yet often overlooked aspects of a home is the entry sequence. The entry sequence is not simply the front door. It is the progression of spaces and transitions that guide someone from the outside environment into the private interior of the home. This sequence establishes orientation, controls privacy, and shapes the emotional and spatial experience of arrival. A well considered entry sequence creates a sense of order and intention. Without it, even a well designed home can feel abrupt, exposed, or disorganized. With it, the home feels structured, calm, and thoughtfully composed.

Understanding the role of entry sequences allows homeowners and designers to create homes that function more effectively and feel more coherent.

Entry as a Transition Between Two Worlds

At its core, the entry sequence serves as a transition between public and private space. The exterior environment is open, exposed, and accessible to anyone. The interior of a home, by contrast, is personal, controlled, and protected.

Moving between these two conditions requires a moment of adjustment.

This transition may be subtle or pronounced. It may involve walking up steps, passing through a porch, entering a foyer, or moving through a short hallway before reaching the main living areas. Regardless of the form it takes, the entry sequence allows occupants to shift mentally and physically from outside to inside.

Without this transition, the home loses a sense of boundary. Entering directly into a living room or kitchen can make the interior feel exposed and diminish the sense of privacy and separation.

The entry sequence provides structure, clarity, and comfort.

Orientation and Understanding the Home’s Organization

One of the most important functions of an entry sequence is orientation. When someone enters a home, they subconsciously begin to understand its organization. They recognize where to go, how spaces connect, and how movement flows through the structure.

A well designed entry provides visual cues that guide movement naturally. It may frame views toward certain spaces while concealing others. It may align circulation paths in a way that feels intuitive and effortless.

Without this clarity, the home can feel confusing or disjointed.

Entry sequences help establish a hierarchy of spaces. They define which areas are public, which are private, and how movement should occur between them. This organization improves both usability and comfort.

Privacy and Controlled Visibility

Privacy is one of the most critical yet underappreciated aspects of residential design. Entry sequences play a major role in controlling visibility and protecting private areas of the home.

When entry is poorly planned, it can expose living spaces directly to the exterior. Visitors may immediately see into private rooms, and the home may feel overly exposed to the street or neighboring properties.

A thoughtful entry sequence prevents this. It can redirect views, create partial screening, or introduce intermediate spaces that buffer private areas from direct exposure.

This allows the home to remain welcoming while preserving privacy.

Even subtle adjustments, such as offsetting the entry door or introducing a short transition space, can significantly improve privacy.

Psychological Impact and Sense of Arrival

Entry sequences influence how the home feels, not just how it functions. The experience of arrival shapes perception and emotional response.

A gradual, intentional entry sequence creates a sense of progression. It builds anticipation and provides a moment of pause before entering the main living spaces. This enhances the perceived quality and comfort of the home.

Without this progression, the home may feel abrupt or incomplete.

This principle applies regardless of home size. Even modest homes benefit from thoughtful entry planning. The goal is not to create grandeur, but to create clarity and intention.

A well defined entry gives the home a sense of presence and structure.

Functional Importance in Daily Life

Entry sequences also serve practical daily functions. They provide space for transition activities such as removing shoes, setting down belongings, or preparing to leave the home.

Without a defined entry area, these activities occur in living spaces, creating clutter and disrupting organization.

A properly planned entry helps contain these functions and maintain order.

It supports routines, improves usability, and enhances the efficiency of daily movement.

Even small entry zones can significantly improve organization and comfort.

Circulation and Movement Efficiency

Entry placement directly influences circulation patterns throughout the home. It determines how people move between spaces and how efficiently those movements occur.

A well positioned entry aligns with logical circulation paths. It allows easy access to main living areas while preserving separation from private spaces.

Poorly positioned entries can disrupt circulation. They may create awkward movement patterns, unnecessary travel distances, or spatial conflicts.

Drafting and layout planning play a crucial role in resolving these relationships.

The entry sequence should integrate naturally into the overall organization of the home.

Relationship Between Exterior Form and Interior Experience

The entry sequence also connects exterior architecture with interior space. It helps translate the external form of the home into the internal spatial experience.

The position, scale, and orientation of the entry influence how the home is perceived from outside and experienced from within.

This relationship reinforces architectural clarity and coherence.

When entry placement aligns with the overall structure of the home, both exterior and interior feel unified and intentional.

Adapting Entry Sequences to Different Home Types

Entry sequences vary depending on the home’s context, size, and design goals.

Urban homes may require stronger privacy control due to proximity to neighbors. Rural or lake homes may emphasize gradual transitions and connection to the surrounding landscape.

Regardless of style or location, the fundamental purpose remains the same: to create transition, orientation, and structure.

The entry sequence should always support the broader goals of the home’s design.

Entry Sequences as a Fundamental Part of Drafting and Layout Planning

Entry planning begins during the drafting and layout stage. Decisions about door placement, circulation paths, and spatial relationships all influence the effectiveness of the entry sequence.

This is not something that can be fully corrected later. It must be considered early in the design process.

Careful drafting ensures that the entry sequence supports the home’s organization, function, and experience.

It allows the home to feel cohesive rather than accidental.

Conclusion: Small Decisions with Lasting Impact

Entry sequences are often overlooked because they occupy relatively small areas of the home. However, their impact extends far beyond their physical size.

They shape first impressions, protect privacy, guide movement, and influence how the home is experienced every day.

A thoughtful entry sequence provides structure, clarity, and comfort. It allows the home to function more effectively and feel more intentional.

By considering entry sequences early in the drafting and design process, homeowners can create spaces that support both practical needs and long term livability.

If you are planning a custom home and want to ensure that your layout supports both function and spatial clarity, Whole Construction Solutions LLC provides professional drafting services to develop clear, construction ready home plans.

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Building Footprint Decisions

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 16:26:29 -0600

Porches, Light, and Open Spaces

"I want a big wrap-around porch, an open floor plan, and tons of natural light."

This sentiment is completely understandable. These are all fantastic features that make Southern homes comfortable and livable. But these three goals can work against each other if you're not thoughtful about how your home's footprint brings them together.

With careful planning, you can have porches, light, and the right interior flow for your lifestyle. Designing the right house for your needs though requires understanding how these decisions connect to your home's overall shape, your specific lot, and what the impact will be on how you live in the space.

What Is a Building Footprint and Why Does It Matter?

Your building footprint is the outline of your home as seen from above. Think of it as your home's shadow on the ground.

Most people focus on square footage. That matters. But the shape of those square feet matters just as much.

A 3,000 square foot home can be a compact square, a long narrow rectangle, an L-shape, or a sprawling design with wings and offsets. Each shape creates different opportunities and limitations for porches, natural light, and interior layout.

Your lot drives many of these decisions. On acreage, you may have room to spread out or design a long narrow plan. On urban or suburban lots, setbacks often push you toward the most compact rectangle that fits. That constraint shapes nearly everything else about the design.

Beyond aesthetics, the footprint will affect real dollars. Compact footprints cost less to build, frame, heat, and cool. Sprawling ranch-style plans increase perimeter walls, roof complexity, and long-term energy costs.

Your footprint also determines how your home captures views and responds to noise, neighbors, and sun exposure.

The Porch Problem

Here's the tension: deep covered porches play a big role in Southern living, but they complicate interior lighting.

A 10–12 foot deep porch can block harsh afternoon sun, reduce cooling costs, and make outdoor living comfortable more of the year.

That same porch can also block direct and indirect sunlight. This means the rooms behind deep porches receive less natural light. In open floor plans, this can create dark, cave-like interiors.

On the south and west sides, blocking sun often makes sense. On the north or east sides, a porch may not be necessary at all. Tall windows can bring in the flat, indirect northern light without glare. In all cases, sun studies help determine when porches block light at different times of year based on overhang depth and height.

Porches remain popular for good reason. They protect entries, extend living space, and add resale value. The right choice depends on how you use outdoor space.

So the real question is not whether to include porches, but how to design a footprint that keeps porches and bright interiors working together for your needs and lifestyle.

Four Footprint Strategies for Light and Porches

Strategy 1: The Compact Square or Rectangle

This approach keeps perimeter length short, which increases the impact of porches on the interior layout.

In compact footprints, rooms often touch one or two exterior walls. Corner windows and cross-ventilation become possible. Porches can sit on the sides that need shade most. Rooms can stay bright if you're strategic about porch placement.

The trade-off is vertical design. Reaching desired square footage often requires two or more stories.

Best for:

Smaller lots
Budget-conscious projects
Traditional or open layouts

Strategy 2: The Narrow Deep Plan

Picture a home 28–32 feet wide and 60–70 feet deep, with a front and back porch.

This layout creates a light tunnel effect. Sun washes through from both ends, especially with an open living core.

One consideration: if you have neighbors close on either side, privacy through those side walls becomes limited. This plan works best when side privacy is available.

A typical arrangement includes an 18-foot-wide open living corridor with 12-foot-deep rooms branching off for bedrooms, storage, and bathrooms. These plans use square footage efficiently, with circulation integrated into living space.

Best for:

Urban lots if privacy concerns can be addressed
Rural sites with views
Lots oriented east–west
Open or traditional layouts

Strategy 3: The L-Shape or U-Shape Courtyard

L-shaped and U-shaped footprints create protected outdoor spaces between wings.

Living spaces at the interior corner receive light from two directions. Deep porches can sit on the outer edges without darkening the core.

Courtyards often feel more usable than exposed porches because they provide wind protection and privacy.

U-shapes maximize exterior wall area and light but cost more to build.

Trade-offs:

Higher construction cost
Increased roof and wall complexity

Best for:

Larger lots
Outdoor entertaining
Clients who value protected outdoor space

Strategy 4: The Clerestory Solution

When porches surround multiple sides, vertical light can be a solution.

Clerestory windows sit above porch rooflines and bring light into high ceilings. Light reflects off ceilings and spreads deep into open plans.

This approach works with almost any footprint but adds significant cost: taller walls, more complex framing, hard-to-reach windows, and interior design challenges with tall blank walls.

Without careful detailing, clerestories can also increase heat gain or loss.

Best for:

Clients seeking architectural drama
Projects with adequate budget
Large rooms or large open living spaces with deep porches

A Decision Framework

When planning a custom home, start with your lot. Consider its orientation, views, noise sources, where you need shade versus sun exposure, and the lot's width and depth. Next, define your porch priorities by thinking about where you need porches and how that will affect the lighting on the interior. Then consider your lifestyle. Do you entertain large groups regularly? Will you work from home and need quiet defined spaces? Do you have young children where open sightlines help you keep eyes on them? Finally, consider your budget and how all these decisions will add to your short and long-term expenses.

There is rarely one perfect answer, but there are always better and worse solutions.

If you're planning a custom home in Alabama and want to work through these decisions with a designer who understands how they connect, we should talk.

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The Case for a Good Pantry

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:15:49 -0600

Why the hardest working space in your kitchen deserves real attention.

The Case for a Good Pantry

We all want a great pantry. It's one of the most requested features in custom homes right now, and for good reason. A well designed pantry becomes the hub of your kitchen, the place where the real work happens so your main kitchen can stay beautiful and uncluttered.

The question isn't whether to include a pantry. The question is what kind of pantry fits your lifestyle, your cooking habits, and your home.

The Walk In Pantry

This is what most people picture when they dream about their future kitchen. A dedicated room with shelving, counter space, and room to spread out. For clients who love to cook, entertain, or simply keep a well stocked home, a generous walk in pantry is a game changer.

I often design walk in pantries as large as six by eighteen feet, and when you have that kind of space, you can really make it work hard for you. Think open shelving at twelve inches deep so you can see everything at a glance. Counter space for your stand mixer, coffee station, and small appliances. A window to bring in natural light and fresh air. Maybe a dedicated spot for a full size freezer so your main kitchen can have a sleek 36 inch French door refrigerator without sacrificing frozen storage.

One thing I always recommend in a larger pantry is planning your electrical carefully. You want dedicated circuits so you can run the coffee maker, blender, and microwave without flipping a breaker and accidentally shutting off your freezer. It's a small detail that makes a big difference in how the space actually functions day to day.

As for location, I personally love placing the pantry right next to the refrigerator. It creates a natural flow for unloading groceries and prepping meals. That said, plenty of clients prefer their pantry tucked around the corner, and that works beautifully too. It really comes down to how you move through your kitchen and what feels right for your routine.

The Scullery Kitchen

When a walk in pantry grows up, it becomes a scullery. Add a sink, a dishwasher, and perhaps an extra refrigerator, and suddenly you have a full working kitchen behind the scenes. This is ideal for serious entertainers or families who do a lot of cooking and want to keep the mess completely out of sight.

A scullery lets you prep, cook, and clean up without ever cluttering your main kitchen. Guests see a pristine space while all the action happens just steps away. If you have the square footage and the budget, it's one of the most luxurious features you can include in a custom home.

The Butler's Pantry

A butler's pantry serves a different purpose than a walk in pantry, and many homes include both. Traditionally located between the kitchen and dining room, a butler's pantry is about presentation and serving rather than storage and prep.

This is where you store your good dishes, serving pieces, and cutlery. It's a landing zone for setting out food before a dinner party. Many clients include an undercounter beverage refrigerator for drinks, and depending on the layout, the butler's pantry can double as a wet bar. It's a gracious, Old South touch that makes entertaining feel effortless.

The Wall Pantry

Not every home needs a room dedicated to pantry storage, and that's perfectly fine. A wall pantry offers a more restrained approach that works beautifully in smaller footprints or for clients who simply don't need the extra square footage.

This could be a bank of tall cabinets with pull out drawers and adjustable shelving, or a clever setup with sliding barn doors that conceal a full wall of storage. The key is smart organization. When every shelf is visible and accessible, you'd be surprised how much a wall pantry can hold. An appliance garage can also be revealed inside a wall pantry for easy access and to avoid lifting and setting up stand mixers or such.

This option is especially appealing if you prefer a streamlined kitchen without a separate room to maintain, or if your floor plan doesn't naturally accommodate a walk in space.

Making It Your Own

The best pantry is the one that fits your life. Maybe that's a spacious scullery where you can cook for a crowd. Maybe it's a cheerful walk in with open shelves, a big window, and your favorite coffee setup. Maybe it's a beautifully organized wall of cabinets that keeps everything within arm's reach.

When we sit down to plan your home, I'll ask a lot of questions about how you cook, how you shop, and how you entertain. From there, we'll figure out exactly what your pantry needs to do and design a space that does it beautifully.

If you're dreaming about your future kitchen and wondering what kind of pantry might be right for you, I'd love to help you think it through.

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What Makes a Great One Story Floor Plan?

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:21:22 -0600

Simple, functional layouts are the foundation of a comfortable, efficient home.

A well designed one story home creates a sense of comfort and ease from the moment someone walks inside. When the layout is done well, rooms connect naturally, daily routines flow without disruption, and the home feels balanced and intentional. In the Southern climate, where cooling performance matters just as much as aesthetics, a single level floor plan often provides a real functional advantage. Without the challenge of conditioning a second floor, one story homes tend to stay cooler, and more consistent, during the hottest months.

The placement of bedrooms sets the tone for the entire design. Strong one story floor plans use zoning to create privacy, typically locating the primary suite on one end of the home and grouping the remaining bedrooms on the other. This keeps quiet areas separate from high activity spaces and gives the home a more organized feel.

Circulation is another key component of an effective one story design. Good circulation allows residents to move through the home without bottlenecks or wasted space. Poor circulation often reveals itself in long hallways, abrupt turns, or awkwardly placed doors that make everyday movement feel inefficient. When the circulation is well planned, it fades into the background and supports the overall comfort of the home.

Natural light is central to creating a warm and livable atmosphere. In single story homes, the shape and proportion of the footprint are more important than the simple number of exterior walls. A thoughtful layout arranges rooms so that windows can be placed strategically, avoiding dark interior corners and giving living spaces and bedrooms a pleasant amount of daylight throughout the day. Balancing privacy at the same time is also important.

The kitchen plays an outsized role in the success of the overall floor plan. For a one story layout to function at its best, the kitchen should be located where it supports several major traffic routes. The most functional designs place the kitchen near the garage entrance for quick access with groceries, connect it naturally to the dining area, and ensure that it relates to the living room without letting noise dominate the space. When the kitchen occupies a central and well considered location, the entire home feels more cohesive.

Storage is especially important in Southern homes, where basements are uncommon. A good one story floor plan has storage built directly into the design through practical mudrooms, functional laundry rooms, well sized pantries, and a few well placed closets for linens and household items. These features may seem secondary, but they are essential for keeping a ranch style home organized and comfortable for daily living.

Future expansion is also worth considering. Many homeowners eventually choose to add a bonus room above the garage or another section of the home. The strongest one story floor plans make this easy by aligning structural elements and rooflines in a way that allows stairs and framing to be added cleanly. This kind of long range planning prevents costly remodeling work later and gives the home flexibility as needs change.

Outdoor living is another signature feature of Southern home design. A great one story layout connects porches and patios directly to the main living areas so these spaces feel like a natural extension of the home. When outdoor areas are tied into the flow of the kitchen, dining room, or living room, they become more convenient, more usable, and more enjoyable for everyday living or hosting.

Ultimately, the best one story floor plans take all these factors into consideration but are also in conversation with the new home owner and the lot the house is being built on. When the fundamentals are strong, the home supports its owners quietly and efficiently for years to come.

If you would like to start a conversation about the perfect house plan for you, please feel free to get in touch and thanks for reading.

If you are also considering how garage placement and door style affect both functionality and curb appeal, you may want to read our guide on choosing the right garage doors for your home.

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