The Details You Don't Notice Until They're Wrong

When we design a new home, creating a functional floor plan is about so much more than deciding where the bedrooms and bathrooms go.

They are actually a lot of little things you will probably never notice when they are done right.

But you will absolutely notice when they are wrong.

Door swings are a perfect example.

It does not sound very exciting, but I spend way more time thinking about door swings than you might imagine. If a door opens naturally into a room, you probably won't give it a second thought. But if it swings the wrong direction, blocks something, or makes you walk around it, the whole room just feels off.

That is how I look at an entire floor plan.

Before we ever build it, I mentally walk through the house. I am thinking about the kitchen triangle and the main paths of travel. I am imagining coming home through the garage with groceries. Where do I put my purse? Where do the kids drop their backpacks? Is there somewhere to hide all the stuff that comes with actually living in a home?

Then I walk through it again as a guest.

When someone opens the front door, what do they see? I want them to see the pretty parts of a home. Not the backpacks and shoes hanging in the family's drop zone.

We actually ran into this with one of our floor plans. The best location for the drop zone left it visible from one of the main living areas. Functionally, it was exactly where we wanted it, so rather than moving it to a less convenient location, we added cabinet doors.

Now the family gets the storage they need exactly where they need it, but they can close the doors when they don't want to look at it.

It is a tiny decision. But after years of building homes, we have learned that those tiny decisions add up.

My goal is high functionality. I do not stop working on a floor plan until it flows well.

Because a beautiful home is great.

A beautiful home that makes everyday life easier is even better.

That is also why every Eastwood home includes a flex space or bonus room. We want our homes to adapt as the people living in them change. You can read more about that in Thoughtful Design That Adapts to Real Life.

Or see how we are putting these ideas into practice in the new-construction homes we are currently building in Wolfforth and the Lubbock area.