Houzzers Say: A Wish List for the Entire House
10 dreamy suggestions to help a home meet all of your present and future needs
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
Many of you chimed in on the discussion board when a Houzz user asked what kinds of convenient features and cool new things she should consider while planning her new home. So far we've covered the kitchen, the bathroom, the laundry room, the mudroom, the closet and the yard (scroll to the bottom for links to those lists). Today we're finishing up with Houzzers' suggested features for the home overall. I hope the following serves as an easy reference list for those who are planning a new home or a remodel.
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| 1. A covered outdoor room. Many of you are dreaming of a three-season outdoor room. This room's usefulness is extended by a wood-burning stove to keep loungers toasty while they enjoy the spectacular Vermont fall foliage. |
by Gast Architects
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2. A secret passageway. What could be more fun than a secret passageway? This one provides extra book storage for a bibliophile and gives hidden access to a stairway. You could even take it a step or 10 further and add a panic room.
More Secret Passageways and Nooks
More Secret Passageways and Nooks
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3. Motorized shades. These are a great suggestion for rooms full of windows, especially for extra-high windows.
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| 4. A central vacuum system. Several Houzzers sung the praises of having a central vacuum system, complete with kickplates. |
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| 5. Craft room. Lots of you would like to spread out your crafts in one space. Whether it's scrapbooking, sewing or simply wrapping gifts, having organized storage systems and a surface for leaving projects out is a luxury you'd put to good use. |
by jacuzzi.com
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6. Heated floors. Houzzers recommended radiant heat floors to save energy and keep their toes warm. Other energy-efficient ideas include tankless water heaters, low-flow fixtures, energy-efficient appliances, added insulation, rain harvesting systems, metal roofs and solar panels.
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| 7. Well-placed outlets and switches. Think ahead about where you want your wall outlets and switches. While we already saw a lot of clever spots in the kitchen suggestion ideabook and the bathroom suggestion ideabook, it's true all over the house. A media room requires extra thought; you need to figure out where you want your stereo and TV equipment and what kinds of outlets these will require. Furthermore, you want them well placed so that you don't have the eyesore of cords. Another similar consideration for the media room is placement of surround sound speakers. You'll also need to plan for your reading spots. If you want to float sofas and chairs away from walls, plan for outlets in the floor near the furniture. |
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| 8. Well-placed thermostats. Too often thermostats are a design afterthought. First, make sure they are not placed in a drafty spot, or a spot where they will get an invalid temperature reading, like near the front door or the fireplace. Second, put them in a place where they won't muck up your perfectly planned gallery wall or other décor. Third, opt for a programmable thermostat to save energy. |
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9. A charging station. With so many gadgets to charge these days, we're all running out of outlets. Houzzers suggest having a designated charging station where they can get all the juice they need while staying neat and organized.
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by Kerrie L. Kelly
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| 10. Features for a future that does not depend so much on oil. Speaking of charging, when it comes to your garage, think ahead. One astute Houzzer suggested including a specialized plug for electric cars, even if you don't own one yet. Also on Houzzers' wish lists: Outdoor Must-Haves Dream Kitchen Must-Haves Closet and Bath Must-Haves |
Ideabook published on March 7, 2012.
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As far as whole house things, I second the covered outdoor room and central vac, I would add energy efficient building (or retrofitting) like full ICF construction (we are LOVING our low utility bills), and planning to age in place (first floor master, wide hallways and doors, levers and pulls instead of knobs, etc).