Budget Friendly Family Home Plan
The concept behind house plan 24738 was simple; design an affordable house with as many upscale features as possible. We wanted to cater to the first time home buyer, or the growing family needing more space, without sacrificing budget. We believe we hit a home run with this design. Square footage was maximized by using an open floor plan concept. Notice the size of the dining room, a generous 11’4 x 14’3. The only elements separating the dining room from the vaulted great room and kitchen/breakfast areas are strategically placed, elegant columns (see interior illustration).
A large fireplace is central to the great room, and the adjoining kitchen has plenty of space for a breakfast table next to the the bay window off the back of the house. Socializing is made easy- family and guests can sit at the counter while meal preparation is underway, or you can have a great view of the flat screen while cooking solo. With this open floor plan, you won’t miss anything going on in the house. 
We also decided to split the bedrooms to give mom and dad a little privacy. The master bedroom has its own foyer and access to the covered rear porch. Equipped with everything you would expect in a contemporary setup, the master bath includes double sinks, spa bathtub and shower, and the walk-in closet measures about 6′ x 6′.
Bedrooms two and three on the right side of the house share a full bathroom that also doubles as a guest bathroom. Convenient to all the bedrooms, the laundry room is central to the plan and opens to the garage for use as a mud room. A great advantage to living in a one-story home is that you can avoid toting heavy baskets of laundry up and down the stairs. Another feature that adds to the family-friendly floor plan- the cabinet area can be used for storing coats, shoes, etc.
Two dormer windows give the house a two-story appearance from the outside, but instead serve to admit light into the home from the vaulted ceiling. Additional attractive elements of the exterior include two bay windows nestled in the covered front porch and the small garage bump out that it set off by an arched window and a brick veneer. By designing the porch to wrap the corner of the house and opening the garage from the side, we have achieved the look of a much larger home!
