Overview
The SMALLER HOME IDEAS presents series of ‘intentional’ homes with an idea behind them and often a sustainable build idea. They are an idea resource and can evolve into a custom home design. The designs are in series each of which shares a core idea. These core ideas vary a good bit and defy any overview description- so one has to take a look.
The Smaller Home Design Ideas: This selection of smaller diy oriented home plans captures small design (core) ideas that have been rummaging around in the design brain waiting for an opportunity to be put into form. Being semi-retired from a many decades long career in custom residential architecture has allowed the time to pursue these designs. I might emphasize here that these core idea choices are of my choosing. They are not market driven. They may be layout driven, or energy driven, or efficiency driven, or structurally driven. They are investigations. They will, regardless of other intent, typically list toward open space and generous glass. And all designs have been taken through the paces regarding constructability and structure. The apology is that one has to scan thru them to cipher any interest or appropriateness. To that end the scanning process has been made simple and clear in the Smaller Home Ideas menu.
Earth-Solar House Plans
Description: 1 primary living level slab on grade with rear side built into a moderate slope. Long and low, and pretty simple to build. Definite passive solar potential. This design format has one primary topographical orientation being ‘downhill’. This design format has some inherent planning limitations because of its 1 story long and narrow format. Note a primer on passive solar design conditions is included in all design sets.
Size: 842 sf up to 2420 sf on one living level. Bedroom and bath count, and room sizing is proportionate with overall square footage.
Style: Characterized with low profile, low slope roofs and a mostly contemporary appearance. This series maintains the same general architectural format from the smaller size designs to the larger ones.
Small Cabin-Loft House Plans
Description: Primary living level at grade on crawl space (or slab) with covered porch(s). Steeper main roof permits legal/accessible loft space. These home designs are based on a nominal 24′ deep x 32′ long base footprint which is dimensionally efficient. The primary bedroom and a legal stair both taking space in this modest footprint make these designs a layout challenge.
Size: 768 sf footprint on the main living level. This small footprint lead to the use of the term ‘cabin’. Useful loft space varies and increases thru the design sequence. Design#8 in fact would better be defined as a 2 level design.
Style: Style is flexible, and a variety of ‘looks’ have been purposefully incorporated, suiting a variety of building environments. Most ‘looks’ can be mixed and matched to other plan configurations in the series.
Small Walkout House Plans
Description: This series assumes a moderately sloping site that encourages a daylight or walkout basement. There is an inherent efficiency using a foundation system (required regardless) to incorporate viable living space. Clearly lower level living space has conditions and limitations, so these designs are challenged with making that lower level space useful and spatially pleasant.
Size: 3 foundation footprint sizes-formats this series from 518 sf to 588 sf. All designs have 2 levels, with designs #7, #8,#9 adding footage on a 3rd level. Total footage from 1036 sf to 1709 sf.
Style: Style is flexible, and a variety of ‘looks’ are purposefully shown. ‘Looks’ and plans can be mixed and matched.
Expansion Series House Plans
Description: Expandable home designs are ‘set up’ to become expanded home designs. These base designs are self contained and functional as is. The expanded series shows fully integrated wings allowing that base home design to be significantly and seamlessly enhanced as time and budget permits.
Size: Base home designs are 1296 sf to 1640 sf. Expansion home designs increase footage up to 2000 sf.
Style: The expandable designs have a ‘form’ that is boxy. The expanded designs, with their projected wings, change that boxy characteristic. Style is varied.
Available designs:
Expandable Design #11297 sq ftExpanded Design #11633 sq ftExpandable Design #21296 sq ftExpanded Design #21614 sq ftExpandable Design #31428 sq ftExpanded Design #31782 sq ftExpandable Design #41640 sq ftExpanded Design #42000 sq ftExpandable Design #51344 sq ftExpanded Design #51725 sq ftExpandable Design #61398 sq ftExpanded Design #61777 sq ftRoof Garden House Plans
Description: The common feature in the Roof Garden Series is a flat roof area intended to be accessed and used for exterior living and container gardening. Roof garden areas are typically located above the carport/garage function, and are accessed directly from the public living spaces. Public living spaces are located one story above grade designated the ‘upper level’. This format may be quite suitable both in open site, sloped site, and narrow lot urban conditions.
Size: All are 2 levels. Most home designs are narrow and long(er) in proportion. Finished footage ranges from 1152 sf to 2072 sf.
Style: These home designs as illustrated look comfortable in rural settings with a relaxed country styling, and some in urban settings, with more contemporary styling. The characteristic flat roof garden space with required railings sets a non-traditional form aesthetic.
Steep Slope House Plans
Description: All designs this series are presented on a steeper slope site (20%). Their designs generally maintain a narrow approach line and incorporate a narrow foundation construction with living space floating out and over open terrain supported on a pier and post system.
Size: Finish footages range from 1108 sf to 2000 sf.
Style: This home design series shows a mixed bag of form and style. The more consistent condition is a longer and narrow form with low slope roof and a contemporary flavor.
Simple Series House Plans
Description: These finished footage footprints are all simple rectangles. The roof packages are varied on purpose to offer more design options. The additional (unconditioned) functions and footages are outside the basic conditioned footprint and have some size, shape, even location flexibility.
Size: Simple series#1 home designs are 704 sf with 1 bedroom. There are 4 design variations. Simple series#2 home designs are 960 sf with 2 bedrooms. There are 4 design variations. Simple series#3 home designs are 1288 sf -1528 sf with 3 bedrooms. There are 5 design variations. Additional useable functions and footage vary per design.
Style: Each series has gable roofed more conventional designs, and single slope roofed more contemporary designs. Keep in mind the single slope roof is economical and pretty easy to build.
Available designs:
Simple Series #1704 sq ftSimple Series #1a704 sq ftSimple Series #1b704 sq ftSimple Series #1c704 sq ftSimple Series #2960 sq ftSimple Series #2a960 sq ftSimple Series #2b960 sq ftSimple Series #2c960 sq ftSimple Series #31232 sq ftSimple Series #3a1288 sq ftSimple Series #3b1344 sq ftSimple Series #3c1344 sq ftSimple Series #3d1528 sq ftIntro
These smaller home ideas are a place for this architect to experiment a little with home designs that address a self defined design condition.