Modern Exterior Homes
When you think of building a new home you are faced with two choices, build a traditional house or choose a modern house plan. Because the word modern means ‘current for the time’, what is considered a modern house plan in today’s terms? This article gives examples of current trends in house plan design.
Exterior
The exterior of a modern home will usually have clean lines, with a simple footprint. From the street these homes can appear box-like in form, so often different materials are used to break up the exterior visually. Facades of stucco, wood, concrete, and glass, and even feature walls using steel all add visual appeal. However, the exterior often belies the open transparent nature of the architecture beyond.
Natural Light and Open Plan
Natural light is key to a modern house plan, using high ceilings, large windows, and a well-considered floor plan to give a sense of space and openness. No longer is each room compartmentalized in a house, but instead you will find kitchens opening onto dining and living areas, bathrooms flowing into bedrooms and living areas opening to the outdoor spaces. Along with abundant natural light, a modern house plan has strong connections to the outdoors. Porches, patios, and courtyards are all features that help bring the indoors out, and these features also give an illusion of a spacious home.
Modern house plans also offer flexible living space, allowing the homeowner to modify the home’s functionality to suit their lifestyle. Most modern houses include multiple entertaining areas, for example in large open kitchens, in the dining and the living areas, and outdoors on a deck or terrace.
These house plans are also designed to have better ventilation than what you find in traditional homes. Placing windows in strategic locations and aligning entry and exit points in each room allows for a natural flow of air through the house.
Environmentally friendly
With global warming affecting all areas of the world, environmentally friendly homes are becoming more popular with architects. The types of design choices in these homes include skylights, solar panels, and recycled materials. Skylights are a source of natural light, reducing the need for light bulbs, and solar panels provide a clean energy source to power your home.
Architecture is inspired by both local and international influences and is continually changing. As you can see from this article, in terms of a current modern house plan simple exterior designs are complemented by open-plan interiors that maximize the space and light of the house and its surrounds.
After 30 years of building fabulous homes, Landmark Homes has earned the reputation of being one of the best house builders in New Zealand. See our Plan Collection and take advantage of the fluidity of our design process to put your stamp on your own Landmark.
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