Month: July 2022

The Perfect Floor Plans For Vacation Views

Whether you’re looking to build your primary residence, a vacation home, or an investment property, the first thing most consider is location, location, location. This is a common phrase used by real estate agents and investors alike because it really is one of the most important aspects of building a home. The location you decide to build on is probably based on several things, like proximity to conveniences, the lifestyle of the area, and the surrounding views or scenery.

 

Once you’ve selected the lot of land you’d like to build on, the next step to consider is the house design, square footage, and, more importantly, the floor plan. The floor plan you choose is important because you want to be able to fully maximize the gorgeous views of the location you’ve fallen in love with. Frank Betz Associates has numerous floor plans to choose from that can do just that. Here we’d like to highlight three floor plans we think would be ideal for a vacation home.

 

Allegheny – Luxury Holiday Living

The Allegheny offers plenty of room to enjoy a fun-filled family vacation. Whether it’s near a glistening lake or high in the mountains, this floor plan allows for beautiful views and quality family time. As soon as you walk into the front door, there’s a streamlined view through the great room into the porch. A set of French doors leads the way to this covered porch with its own fireplace for a cozy, chilly night. There’s also an entrance through the master bedroom for an even cozier night watching the sunset with your partner. 

 

If you’ve chosen to spend the holidays with a group of families or if your family is particularly large, this floor plan boasts several sleeping areas and spots for entertainment. Depending on the weather, you can host a huge family dinner in the dining room, lower level terrace, or out on the deck. Build your own mountain of memories playing board games or other fun activities in the oversized recreation area or separate game room.

 

From the deck to the porches to the terrace, there are ample areas to choose from to view every angle of the beautiful scenery wherever you build. 

 

Glenville Overlook – The Peaceful Re(tree)t

The Glenville Overlook floor plan is ideal for vacations in the mountains and cooler climates. Here you can invite friends and family to enjoy a relaxing vacation. With several bedrooms, a bunk room, a bonus room, and a computer nook, there’s room for everyone. Every room is built to let in an abundance of natural light. Wake up early to the fresh smell of trees or ponder over a vast hillside. This floor plan is perfectly built for sloping lots, hills, and mountain sides. 

 

After a long day of adventure, take advantage of the expansive front screened-in-porch or back deck. Grab a quick nap or catch a cool breeze while reading a good book. This floor plan also features a detached garage that can be placed on the building site where it won’t obstruct a fabulous view. You’ll find another sweet retreat on a quaint porch located off the mudroom and breezeway. You can spend hours enjoying the views from multiple areas of the home, all while relaxing in your glorious, spacious vacation property.

 

Lake Pointe – Warm & Welcoming

The durable materials used to build the Lake Pointe floor plan make it the perfect selection for any climate. Its exterior design alone incites a warm and inviting feeling. The front porch is donned with timber columns and on stone pedestals that invite guests to settle in its cozy atmosphere. After stepping through the front door, you’ll find a wide open concept that provides an easy flow through the home’s main spaces. It also gives a straight line of sight to the covered back porch, bringing the outside views in. Large window groupings also allow ample natural light to flow throughout the first floor.

 

If you’ve chosen a lot near water, mountains, or golf course views, this floor plan is a delightful choice as the master suite is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the magnificent views. With a large kitchen island and a grand room, you’ll be able to host many family gatherings. Additionally, the terrace level bedrooms and family room allow extra space for movie nights or simply relaxing for the evening. Use the covered porch as another extra living area and enjoy the outdoors in any weather. The rest of the additional square footage on this lower level provides tons of storage space so you and your family can keep items safe for every time you visit.

 

Wherever you choose to build and for whatever purpose, you’ll find a Frank Betz house plan to exceed your expectations. Finding the right floor plan for your vacation home is even easier with the multiple filter options you’ll see on our website. We hope you’ll consider one of these highly recommended floor plans, but if you still need help searching, give us a call at 888-717-3003 or connect with us online today. We’re happy to help!

Love Your Floor Plan AND Its Exterior

Building a new home is a big investment, and it’s understandable that you’d want it to look just as you envisioned. The opportunity to choose where it will be built, the floor plan, the exterior options, and the design finishes are all important decisions you get to make when building your dream home. And at Frank Betz Associates, we don’t take those decisions lightly.

 

We want you to love your floor plan inside just as much as you love it outside. Here we’ll take a look at an example floor plan that shows that you don’t have to sacrifice the floor plan you love for the exterior you want. With Frank Betz Associates, you can have both! 

 

Huntington Ridge House Plan

When you first choose a house plan, you’ll look at a lot of different factors. You may consider the number of bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate family members and potential guests. You’ll also take a look at the overall size of the house to make sure there’s room for other things you might do day-to-day, like an early morning routine in the breakfast area.

 

Now, imagine you’ve found Huntington Ridge, the house plan that fits your lifestyle and needs perfectly. But then you realize you don’t love the way it looks on the outside. Don’t worry! You can modify the outside to fit the exterior aesthetic you are looking for. You’ll still have the same number of rooms and floor layout, but now with an outside view, that feels right for your preferred style. The Huntington Ridge house plan offers 3 different elevations, each with their own unique touches, to choose from. 

 

Elevation A

This elevation option caters to a gorgeous, classy look. Its brick construction adds a historic, timeless beauty to the exterior. Also, brick is an optimal choice for keeping the house highly soundproof and weather resistant. This is perfect for those light sleepers and late-night entertainers. 

 

The house features gabled dormers to ensure enough natural light can beam throughout the top floor rooms. This feature is also a way to preserve the roof as it allows rainfall and snow to easily drain off, keeping it from collecting and building up. The colonial-style windows also allow an abundance of natural light to flow through the first floor and add to the classic, traditional appearance.

 

Elevation B

The elevation B option of this house plan beautifully blends brick and wood wall cladding to provide an elegant, classic look. Mixing these two natural materials adds a nice balance of different textures to the home. Not only does this exterior catch the eye with a mix of materials, but the flattened eaves across the top of the dormer windows give this exterior a different character. This elevation also uses an arching detail between the columns that perfectly frames the front door and windows beside it.

 

Hosting various sizes of windows, the board and batten shutters on each side of the house add symmetry and balance to the exterior. It lends itself to a more modern house design by connecting the different materials used for the exterior. This sophisticated element looks aesthetically pleasing and adds value to the home overall.

 

Elevation C

The third elevation option, C, has a unique set of features to make it stand out from the other two. It’s a delightful country cottage equipped with a mainly wood material exterior. The front elevation of this option is a bit more simplistic with the traditional triangular gables, giving it a refreshing, welcoming look. Like the other elevations, this one includes multiple windows in various sizes to enhance the highly sought-after natural light most people want within a new home.

 

There are a couple of particularly nice additions to this elevation that make it so special. But the ones that stand out the most are the decorative window accents and the window boxes. The window designs used in this house plan elevation add an elegant touch to the overall look. It’s a small detail that makes a huge impact on the house’s exterior, making it much more visually appealing. Another special feature is the window box option. They offer another level of texture and dimension to the home, creating an exciting, eye-catching element.

 

Endless Options

When you build a new home with Frank Betz Associates, you’ll be able to mix and match an array of exterior options to create the home you’ve been dreaming of inside and out. We offer an extensive selection of house plans and house plan elevations. Whether you want a dreamy cottage or a rustic farmhouse, we’ve got the resources to make it happen. 

 

If you have additional questions about how we personalize and build our homes, don’t hesitate to connect with us online or call us at 888-717-3003. Don’t hesitate to reach 

How To Do A Craftsman House Plan Right

Some things truly never go out of style. Like the ever popular Craftsman house plan. Built out of the early 1900s Arts and Crafts movement, the Craftsman style homes were a rebellion against the mass-produced, excessive, ornate Victorian styles that were popular at the time.

 

It’s not hard to see why this house plan is still among one of the top-selling house plan styles we offer at Frank Betz Associates. We make sure to stay true to the architectural simplicity while implementing a modern twist by featuring several key characteristics of this style such as wide porches, thick support columns, low-pitched roofs, and exposed beams.

 

When building a new Craftsman house plan, it’s important to note that while this style of home already stands out with its unique architectural features and designs, there are a few different ways to make yours even more outstanding and eye-catching.

 

A Carefully Chosen Color Palette

Though the Craftsman house plan can stand out on its own, choosing the right color palette can highlight many of its architectural details. Playing with nature-inspired color combinations typically goes well with these house plans, so think of using shades of green, brown, and other earthy tones. This is a great way to keep the home feeling welcoming and warm before stepping inside.

 

If you prefer a more modern look, you can still highlight the uniqueness of these homes by using grays, navy, and cooler tones. Then use white or off-white for the trim and columns to really pop against the main home color.

 

Most importantly, when it comes to choosing a color palette, make sure to test different combinations and see how they look together. Play around with different tones for different elements of the home to see how they work, especially in the sunlight. Luckily, many of our Craftsman style homes are made with natural materials like stone, brick, and wood, which gives a nice starting point to build the colors from. 


Low-Key Landscaping

One of the major keys to creating an appealing view of a Craftsman house plan is by sticking to the KIS (keep it simple) method. Overcrowding of bushes and shrubbery, unless a natural part of the lot, can bury the beautiful craftsmanship of the home. Think about planting smaller bushes, flowers, and greenery native to the area you live in. Also, place the plants in unique patterns along the exterior of the home to enhance the overall appearance.

 

Another important aspect of the landscaping for this style of home is the walkway and wide porch. There are many opportunities to embellish the natural elements of its architecture without going overboard. You could create the walkway using the same elements used in the home’s exterior, like stone or brick, or you could frame the walkway with complementing flowers, plants, and rocks. The porch lends room for plants as well, but remember that less is more when it comes to landscaping.

 

Keeping It Natural

It’s easy to get excited about setting up the decor of the interior of this house plan due to its open concept focused on building the rooms off of a centrally located family room or living room. When it comes to the exterior, it can be difficult to decide what will look best with this already attractive architectural design.

 

Things like lighting, porch furniture, and hardware can truly make the home feel more inviting and cozy for family and guests alike. A lantern is a simple touch that can add quite an impact to lighting the entrance. Keep in line with the natural materials of the home and bring in more warmth by selecting bronze and copper details. You can also create a sense of a cozy feel through Craftsman-styled furniture that you know will seamlessly fit the style of the home. 

 

Building a new Craftsman house plan with Frank Betz Associates is the start to having a quality-crafted, timeless home style with modern touches that stands out from the average conventional home style. When you’re ready to build, we’re ready to help. You can begin your search by viewing our myriad of Craftsman house plan options on our website or by contacting us at 888-717-3003.