How to Start Your Home Design


Thinking of building a new home?  Here are some tips for getting your ideas together for your home design. 
  • Find and purchase your land
  • Start documenting your ideas to present to Bonin Architects

Why is it important to purchase your land before you start getting too far in the process of the home design?  The land will undoubtedly have an impact on the design of the home:  its footprint, number of stories, whether or not you can have a walkout basement, orientation, etc.  Once you have your land, Bonin Architects will visit the property with you to help site the home within the town Planning Board regulations and the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act guidelines.

Then it’s time to start gathering your ideas for your new home.  General requirements such as the use of the home (primary residence, vacation, or retirement home), the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location of your Master Bedroom, the use of outdoor space, and having an eat-in kitchen or separate dining room are some things to start thinking about. 

Bonin Architects will work with you during the Schematic Design Phase of the home design to develop the size, footprint and layout of the home.  In this phase you will also address any specialty features, rooms, and other priorities you have for the home, including a home theater, office and/or media room, craft room, sun room, porches, decks and basement use.  Use your current home as a comparison for what you like and what you do not like about each room, space, and its use.

Working with Bonin Architects for your home design will result in having much more than a home with a standard floor plan – together, we will create a custom home design that matches your philosophy and lifestyle, a reflection of who you are, how you live.