The Benefits of Building a Custom Home

Well, OK. There’s really just one.

[TOPIC: Benefits of a custom home | Tailored floor plans & lifestyle fit | Quality materials & craftsmanship | Energy efficiency & sustainability | Control over design decisions | Long-term value & resale potential | Privacy & comfort]

Introduction

When you build a custom home, you get to decide exactly how your house looks: its shape, size, colors, and finishes.

These details are important, but aesthetics are only part of the picture. The most profound benefit of building a custom home is that you create a house that supports your vision for your life.

Section 1 — You Decide What’s Important

Architectural truth: buildings dictate how we spend our time.

• Homes with many cloistered rooms → more private, secluded life
  

• Homes with small bedrooms and a large open main room → more shared family time
  
  

Hierarchy of a home: Every home emphasizes something: comfort, togetherness, art, or solitude.

With a custom home, you decide:

• What’s in your house and what’s not
  

• How elements fit together for the best living spaces for you
  

• Which compromises and risks you are willing to make
  

Section 2 — Your Home Will Reflect Your Values

• Initial process: ask clients about their lifestyle
  
  

  • Are they homebodies or frequently out?
    

  • How do they spend weekends?
    

  • Do they entertain often?
    

  • Preference for solitude or family activities?
    
    

Knowing these priorities helps architects determine:

• Which rooms are essential
  

• How each space should function
  

• How the house aligns with client values
  

Section 3 — You Have Control Over Design Decisions

Once goals and criteria are clear, prioritize spaces and allocate resources effectively.

Main Room

• Typically a kitchen-dining-living space
  

• Central gathering area for evenings and weekends
  

• Customizable layouts:
  
  

• Large gourmet kitchen + dining area + intimate living room cove
  

• Compact galley kitchen + spacious living area with seating pods
  

• Vaulted kitchen and living space with barstools instead of dining table
  

• Decisions depend on how you want to inhabit your space
  
  

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

• Focus on spaciousness and purpose
  

• Bedrooms: cozy sleeping capsule or larger retreat
  

• Kids’ rooms: play-oriented or study/sleep zones
  

• Bathrooms: utilitarian or luxurious, depending on hierarchy
  
  

Storage

• Proper storage enhances cleanliness and livability
  

• Placement and size matter more than sheer quantity
  

• Storage integrates with your personal hierarchy and lifestyle
  

• Highlights items of joy (art, collections) in daily life
  
  

The Property

• Design to blend interior and exterior spaces
  

• Decisions about natural light, gardens, and outdoor accessibility
  

• Options include: sunroom, art studio, large garden, or compact herb garden
  

Section 4 — You Get Exactly What You Want

By defining:

• Your values
  

• Hierarchy of spaces
  

• Close collaboration with an architect
  
  

You can create a custom home that:

• Supports a healthier, more fulfilling life
  

• Offers an aspirational, highly functional environment
  
  

Key takeaway: A custom home lets you choose between a space that’s merely adequate or one that is perfectly tailored to you.

© Artisans Group Architecture + Planning — Sustainable Architecture, Passive House, and Passive Building Design Experts