H-Shaped House Plans
Much like the U-shaped house plans, H-shaped house plans are exactly what the name suggests. They are shaped like the letter “H”, and if you are one to want to make an impression, this may just be what you have been looking for.
This is not the option you choose when you’re very cost-conscious about the home that you’re building, because believe it or not, they will end up costing you more to build than a regular rectangular blueprint, but they will also make a statement like rectangular ones don’t.
Whether you’re getting an H-shaped style or not, some features are very popular and worth considering.
| Features to consider | ||
| With breezeway | Open floor | 4 bedroom |
| Small & luxurious | Tiny | 3-story |
| shed | Timber frame | Small, 2 bedroom |
You’re not just buying a home, you’re buying a statement by getting yourself a house that stands out like most don’t. Its shape allows for the ability to wrap around a magnificent courtyard in the front while giving direct access to a pool on the backside.
For the family that wants to make a statement, and create a space that will stand there for years to come, these are truly great options to consider. The most popular ones in this category include the 4 bedroom plans that provide enough room for your average size family while providing all the possible amenities that come from this modern option.
The one you end up getting does not just depend on the plan you get for it, although that will, of course, determine the walls and structure, once you have that determined, it comes time to find out which finish you want to choose.
When going with a modern option like this, a lot of people choose to opt for an ICF build, being a modern type of concrete home, up to date with the current fashion trends, while choosing high-end finishes for it, too.
They usually have big window panels, perhaps voice-controlled to give you that high-end feel that you may like, while still installing energy-efficient initiatives like double or triple pane. Massive glass sliding doors are another feature that beautifully opens up to that outdoor pool that you can take a dip in.
Both when you’re choosing which layout to go with as well as which finishes having installed, it’s important to have in mind what it is that you want out of the house. If you want one where you’re likely to invite over a bunch of guests, and you love cooking, perhaps a big kitchen island is what is needed. In our opinion, a great entertainer’s kitchen should always have either a beautiful granite countertop or a marble one.
One thing that characterizes a lot of these modern plans is that they have big open floor space with a clear line of sight, making it very easy to feel like you’re close to other members of your family even if people are doing different things. Combined with the big window panels, these options are especially great when you like the massive amounts of natural light flowing through the windows.
While there’s a time and place for something smaller like a 1,200 sq ft option, that is not what you are going to be finding on this specific page. Here you will find lots of spaciousness, as these aren’t homes meant for a narrow lot. The obvious advantage to these layouts is also that you aren’t using a lot of the home’s space on transitional hallways and other awkward places where your usual art pieces may be what is best put there to make them feel more inhabited.
While a lot of stuff may be determined by the layout of the place, you’re still having a lot of options to customize it to your liking. While customizing your house, we find that a lot of our users are turning to that Mid-Century inspiration, breaking the lines of symmetry traditional in many other types.
In this day and age, the focus is also on installing earth-friendly, yet aesthetic finishes. These are usually materials that can be regenerated such as bamboo, or repurposed materials while making sure that everything is well-insulated.
Some of the materials that we see people turning to include bamboo and reclaimed wood, often from barns. Bamboo is not just fast-growing, but it’s a great alternative to traditional hardwood given the many different options it comes in and the many possibilities that come with it. If you decide on using this type of wood, either partially or throughout the home, looking for the Forest Stewardship Council certificate will ensure that you’re avoiding the wood having toxic chemicals in it.
Another type of green wood is cork, which can be used in a sustainable way, where the wood is harvested without harming the tree. Rather than cutting down the tree, the cork can be harvested upwards of 20 times throughout the tree’s life.
We hope that this may have inspired you to pursue that dream of yours, and if you have any questions about any sort of shaped home, we’re here to guide you and make your dreams come true.
Post & Beam
Are you a person who would love exposed, heavy timber logs for your lakefront or mountain retreat? Then post and beam designs may just be what you are looking for. It’s a great rustic option when you simply aren’t a fan of all that more v have to offer.
It’s not just wooden logs that are used for this type but can also be milled square timbers. In its essence, post & beam just refers to the user of just that, posts and beams made in majestic wooden creations. It takes a special level of workmanship to create these beautiful masterpieces. They will often have big beautiful windows that let in lots of natural light into the living room, often with chimneys, too. With their rustic appeal, there are also often large amounts of stone incorporated into their designs.
The joinery is what sets them apart from normal timber frame homes. They come in various sizes, including many options smaller than 1,400 sq ft, and other options being bigger than 3,000 sq ft. We also have plans ideal as a cabin, pool, guest house, a chalet, a coastal, or a multi-family carriage house.
H-shaped homes are great, however, you may be operating with certain circumstances that will impact the right design for your plot of land, as well as some of the features that are required to make your family happy. Here are some of them.
| Special factors to consider | ||
| Walkout basement | Under 100k to build | Courtyard |
| With in-law suite | Open concept | Narrow lot |
Single-story, 4 bedroom
While there are different options, there are some that have more common features that people are looking for, and for this specific style, the single-story and 4 bedroom option is the most common one when it comes to the often very modern look that many people aspire to have when they choose to get something with the H-shape.
The great thing about keeping it single-story instead of adding additional stories is that you can get a contemporary feel while having those very tall ceilings. which can be hard to get if you are making the whole home 2-storied. While it may be possible to make certain parts tall, it typically won’t fare very well with the common desire to have the bedrooms in each of the different parts.
The possibility to have both a grand courtyard as well as a pool
While U-shaped designs may be great, they don’t command some of the same possibilities that come with an H-shaped option, like having both a courtyard and a pool at the same time. Or, that is to say, it isn’t possible to have the house wrap around both features simultaneously, and having that great pool in the middle is just something that we often find our users longing for when they come to our website.
Modern, Ranch, or farmhouse inspiration?
Although the uniqueness, in large, comes from the finishes you end up going with, the structure still provides the overarching foundation that you are working with, and whether you’re in Ireland, Australia, or the United States, we have different types that fit your desires. Some people may desire a more modern option, whereas others want either a ranch or a farmhouse. If you always wanted a gable roof but you don’t find that any of the plans available here offer exactly that, our architects will also be happy to help you make the necessary adjustments, simply contact us to hear what is possible.
We’ll be happy to help you find just the plans that work for the dream you are trying to build.
Necessary features
| Things to look for | ||
| Necessary features | Size matters | Your family situation |
All families have different needs. When you’re building, there is only the smallest of chances that you want exactly what your neighbor wants to build as well. Perhaps they have 3 children whereas you and your spouse will only have one child.
It would make sense why they would only be looking at blueprints that include 4 bedrooms, whereas you may be more interested in designs that offer 3 bedrooms, as that would still mean that you and your spouse could have your bedroom and your child could have their bedroom as well.
It’s important to note that it’s a good thing that people don’t all want the same features when they’re building. It ensures that there is a level of individualism when you’re driving through a neighborhood and that not all homes need to look the same.
It also means that you will have to sit down with your family and figure out what sort of H-shaped home it is you’re hoping to build. Perhaps you want to build a space that can add a sauna to it.
There is nothing more relaxing than coming home after a long day at work, to the home you recently built, while being able to jump into the sauna that you had installed.
However, to be able to have a sauna installed, you will want to make sure that it not only has the square footage for it, but also the dedicated location where you can put it. For most people, that would mean you would likely be installing the sauna in the garage.
But would it be enough for you to only build something that has one garage, or would you need something more substantial now that you’re already allocating a lot of space for an object that takes up quite a bit of it?
Perhaps if you want to have a sauna, a one-car garage just won’t be sufficient. If your family has one car, you won’t have anywhere to park the car when it rains, and you may instead wish to build something more substantial.
The important thing is that you start the process of figuring out the necessary features – when you have 2 cars and want to install a sauna as well, perhaps the better option would be for you to go luxurious.
Now that you are finally building the place of your dreams, you want to build something that includes all the necessary features, and you’ve always wanted to build a space with a 3-car garage.
While H-shaped homes are commonly modern in style, they don’t have to be, as you can see from the table of styles we included below.
| Styles to consider | |
| Mediterranean | Cottage-style |
| Country | Victorian |
| Modern | Square |
Size matters
It may be a controversial stance to say that size matters, but when you’re building a new place, it is the case. There are simply certain things that may be possible if you have a 2,200 square foot home that isn’t possible with a smaller design. As we mentioned in the example above, you will want to make sure that you have an adequate amount of bedrooms for the needs of your family, but you will also want to make sure that you don’t feel like you’re stumbling over one another as people get back from a day at work.
When you’re building a place that you need to be living in for years to come, it’s also the time to make sure you have enough space. For instance, when you want 3 bedrooms, our general recommendation is usually that you don’t build something that is smaller than 1,200 square feet. However, if you’re building an H-shaped home, there is no chance that you will be able to get 3 bedrooms in a space as small as 1,200 square feet.
Most of those, we will have listed on this page are no less than 2,000 square foot, and that is because the H-shape and its function require a lot of space for corridors and common areas that quickly starts eating away at the square footage.
It’s also commonly a style that is associated with a more luxurious lifestyle. One where more is more, and that includes square footage. There are some of the styles that are listed here that can even be considered mansions due to their square footage! For this type, the most common request we get is that people want to be living in a modern option. They want a home that has the newest appliances. They want their H-shaped dream to include tall ceilings and open floor layouts to give it that airy feeling that is so sought after.
We’re not in a situation to tell you what you need to be after when you’re buying, we’re just hoping that we can help you make a choice that ensures you’re building the one that’s right for you!
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