| Not only do trends affect the look and feel of new homes, but they also affect the size of rooms and the overall square footage. And yet, bigger isn’t necessarily better. One of the greatest visionaries addressing this is Sarah Susanka. You may have spotted her on the Oprah Winfrey or Charlie Rose shows. Or perhaps you’ve seen her in USA Today, Newsweek or U.S. News & World Report. |
| A member of the American Institute of Architects and a certified interior designer, Sarah is the author of many popular books including The Not So Big House (Taunton Press, 1998). Creating The Not So Big House (Taunton Press, October 2000) was ranked among the top 15 books in the New York Times "Advice & How To" best-seller list. |
| Terry Ruhland, the owner of Plum Creek Builders agrees with Sarah’s vision. Terry explains, “Comfort doesn’t come from square footage; it comes from the features within that square footage.” |
| Are you building your home because that’s the way your builder recommends? Or to create a unique welcoming environment for yourself, your family, your pets and your friends? |
| Do you want larger rooms because it’s the “right” thing to do? Or do you want rooms that are cozy yet provide plenty of space to do what is important to you? |
| Do you want a formal dining room you’ll only use twice a year? Or would you prefer a library that can also be used for dining as needed? |
| Do you shop at warehouse clubs and need significant storage? Or are you a minimalist needing little storage space? |
| Do you have lively conversation at the kitchen table? Or is dinnertime your chance to relax and catch up on the day’s TV news? |
| These are the types of questions that can help lead to building a home that fits you – and to help you realize that big may not necessarily provide the best fit for your family. At Plum Creek Builders, we take the time to ask each homeowner questions about how they live their lives. Questions about how they want to change the way they function in their current home. Questions about who they really are. |
| We recently showcased one such home in Dunlap. Our gracious homeowners opened their home up to the public to show how a home can truly be custom-built. For this two-career couple who love their three dogs, they defined what is most important to them. When you look at the galleries on this page, you’ll see: |
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A kitchen fit for a chef, complete with professional-
grade appliances. |
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A family room and traffic flow designed to make
entertaining easy. |
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Their love of all things natural – as evidenced in the wood flooring, granite countertops and other natural products. |
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Easy accessibility to the outdoors with a walk-out basement, lovely deck and private courtyard. |
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| Homes built on this philosophy aren’t necessarily larger; instead they are built to the size that fits the family’s lifestyle. And while they may not be larger, they aren’t cheap houses. They can be reasonably priced. “However,” Ruhland says, “Building this type of home allows the owner to pack more power into every inch of space – which can mean incorporating higher quality materials, maximizing use of rooms and creating highly customized living areas. This type of architecture and planning creates a home that is in harmony with the owner’s lifestyle.” |
It’s all about intentional building, which is based on a thorough planning process. While some builders may have your foundation poured in short order, Plum Creek Builders and their homeowners invest a significant amount of time in the planning stage – which helps insure that the home will be designed to meet the family’s most important criteria. |
