Home is where you hang your hat… Home is where the heart is. And – for the love of all things cliche –  it’s where you live, laugh, and love.

But really, home is where you live. It’s where you make memories. Where you start an amazing day, where you retreat after a bad one. It’s where you entertain guests, host friends… and where you go to avoid anyone but your household members – and even them if you need to take a shower, soak, or sauna!

Home is also where your needs are met. Now. Tomorrow. And years from today. Creating a master plan to update your home empowers you to create space that works for you and that evolves with you.

Why a Master Plan Is the Best Foundation for Your Dream Home

You know what you want. You’re excited to start putting all of those ideas into action and translating those visions into reality. But pause a beat and put together a master plan. Why?

  • Budget/Time. You may not have the time, resources, or energy to complete a grand-scale update right now. Doing everything all at once can be draining. If you want to pace yourself, a master plan allows you to attack different aspects of your dream at different stages. Each step then builds upon the last.
  • Have you ever seen homes on which additions have been added over the years (or even centuries), as needed, creating a rather hodge-hodge effect. It can feel like you’re looking at three distinct structures, fused into one. While quant in many respects, you may not want this lack of cohesion for your home! When you have a master plan, everything flows together beautifully, logically, and organically, even as your needs change.
  • Future Needs. Speaking of which… The home you move into as a young professional, as a small family with young children, as a nearing-retirement couple may not be the home that suits you as you expand, contract, age, and evolve. With some forward-thinking planning, your home can adapt to your needs, ensuring it remains as functional, convenient, comfortable, and stylish as the day you launched your update.

Know that we grasp the why, what about the how of creating a master plan to update your house?

Creating a Master Plan to Update Your Home

It can seem overwhelming to create a plan that not only accomplishes your goals in the short term but empowers you to achieve them into the future. Don’t worry: One step at a time!

1. Consider the Entire House

You may be working on an update to your kitchen – but don’t let that stop you from thinking about the needs of your entire house. This is a more comprehensive approach and allows you the flexibility to make changes to your space and even layout down the road. Again, it’s all about cohesion!

2. Prioritize

If you are doing projects in stages (which is a smart move), where do you start? Your master plan will guide you in assessing your priorities. Often, you can also estimate budgets for different projects and proceed with those insights in mind. You could, for example, do a major kitchen remodel first, saving smaller to-dos for later – or vice versa. It depends on your needs and goals. Having that big picture in mind, though, keeps you on track.

3. Look at Your Lot

While you may be focused on what’s happening inside your home, don’t forget about the potentials right outside your door. Your master plan should take your exterior into consideration: for example, you may wish to build a detached garage, studio, or pool in the future. What’s the best course of action? How can you leave “room” for these changes?

4. Find Hidden Potential

While adding can be one way to create more space and better flow, you may also want to think about underutilized spaces in your home. For example, you might want to transform a rarely-used dining room into a study, home office, or tear down those walls and expand your kitchen. Maybe that tiny little guest bedroom isn’t getting a lot of use; wouldn’t it be more beneficial to turn it into a luxe master bath and/or closet?

5. Start at the Beginning

Any successful project starts with great relationships, exceptional ideas, and superior service, supplies, and products. By engaging with the right partners – whether builders, landscape architects, design experts, lighting and sound folks, etc. – you can assemble a master plan that powers your projects ahead. A great place to begin: the Hub & Spoke Design Center. You can shop for the latest and best products from flooring and cabinetry to windows and artwork and meet knowledgeable, experienced craftsmen, artisans, and service providers who will become integral in turning your Master Plan into a beautiful reality.

Searching for inspiration, advice, and guidance as you launch into your home projects? Look no further than the Design Center. Check out our best-in-class tenants, and better yet, stop in to explore.