How to Read a Floorplan
When you are purchasing a new home, you will be provided with a floor plan showing the layout and other details of the home. The floor plan will be your key to envisioning yourself and your belongings within your new home. The more you understand about the floor plan, the better you’ll be able to make a decision on whether or not it is the right home for you and the better prepared you’ll be for moving in.
When reviewing a floor plan, we recommend starting at the foyer and moving through each room making note of the measurements and experiences you will have in that room. Here are some key items to keep top of mind when reviewing floor plans;
Your Lifestyle – Think about your current lifestyle and how you envision it in the future. Imagine how that will pertain to each room. A few things you could consider are working from home, entertaining, children, storage and patio/ outdoor space. For example, if you have children, you will want to look at the alternate bedrooms or a space for a playroom and toy storage. If you like to barbeque, check to see if there is sufficient space outside for a barbeque. If you like cooking, check to see if the kitchen has an island or enough counter space. It’s important to think about how you will interact with each space as you are reviewing the floor plan.
Measurements - Pay attention to the measurements of the space. You’ll also want to take into account your bed size. If you have a lovely king sized bed that you don’t want to give up, make sure the primary bedroom includes sufficient space to comfortably fit your bed. Another important room is the living room or rec room space, take note of where your tv will go and where you may want to place a couch. Overall, be mindful of all your larger furniture pieces and how you see them fitting into your new home. If you are downsizing, you may decide to replace your furniture altogether, although some homeowners find it worthwhile to store their items for up to a year before they make that decision. For more information on this - visit our Tips for Downsizing resource.
Storage and Closet Size - It’s a good idea to think about how your belongings are currently stored within your rooms and closets and imagine how that will transfer into this new home. Often newer homes are smaller in square footage but more efficient on space when it comes to storage. You can also look at the basement space or any spare bedrooms and assess if there is room to expand there. Lastly, examine the garage space, there could be plenty of room for cabinets or shelves. Having efficient storage space can be very valuable especially if you are downsizing.
The Kitchen – Often referred to as the ‘heart of the home’, you’ll want to look at this room with a critical eye as this is typically where you’ll spend most of your time. Take a look at the amount of storage, the counter space, potential for an island and where your dining table will go. Once again, compare it with your lifestyle, if you like to entertain and cook large meals, you’ll likely require more counter space for preparation and possibly even a pantry for ease of storage. Another thing to look at would be the dining space, if you have a large family or plan on entertaining, you’ll want a comfortable area to include a large dining table – this is also where open concept floor plans work really well because they offer lots of space for flexibility in furniture, storage and layout.
Feature Space – you may have a sentimental display, some art or even just an important bookcase that you’ll want to display. Take a look and see if there is an open wall that you can use for this and if you do have a prize piece of art, envision where you’ll want to place it while you review your floor plans.
Light - window sizes have a lot to do with how bright your home will be – be mindful of window placement and size, you can also take this into account when planning a home office space or where to put your tv.