The Classic Design of the Country House Plan

The country house plan is the model of deceptive simplicity. Traditional and often symmetrical, flashy doesn't enter into the description of its exterior. Yet, like a painter using a light touch, a county house plan finds a way to give your home an X factor. Once built, your brand new home takes on a quality of having been built long ago and has been waiting for you to discover it. Natural materials such as wood and chipped stone give a timeless, organic feel that is lost by more modern home design. For many families, the best decision you can make is to resist the temptation of trendy home plans and realize what you truly want is the simple comfort of a country home.

Architectural Features
More than other home plans, the country home plan often includes specific features. It's difficult to find a country home plan that doesn't have a front or back porch. Sometimes a wraparound porch dominates the exterior boundary of the home. Relaxing comfort is one of the hallmarks of the country home and a nice porch helps that atmosphere.

The traditional gabled roof with symmetrical dormers is by far the most common roof design. While a country house plan can be built for a one-story home, a steeply-pitched roof usually lends itself to a two-story home. This roof is also usually built parallel to the road to create a straightforward and welcoming posture for the home.

Country house plans also usually include or anticipate an extensive and well-designed driveway and walkway. Frequently, country homes are built, well?out in the country. This means a house that can be set back from the road and a garage to shelter your vehicles. This makes your driveway and walkway one of the first things a visitor will notice about your home and is often designed to accentuate the rustic feel of your home.

French Country Home Plan
A variation of the country house plan, the French country house plan incorporates many of the same ideas but tends to include archways and delicate stonework or stucco in its design. Multi-sided or rounded bay windows help give the home softer lines. Balconies or second-story verandas are also common and attempt to convey the feeling of a French chateau. If you're looking to add a touch of elegance to your otherwise simple country home plan, this is the perfect place to look.

Hiring an Architect
As much as architects may like to experiment and get creative, they're not fools and know what's what for country home design. To ensure you find just what you're looking for, talk to multiple architects and firms to get a good sense of what's out there. Remember simple shouldn't imply boring. Get references and check them out. Looking at photographs will give you a good sense of what the architect is capable of, but you should also talk to the general contractors who build the houses for extra input. If you find a house plan that you like but is missing an architectural element that you love, you may be able to find an architect who can create a customized house plan to include your ideas.