Traditional home design trends in the United States have (traditionally) meant convenience, but today’s homeowners demand a bit more innovation from a floor plan.
Multi-level homes provide plenty of space for the average American family, but two-story homes need an update: the kind of design that truly optimizes space.
Even if your home has a traditional two-story design, it doesn’t have to feel mainstream or boring. Our featured floor plan is a multi-level home with lots of options to give growing families a space to thrive.
Large families require larger homes, and often, homeowners need to utilize vertical space through a second story for extra bedrooms and ample functionality.
For a home to function at its best, it needs to be accessible to everyone. The first floor then becomes the main activity center of the home. Features of this first-floor plan include a master bedroom and bath, with convenient access to two smaller rooms that are easily updated for the changing needs of the family.
The kitchen and common areas your family needs are also on this main floor, located next to the garage, which is connected to the home via a mudroom (or extra space for laundry and storage). Additional bedrooms are upstairs for children and other family members.
Having an open communal area keeps everyone connected, but ensuring bedrooms are separated can help with privacy later on.
Keeping the master bedroom on the first floor isn’t just convenient if you plan on aging in place. With easy access to the common areas, extra rooms and kitchen on the first floor, it’s also near everything you may need during the night.
Plus, ground floor masters make great in-law suites. If you have grandparents living with you who have difficulty with stairs, a first-floor bedroom could be the perfect solution. Homeowners can encourage healthy sleeping habits by designing the home with plenty of windows, especially if it’s located in an area with views of natural surroundings. The windows featured in this master suite gives the owner access to nature and light, which helps to improve your mood and stabilize sleep patterns.
Set up your newest family member’s room next to the master suite for ease and peace of mind. This floor plan features a nursery on the main level, convenient for homeowners with growing families who want to keep baby nearby during daytime naps (plus, the location makes midnight feedings and diaper changes much easier).
The room can always be converted for other uses later on, such as an art studio or exercise room, depending on your family’s needs. The lovely painted landscape featured in this nursery can easily tie in with the rest of the home’s aesthetics, thanks to its soft, neutral color palette.
The main level includes the kitchen, which features cabinets and colors that coordinate with the rest of the home’s clean and bright palette. Keep colors basic, but fresh, then enhance the space with details like open face cabinets to keep the home looking on-trend.
Coordinating your kitchen with the rest of the home is easy, and provides opportunity to use interesting architectural details. For instance, we like how the columns on the kitchen island pictured above work with the trim and straight lines found throughout the rest of the home while adding some additional detail to the kitchen area.
Extra rooms in the home are often used for sleeping arrangements, but today’s workforce has evolved, and it’s changing how we use our living space. Add function and flexibility to your multi-level home by including an office in your floor plan. If you’re a business owner or have an employer that offers remote-work options, you can grow your career at home in a private office. And be sure to give yourself an office with a view: Natural light also helps with productivity and brain function. Another feature important in an office design, according to the International WELL Building Institute, is texture. Tactile materials like plants or natural wood help to “subtly encourage employees to interact with their surroundings, which brings focus to the present and contributes to a practice of mindfulness.”
Placing the kids’ rooms on the second floor gives everyone a bit more privacy while children still live at home. When the space becomes available after those children move out, homeowners can plan for future use by keeping bedrooms available for guests or converting it into a craft room, media room or even a library.
While some people consider landing areas dead space, they can actually be incredibly useful. If your kids are younger, you can use the space for toy organization. Try cubbies with removable storage boxes to organize toys by size or theme.
Other options include using the area as a place to showcase kids’ artwork. You can hang string and use clothespins to attach and hang their masterpieces. Or, utilize bookcases along the walls to make a mini-library. Add a few bean bag chairs for a comfortable reading location away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the home.
This home includes an exterior with Rollex siding, which comes in a variety of colors and trim options.
This two-story design is enhanced further with gable windows that match the fresh white of the interior. Selecting Rollex siding as a complement to the earthy brick gives the design dimension, but also provides the home with sustainable weather-protection solutions:
Full days are typical lifestyles for families today, so you probably don’t have much time for maintenance. Rollex offers low-maintenance siding, soffit and rainware solutions that won’t require more than a light wash to keep it looking like new.
With ample natural light, communal areas for connecting, and high-performance exterior protection from Rollex, this floor plan isn’t just convenient but supports your family’s space needs and well-being.
Choose an exterior to support all of your design decisions and work with siding that will protect it for decades. Check out Rollex’s gallery of inspirational homes here.