The Inspiration Behind Our Custom Floor Plan
Over the years, we’ve been down the road of working with architects, spending thousands of dollars and countless hours trying to get a custom floor plan just right. It was a long, often frustrating process that taught us something valuable: for most people, it’s far easier (and far more affordable) to buy a well-designed house plan and tweak it as needed. That’s actually one of the big reasons we started selling house plans here on Plank and Pillow, to help others skip the stress and save thousands, while still getting a beautiful, functional home.
But for this build, we decided to do something different.
Since Henry now designs our plans in-house, we saw this as a unique opportunity to create a floor plan that was 100% tailored to us. This included thinking about our lifestyle, our needs, and the way we actually live day to day. It’s the first time we’ve built something this custom from the ground up with Henry designing every detail. And while we originally intended this plan to be just for our own use, we’ve already had people asking about it, so we may offer it for sale in a few months if there’s enough interest.
Key Features of This Plan
We designed this custom floor plan to perfectly fit the season of life we’re stepping into which means fewer kids at home, but still wanting every space to feel intentional and well thought-out. Every square foot had a purpose, and our focus was on creating a home that feels peaceful, functional, and full of natural light.
The biggest priority? Views and light. Since we’re building in the mountains, it only made sense to design the layout around the views. Every room we’ll spend the most time in, like the main living area, kitchen, and even our upstairs office which features large windows that frame the landscape and let in tons of natural light. And speaking of that office, what’s labeled the “Game Room” on the plan will actually serve as our shared workspace. It’s on the second floor and just so happens to have the best views in the house. A little motivation never hurts, right?
We also made an intentional choice with the back porch placement. Instead of putting it directly off the living room (which would block both views and light), we tucked it off the scullery and pantry. This keeps the main living area open, bright, and connected to the outdoors. Plus, it’s the perfect little retreat to step out with your morning coffee and take in the quiet.
Why We Chose to Include a Basement
One thing we’ve learned: no matter how carefully you design your custom floor plan, it always grows. We started at around 2,600 square feet and then it became much larger as we designed. As you consider real-life details such as storage, traffic flow, or where you’ll drop your keys, it’s easy to keep adding space.
And that’s okay, but it’s also important to know when to stop. The truth is, your floor plan will never be 100% perfect, because life changes and needs shift over time. Trying to make a home that checks every possible box from the start can be overwhelming and, honestly, unrealistic.
One thing that helped us was remembering that not everything has to be finished right away. Spaces like basements and bonus rooms can be finished later, as time and budget allow. That mindset gave us the freedom to focus on getting the main living areas exactly how we want them now, while leaving room for growth down the road.
What We Learned From Designing This Custom Floor Plan
One thing we’ve learned: no matter how carefully you design your custom floor plan, it always grows. We started at around 2,600 square feet and then it became much larger as we designed. As you consider real-life details such as storage, traffic flow, or where you’ll drop your keys, it’s easy to keep adding space. And that’s okay, but it’s also important to know when to stop.
The truth is, your floor plan will never be 100% perfect, because life changes and needs shift over time. Trying to make a home that checks every possible box from the start can be overwhelming and, honestly, unrealistic.
One thing that helped us was remembering that not everything has to be finished right away. Spaces like basements and bonus rooms can be finished later, as time and budget allow. That mindset gave us the freedom to focus on getting the main living areas exactly how we want them now, while leaving room for growth down the road.
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