Instead of sifting through the housing market, many families now choose to design and construct their own homes from scratch.  While it is time-consuming and can be expensive, doing things your own way gives you the ultimate freedom.  You can create as many bathrooms as your family requires; you can lay out your home with regards to your own specific needs, not those of the mass market. If you'd like one bedroom to have a study attached, you can do so; if you'd like an open-plan kitchen and dining room that leads into a double-storey library, then that option is open to you. The only limit is your brain and your budget - so here are some fun ideas to discuss with your house designer, in the interests of making your home the dream that you deserve:

Sleepover Room

If you have young children, they'll love the idea of a designated sleepover room.  This space would be made with a few cosy bunk-bed sized nooks in the walls, ready for as many guests as can fit in them - and perhaps it would be a good idea to locate it as far away from the grown up bedrooms as possible, with some additional soundproofing to boot!

Garden Transition Room

Especially if you're intending on constructing a pool in the garden, it may be nice to have a room that serves as a transition spot between the house and the garden.  Stocked with towels to dry off with and a place to put shoes on and off, this room could also serve as a sun-drenched additional dining room that's perfect for parties.

Attic Room

Make use of all your space by making the attic into a usable room.  These are often popular as children's bedrooms; there's quite a fairytale feeling to sleeping up at the highest point of the house.  Of course, if you're not thinking of fairytales, then it'd also be an excellent storage space.

Staircase Feature

Turning the staircase into a feature in and of itself will really give your home character.  Perhaps you want to ascend up in a tight spiral, lit by lots of big windows; perhaps you want something sweeping and gently curved, extending into the space of the living room.  It's up to you and your designer - but anything big and unusual will certainly be a talking point.

It's really just a matter of deciding what's useful for you and your family.  Once you've drawn up a list of what you need and assigned space for that, fill the gaps with fun and exciting 'unnecessaries'.  After all, you're building this place - you've earned it.

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