Small House Plans

This modest one-story plan nevertheless provides authentic Victorian styling, including high ceilings in most rooms, gables trimmed with gingerbread, a dramatic turret, oval and round windows and a covered front porch. A corner fireplace dominates the great room, also notable for its 10-foot stepped ceiling. A convenient pass-through separates the great room from the galley-style kitchen. Both the adjacent dining room and the great room overlook the backyard. The turreted breakfast room could easily be used as a family room. Nearby, the good-sized laundry room contains a pantry closet. Secluded on one side of the house and in back, the master suite is a true retreat. A 10-foot stepped ceiling and a cozy window seat are features of the bedroom, while the compartmented bath includes a walk-in closet, a dressing area, two sinks, garden tub and separate shower. Two other bedrooms share a full bath. Foundation: basement, slab or crawl space.

Boxed columns support covered porches in both the front and the back of this traditional one-story home. Complete with French-door access to the great room and breakfast room, the rear porch is just right for summer barbeques. The great room, complete with fireplace, is the central entertaining area of your home. An angled snack bar separates the spacious kitchen from the great room. Completing the living area is the sunny breakfast room with its convenient built-in computer desk. The sensational master bath features glass block over a whirlpool tub. On the other side of the house, two family bedrooms share a hall bath. With an optional door to the foyer, bedroom three could be used as a study. Ceilings: 8’ standard. Foundation options: slab or crawl space. Please specify.

Inspired by 19th-century summer cottages along the East Coast, this versatile shingle-style design is suitable as either a year-round residence or a vacation retreat. Serving as outdoor entertainment areas are a wrap-around veranda in front and a screened porch in back. Hardwood floors and nine- and ten-foot ceilings add beauty and volume to the indoor living spaces. The front door opens to a two-story foyer. A wood stove warms the spacious living room. Nearby, the dining room is nestled between two sets of sliding French doors, one to the veranda and the other to the porch. Centrally located, the efficient kitchen features a convenient pass-through to the living room. Double doors open to the first floor master suite with its private bath and access to the porch. The master bath includes a handy pocket door to the utility room. Upstairs, two bedrooms, both with sloped ceilings, share a four-fixture bath. A built-in seat makes the balcony area special. Foundation: slab. Plans are included for a detached two-car garage.

Nicely detailed columns support the front porch of this split-bedroom traditional home, which includes 684 square feet of bonus space upstairs for future expansion. In back, another covered porch is accessed from both the private master suite and the dining room. You enter directly into the great room, where cabinetry flanks the fireplace. Straight ahead is the dining room, which flows into the kitchen with its snack-bar island. Forming a separate wing in back to maximize privacy, the master suite boasts a cathedral ceiling in the bedroom. The master bath contains a walk-in closet and a bath with a separate shower, a garden tub and twin sinks. Of identical size, the secondary bedrooms are sited on either side of the second full bath. Foundation options: basement, slab or crawl space.

The one-story facade of this Old World story-and-a-half traditional home helps keep construction costs down. A charming touch is the two "suitor's benches" on the sheltered entry porch. Inside, both the foyer and the great room rise two stories high, and three tall windows with transoms let lots of sunshine into the great room. Another special touch is the see-through fireplace, which can be enjoyed from both the great room and the combined kitchen and keeping room. The keeping room juts out in a bay and opens to the backyard, while the kitchen features a snack bar-food preparation island and a built-in planning desk. Also notice the handy laundry room and the pantry closet in this area. A short hall with a display niche leads to the master suite, where a tray ceiling outlines the bedroom. In the compartmented master bath, you find a walk-in closet, a garden tub set on the diagonal, a separate shower and twin sinks. Upstairs, two bedrooms each have a separate sink area and direct access to the bathroom on this floor. Foundation: basement