Home Designs And Layout

Home Designs And Layout


In years gone by homesteaders designed and built their own houses, they built their homes with not only the contour of the land in mind but also the seasonal sun, wind, hills, slopes, rain were also other things to consider.

The main house even if it is just a cabin is always the focal point of any site plan, and the first step in designing it is to decide where it will be located.Log Home: In the southeast a log home is well protected by trees against winter winds. To offset the hot, humid character of the region in summer. In the northwest area it is protected by with trees to the north but always facing south to maximize winter solar heating.Adobe Homes: In the southwest has thick walls that offer excellent insulation against incessant heat of the sun.Stone Residence: This home with a large extension and a traditional porch on this style is ideal. Brick or stone is fireproof and mostly maintenance free. The attic helps retain heat, partially compensating for poor insulating ability of stone.Frame Dwellings: In the northwest our energy consciousness. Most windows face south and low sloping rear roof with small windows in back protects against north wind in the winter.Underground Dwelling: Are attracting more and more attention from solar heating experts and others. The temperature at a depth of 10 feet or more is a nearly constant 55 ‘F summer and winter, day and night, in the cold north and the warm south. The great benefits of this is you only need enough energy to raise the indoor temperature by 10 or 15 degrees in order to have a comfortable climate. You can eliminate any dampness or a cave-like atmosphere in this type of dwelling with skylights, dropped garden, and light wells.



Whatever design you use you will need to consider the positioning of your house when building it. Start by planning your structure in the winter months by locating your property, and positioning it in the direction of the winter sun, with the largest and most windows facing it. Let nature do some of the work for you by solar heating.

Note: A passive system is a basic element of the house itself, and it works best when it is planned in advance.

By placing your house in this small way allows the sun’s rays to warm the house in the winter yet blocking the midsummer sun.

Trees planted to the north is also something to consider as this will act as a wind block from the north winds.