New Home Tips, Trends, and Ideas - Raleigh Custom Home Builders

Home Plans with a Sunroom:

Relax in the natural light of a sunroom - designed to enhance your view.

These Raleigh new home sunrooms come in all shapes and sizes, with window walls, and unique flooring ideas for your new home.

See floor plans of the homes pictured below:

• Remington: 3,162 sq ft with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, sunroom beside the kitchen
• Treehouse: 3,611 sq ft with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, sunroom along back side of kitchen wall
• Chapel Ridge: 2,694 sq ft with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, California style sunroom with French doors into the great room

Contact Stanton Homes to learn what it costs to build a custom home in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. 

Sunroom Layouts, Window Designs, and Features

Sun rooms designed for the seasonal climate in North Carolina include:

1. Sunroom with see through or two-sided fireplace

This is a year-round sun room is designed for soaking up the summer sun and staying warm on cold winter evenings. The two-sided fireplace leads between the sun room and great room. 

2. Sunroom with built in bench

You can tuck hidden storage into your sun room, with a built-in bench below the windows. This sun room runs along the kitchen wall, for an out-of-the-way relaxation area that stays separate from the great room. See a photo gallery of the rest of this home, click here. 

3. Sunroom with Interior window wall

While less traditional in terms of home plan layout, we're seeing more home buyer requests for interior windows between the great room and sun room. In this home, a version of the Whitehaven, a large picture window offers views between the two main "hang out" areas of the home.  

4. Sunroom with coffer ceiling treatment

Plenty of windows - and French glass doors - are must-have for a sun room design, ceiling treatments can turn a casual relaxation area into a formal space for guests to gather. 

In this version of the Chapel Ridge, a two-tone coffered ceiling with indoor fan accents the sun room. 

5. Bay style sunroom with vaulted ceiling

View from the breakfast room, looking into the open concept sun room. The kitchen bar area (with wine refrigerator and rack) fits a flat screen TV, placed especially for a sports-loving family who wants to watch the game from the island.

Here is another angle of the sun room, from the wine wall:

6. Craftsman sunroom windows 

Rather than accenting the ceiling with a coffer or vault, this sun room focuses on craftman trim details - with hand-built frames around the windows.

A square ceiling fan light gives a touch of contemporary design to the modern craftsman home - photographed in a version of the McAlvany.

7. Breakfast Room / Sunroom design

If you're looking to downsize your home, or for ways to maximize the efficiency of the spaces in a larger floor plan, a breakfast room / sun room combination can make great use of space. 

This breakfast room, located on the rear corner of the home plan, lets in tons of natural light. If you want to designate a formal dining space, consider converting a corner space such as this into an open concept sun room. 

 When you build a truly custom home, your builder can tell you how much flexibility your floor plan layout allows - and how to redesign to meet your needs. 

More Sun Room and Indoor-Outdoor Living Photos:

How to Measure Counter Top Heights:

Looking for new home standards for kitchen counter top and bar heights? Here are a couple basics: 

• Kitchen counter tops, including islands, are approximately 36 inches tall.
• Kitchen bars are approximately 40 to 42 inches tall.
• The height between counter tops and upper cabinets - generally the tile back splash area - is usually 18 inches.

Browse custom home photos - and get a better idea of what typical height differences look like:

Standard Kitchen Countertop Height:

Here are Raleigh custom home photos with standard kitchen counter top and bar top dimensions:

1. Counter Top Height

How tall are kitchen counter tops? 36''

What's the distance between a counter top and upper cabinets? The upper cabinets are typically 18'' above the counter tops.

An 18'' gap leave plenty of room for countertop appliances, without placing the cabinets above easy reach.

2. Island Height

How tall are kitchen islands? About 36'' for a countertop height island, though many islands also include raised eating bars.

Your kitchen island will match the counter top height, at a standard 36 inches tall.

3. Raised Eating Bar Height

The distance between your island and raised eating bar is typically 6 inches. Several factors go into creating the ideal bar height:

First, there are typically no upper cabinets above an island or eating bar, so appliances and other items don't need the same clearance space.

Second, your eating bar should be at an easy-to-use height, a total of about 42 inches from the ground.

From another angle of this Raleigh new home kitchen, here is the total raised eating bar height:

4. Breakfast and Dining Room Table Height

The standard height for most tables, whether in the breakfast room or formal dining, is about 30 inches tall.

You can gauge the height of your table alongside popular chair rail and wainscoting heights.

There is no standard wainscoting height - wainscoting and specialty trim depend on the ceiling height, room proportions, and stylistic appeal you're wanting to create.

Typically, chair rail is installed between 28 and 32'' from the floor.

Here are some Houzz Ideabooks with more kitchen counter top and cabinet photos:

• Kitchen island trim ideas
• Dining rooms - with wainscoting, chair rail, and trim ideas

New Home Builders in North Carolina:

What does a "standard" custom home cost to build in the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina? Tell us about the home site and floor plan you're interested in, and Stanton Homes will provide an initial cost estimate for your new home.

Kitchen Islands with Built-In Seating: 

Raleigh new homes often include at least two dining spaces: a formal dining room, breakfast room, and /or casual dining the kitchen island. 

The seating at this island is called "raised height" because it requires stools rather than dining table height chairs. Notice the raised center of the island with counter-height sides? The center designates the seating area.

Looking for new ways to add seating to your kitchen? Use these kitchen layout questions -- below -- to determine how many seats you can add based on your kitchen floor plan and layout (with recommended island dimensions and average heights). 

Kitchen Layout Questions:

Kitchens with dining space - either nearby or integrated - are a popular Raleigh new home request. Here are some kithen island layout questions, to help you decide on a kitchen-dining configuration:

Kitchen Layout Question #1: Where is your kitchen located, relative to other rooms?

Is your kitchen separate from living and dining areas, or does it have an open concept layout?

If your kitchen is located beside main living and dining areas, you'll probably need fewer seats. If your kitchen is separate, you may want additional seating.

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, they recommend that 36 inch high islands should allow a 24-inch-wide seating space with an 15-inch-deep knee space.

They also recommend that 42 inch high islands should allow a 24-inch-wide seating space with a 12-inch-deep knee space. 

In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, they recommend that you allow 32 inches of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area. If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36 inches to edge past or at least 44 inches to walk past.

These depths and widths can vary based on your layout, but are good to keep in mind.

Kitchen Layout Question #2: How large is your island?

And how much space is left in the kitchen? If your kitchen is rectangular, you may be able to extend the length of the island to incorporate a built-in bench. (And you can keep your storage space maximized, with drawers below.)

Kitchen Layout Question  #3: Should your chairs be hidden or visible seating?

This Hickory curved island is designed to store stools underneath for hidden seating.  The design is enhanced with base cabinets on both ends of the islands, as well as on the back side.

Kitchen Layout Question  #4: Do you prefer counter-height or bar-height seating?

Kitchen islands are taller than dining room or breakfast room tables, so you'll typically use stools to sit in the kitchen.

The difference between counter-height and bar-height seating can range from six to twelve inches, depending on the home plan.

Use these kitchen layout questions as a way to start thinking about design options in your new home. 

Here are some pointers to make the best of your next kitchen:

• Prioritize your space. Do you need a larger (or second) island, or would you rather integrate a breakfast room table in the same space?
• Determine how ofter you'll cook for the family - and how often you might host a larger get-togethers. While double ovens look beautiful and balanced, you may find that the space is better saved for more cabinets or a larger microwave.
• Decide what you're willing to upgrade, and where you're willing to save on cost. While kitchens are one of the most important rooms of the home, they are also the most expensive, generally followed by the Master Bath.

Photos of Raleigh new homes with built-in island seating:

• The Avonstone Manor: Two-island kitchen with wrap-around seating
• The Christina: Angled island with raised bar seating
• The Carwile: Extra-long island seating

Custom Home Kitchen Design in North Carolina:

How many dining spaces does your family use? Do you want to combine or separate eating areas in your next home? Tell us which home designs stand out.

Click here to contact Stanton Homes or call 919-278-8070 to talk about the custom home you want to design and build.

Must-have new home features:

Whether you’re looking for upscale artistry or country style basics, there’s nothing like a truly custom home to say, “This is us.”

Here are 3 examples of creative touches in Raleigh floor plans, handcrafted with our design team for clients looking for special spaces:

• The Worthington II: See what makes this a "Baker's Kitchen"
• The Smokey Ridge: Can you identify the contemporary touches in this rustic mountain home? (hint - check out the cable railing upstairs)
• The Bryson: Are you a pet lover? A dog room with shower and under-stairs 'dog bedroom' were must haves inside this custom Stanton Home

Most important home design updates:

What do you like best about the home you're living in right now - and what would you like to change?

One of the top reasons for building a custom home is the ability to create kitchens, bathrooms, offices and play rooms with the kind of working space and flow you need. 

Here are some common 'must-have' updates our North Carolina homebuyers ask about. Get tips on how to make cost-effective updates, too.

Top home updates include:

1. Large kitchen with island and seating

Large kitchens with an island and casual dining space continue to rank #1 on home buyer must-have lists.

The kitchen serves as the "hub" of many family homes. When you’ve got a crowd in the kitchen, what could make it a better place to cook, work and interact?

Bigger island? More cabinetry? Built-in seating? Often, the answer is, "all of the above!"

2. More storage in the laundry room, mud room, or garage

What’s the best place to tuck in storage space? Let’s build it in now, while you’re still thinking through your floor plan. Adding just a couple of feet to a laundry room, mud room or garage can help stack in extra cabinetry, shelving, or cubbies. And with some plans, there’s already space to move things around without adding extra cost.

3. Indoor-outdoor living spaces with winter and summer options

Where do you want to spend your time outdoors, when you’re hanging around the house? It all depends on how the deck is stacked.

4. Master bedroom and/or guest suite on the first floor

First floor living is one of the most important topics for many of today’s homebuyers. Whether your home is a popular place for guests or you’re thinking ahead to no-step living, you’ll be amazed by how many ways you can frame your master suite on the ground floor.

5. Personal get-away spaces - from a home gym to a media room to separate 'his and hers' offices

Take five, and you’ll want to linger longer when you see all the ways you can create home office space or design a work out room that fits all your gym equipment.

6. Shared kid spaces - like a Jack and Jill or Buddy bath

Including a Jack and Jill or 'buddy bath' in your next home can help kids share common spaces, with the added benefit of dual access.

This kid's bathroom has two bedroom entrances. One entrance leads to the vanity room; the other leads to the shower room. A third door allows kids to share the bathroom space, an essential feature for last minute mornings.

• 11 Large kitchens with islands seating
• Built-in home offices
• Mud room storage layouts
• Jack and Jill bathrooms for kids

Cost-effective ways to add features in your next home:

A touch of colorful tile can make all the difference in a kids bathroom or kitchen – and it doesn’t take much out of the budget to add all that personality.

Tuck in cubbies help kids learn to be organized – and help keep what they’re doing for fun from tracking all over the house.

Fanciful faucets in the guest bath or kitchen can make family and friends smile, while they’re washing up.

You might be surprised at how little it takes to add something special to each room of your home.

Click here to contact us now or call 919-278-8070 to talk about the custom home you want to design and build.