When designing your house ask your self what the primary use of this house going to be .

1. Is this going to be your main home?
2. Is it a vacation house?
3. Is it for retirement?
   • You may want wider doorways and everything on the main level.
4. How much are you really going to use this kitchen?
   • You may want the gourmet kitchen but are you going to get your money’s worth out of it?
5. How many bedrooms?
   • Remember, adding square footage that will not be utilized can cost money.
     1. Maybe instead of an additional bedroom, build a multipurpose room.  Murphy beds Day beds can help a room serve double duty.
6. How many Bathrooms?
   • One thing to take into consideration with bathrooms if you are going to be on septic. The more full bath you have the bigger the septic system it will require. 
     1. A good rule of thumb is, if you have a bedroom on a level have one full bath, anything more is icing.  If the full bath is your master bath and , there are no other bedrooms on that level, put in a half bath for company to use.
7. What kind of style to you like?
   •  The more traditional you can live with the easier it will be able to sell the house if a reason arises.  I have also notice that more generic items cost less than what is the latest craze.  Use lively accents to show you personality! 
     1. You may have had you eye on a purple bathtub forever, but not everyone can appreciate that kind of taste.  So, instead buy purple towels, curtains, and bath soap (Don’t forget a lot of these accessories can be bought with the environment in mind)

Make a list and write down the things you will need in your design plan.

Environmental hints

• Try and design your house to face south.  A house with a southern exposure and larger roof overhangs can take advantage of passive solar heating in the winter months.
• When it comes to construction - minimize and recycle constuctin materials
• Using web floor truss may cost a little more, but in the long run are cheeper because of the insulation cost of installing electrical, plumbing, and hvac

This is a picture of the kind of house we are going to build. 

It will be made with Dead Standing Trees for the logs

We have been working for a few weeks with the designer at Satterwhite log homes.  It has been a great experience, but a learning experience when you are working with someone that is several states away.  The best advice I can give is be as detailed as possible in what you are wanting.  Have someone that is not familar with your plans review your notes.  What you may think is obvious to you on your examples, may not be obvious to someone else.  Pics are the best way to transmit ideas. Keep the communication going.