Most homeowners don’t think about designing a home around its gardens, but if you have a green thumb, then you know just how much difference a little bit of greenery can make. With a custom home design, you can create an endless number of landscaping opportunities, and make sure that each one is viewable through beautiful picture windows or French doors. If you enjoy indoor gardening – whether it’s a few herbs or a collection of your favorite houseplants – then there are several interior design features to consider as well. We’ll show you some of the many wonderful features that will enrich your gardening experience.
Windows: Every gardener knows that numerous large windows are a must, not only for the wonderful view of your landscape, but also the natural light that they’ll provide to houseplants. But which home plans have the best windows? Start with Midcentury Modern or Contemporary house plans. Both of these styles tend to place emphasis on enormous walls of windows along the rear of the home.
Plant Ledges: If you’re working with a designer on a custom home design, ask for plant ledges. This can be something simple, like a shelf in the kitchen window, or something more extravagant like wraparound window ledges in the living area. If you’re a fan of indoor gardening, include these features so that you’ll have plenty of room for plants without the cluttered look of plant stands.
Asymmetrical House Plans: Look for L-shaped homes or homes that feature a variety of exterior alcoves. L-shaped plans, in particular, let you build large patios that are perfect for container and patio gardens. If your home features exterior alcoves, you can easily take advantage of them to create attractive landscape features around the borders of the home.
Convenient Kitchens: Vegetable gardeners will love a kitchen and dining area that opens to the outdoors. You’ll be able to bring fresh produce inside without tracking soil, leaves and debris throughout the rest of your home.
Outdoor Kitchens: If you have a truly large vegetable garden and you enjoy canning and preserving your own foods, then a fully featured outdoor kitchen is essential. Make sure that it includes a sink and counter so that you can clean your produce before you bring it indoors. An outdoor cooktop lets you can foods while keeping the heat and steam outside.
There are many features you can add – custom lighting, raised planters, window boxes, arbors and more. Use these ideas to turn your next home design into a truly garden-friendly space.