New Home Features

When building there are so many new home features to choose from – though it’s exciting, some can find the amount of choices a bit daunting. It’s inevitable that you will be met with options that you hadn’t even considered. We’re here to share our knowledge so you can get a jump on the building process – it will make you feel more confident going into the design phase.

Must Read Articles About New Home Features :

Exterior of a home with a tan colored entry doro

5 Essential Front Door Color Ideas to Choose From

The color you choose for your front door ultimately defines your house in terms of class, style, and taste. There are several front door color ideas that you can choose from — however, they should fit in with the overall palette of your home. Choosing your front door color will depend on the color of your house, your preferences, and how you’ve decorated. Here are five bold front door colors and tips on how to pick them.

exterior of a two story home with a garage and deck

10 Popular Custom Home Customizations

Customizations take a new home from typical to tailor-made. So, if personalization is what you crave, why settle for ordinary when it comes to your dream home? Here are 10 popular customizations you might love in your new home.

Everything You Need to Know About Ranch Homes

Learn why the one-story, open layout has made a comeback. The common saying, “as American as baseball and apple pie” could easily add “ranch homes.” A study released by the National Association of Home Builders shows two-thirds of home buyers (64%) would like a single-story home. To better understand the demand, here are some reasons the single story structure is popular again.

Closeup of Quartz Countertops in a kitchen

Quartz Versus Granite Countertops

Designing a house opens the doors to tons of options. Picking out the countertops in a new home for your food preparation and eating areas might be one of the most enjoyable aspects of your building project. Quartz and granite offer their pros and cons, so it’s important to have a baseline understanding of each before you make your final selection.

Recent New Home Features Articles:

Providing For Privacy

There are times when you simply want privacy and one of those times is when you’re using the toilet. This can be a challenge with a shared primary suite bath? Often the toilet seems to be a focal point of the bathroom when it is openly on display. One way to create some privacy is to position the toilet behind a wall. Better yet, why not close it off with a door. The attached design illustrates this. View our home plans and you will find several home designs with this feature. [Read More]

Will Your Home Welcome Everyone?

"Visitability" is the term given to a home designed to welcome everyone regardless of their mobility. You may have experienced this if, say, you or someone in your household broke a leg. The necessary use of crutches, a walker or wheelchair suddenly calls attention to a home’s design characteristics. What would it be like if a family member or guest whose mobility is impaired came to your home? Most homes can be built without a step up onto the front porch or coming in from the garage (ref... [Read More]

The Great Debate

There’s a trend in new homes away from bathtubs in the primary suite bathroom, in favor of more elaborate showers. It seems the simple pleasure of enjoying a long, hot soak in the tub has fallen victim to the tyranny of our over-scheduled lives. A recent national poll asked the question “If you have a tub in your primary suite bathroom, how often do you take a bath in that tub?” Over 4000 people responded to that poll question, and 78% said “never”. A closer look yields the fact that men g... [Read More]

Bonus Room Above Garage

I recently attended a New Year’s Eve Party at a friend’s house. To avoid driving after having a few drinks, a number of other guests and myself made arrangements to spend the night. Some took the spare rooms, some the couch or a living room chair. A few of us brought air mattresses and set up camp in a Bonus Room that was built above the homeowner's garage. Normally, the family utilizes this space as a game room for the kids, but in this case, it created Flexible Space that worked great fo... [Read More]

“Killer” Kitchens

One of my favorite things about designing a new home is working with my clients on their kitchen. The kitchen is where everyone tends to congregate so obviously you want it to be both functional and beautiful. I had the pleasure of working with some very special clients this year who love to entertain and cook. They knew exactly what they wanted their kitchen to look like. For example, the love to enjoy wine, so we built in a spot for a wine refrigerator along with a beautiful ... [Read More]

What is Universal Design?

It is designing products and environments to be used by all people. Taking a few steps while building will give the home a broader appeal, address concerns for someone disabled and provide for the ability to remain longer in your own home as you age in place. The National Association of Home Builders provides the following list of the more common Universal Design features: No-step entry. No one needs to use stairs to get into a universal home or into the home's main rooms. One-stor... [Read More]

person wearing mittens holding a hot drink

Top of the Line Heat Pump, Top-Rated Performance

The Bryant® Evolution® Extreme Heat Pump offers up to 20.5 SEER cooling and up to 13 HSPF heating efficiency that combines intelligent system control with variable speed operation to provide premium comfort. Now available when building your new home in the Lewisburg, State College, and Sayre's PA building areas. Unlike the geothermal system, you do not need to drill wells or trenches. The Evolution® Extreme heat pump combines all of Bryant's most sophisticated comfort technology to elevate... [Read More]

laptop, note pad, coffee, and phone on a desk

Plans to Accommodate Home-Based Businesses

The high cost of gas, time savings and convenience may be some of the leading reasons that home-based businesses are more popular than ever. An increasing number of households are operating more than one business from their home. This has created a need and interest in home designs with two separate offices or an office and a room that can flex to be used as a second office. The offices should be located near the front door if clients will be visiting your home. This will also provide ... [Read More]

NEW RANCH PLAN “AUSTIN” – CUTE & FUNCTIONAL

One of Fine Line Homes’ newest ranch floor plans debuted this year! It is called the “AUSTIN” and comments from visitors to the website have been coming in. The first impression usually comments on ‘how cute it looks’ with its ‘fresh cottage design.’ The front porch and cottage-style shingles on the front gable accent this look. But once inside the front door, prospective Buyers are also finding it very functional. It is clearly designed for Buyers who are looking for a small, attractive a... [Read More]

Open Floor Plans

A Realtor reminded me recently of one of the most dramatic evolutions in home design over the years from what is typically seen in older homes. She shared how popular open floor plans have become in new homes. Open floor plans rather than several smaller rooms enhance opportunities for entertaining and involve everyone so no one feels left out. Many want to define distinct living areas within a large open area. Without full walls sectioning off these areas, there are still some things y... [Read More]