Custom Home Design Glossary

Many different terms are brought up throughout the home design process. This custom home design glossary will clarify some of the most common.

  • 3D Presentation: A three-dimensional representation of a structure or design, often used to help clients visualize the space and its elements more realistically.

  • Architectural Design: The art and science of designing buildings and structures, focusing on aesthetic and functional aspects.

  • Architectural Technologist: A professional trained to assist in the application of building design and technology in architectural projects and to manage the project through the design stage and assist throughout construction.

  • As-Built Drawings: Drawings that represent the existing conditions of a building after construction has been completed.

  • Construction Drawings (sometimes called blueprints): Detailed technical drawings that outline the design, showing how to construct, dimensions, and materials to be used in building a structure.

  • CAD (Computer-Aided Design): Software used to create precision drawings or technical illustrations in home design. Ideally using 3D software.

  • Client-Tailored Designs: Custom design solutions specifically created to meet the unique preferences, needs, and lifestyles of clients.

  • Concept Development: The phase in design where all the ideas, sketches, and concepts are generated to explore different directions and solutions for the design brief.

  • Custom Home Designer: A designer who specializes in creating personalized home designs rather than using pre-designed plans.

  • Design Questionnaire: A document that includes a detailed description of a client’s requirements and aspirations for a project, including objectives, constraints, and criteria for success.

  • Design Process: The series of steps that designers follow to come up with solutions to design opportunities and challenges, from the initial idea through to the final design.

  • Design Satisfaction Guarantee: A promise or assurance designers provide to clients that the final outcome of a project will meet agreed-upon expectations for satisfaction.

  • Elevation Drawing: Architectural drawings showing the exterior views of each side of a house, detailing massing and exterior finishes.

  • Exterior Style: The exterior design aspect of a building, which includes the architectural style, materials, and finishes that define its appearance. This includes styles like mid-century modern, prairie, and craftsman.

  • Finish Schedule: A list of materials and finishes for each component of the exterior and interior of a home.

  • Fixture: Various fixed furnishings or equipment, such as lighting fixtures, sinks, or toilets, that are a part of the interior selections.

  • Floor Plan: A scale diagram of the arrangement of rooms in one story of a building viewed from above. It shows the placement of walls, windows, doors, and stairs, as well as fixed installations such as bathroom fixtures and kitchen cabinetry.

  • Full-Service Residential Design: A comprehensive design service that includes all phases of home design, from initial concept and planning through to providing construction drawings.

  • H-GO Zoning: A specific type of zoning designation that dictates the usage and development standards for areas designated for high-density residential buildings.

  • Home Design: The process of creating the conceptual and practical aspects of home building plans, incorporating both residential and interior design elements.

  • Indoor-Outdoor Living: A design concept focused on creating a fluid transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, enhancing the living experience by integrating nature with residential environments.

  • Interior Design: The art and science of enhancing the interiors of a home to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the occupants. This includes finishes, furniture, art, etc.

  • Joist: Horizontal structural elements used to support a ceiling or floor. Joists are typically made of wood.

  • LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design): A certification program that awards points to buildings that meet certain criteria for sustainability.

  • Load-Bearing Wall: A wall that supports any additional weight of a building besides its own weight and is critical to the structural integrity of the building.

  • Molding: Decorative wood, plaster, or other material used to accent or highlight the transition between walls, floors, and ceilings.

  • Mood Board: A visual presentation or collage consisting of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition, which is used to convey a general idea or feel about a particular topic.

  • Multi-Family Home Design: Architectural and interior design focused on residential buildings that house multiple separate family units, such as apartments, fourplexes, or condominiums.

  • Multigenerational Home: A house designed to accommodate multiple generations living together, with facilities and layouts that support varied age groups and their specific needs.

  • R-CG Zoning: A zoning category that typically allows for row housing, providing guidelines on how buildings can be developed in terms of density, placement, and usage.

  • Rendering: A designer’s depiction of a property, typically created to present the visual concept of a project before it is built.

  • R-value: A measure of thermal resistance used in the building and construction industry. A higher R-value means better insulation properties.

  • Schematic Design: Initial design sketches that show the basic components of a home and the relationships between them.

  • Scope of Work (SOW): A formal document that defines the entire scope of a project, detailing the work to be done, the deliverables, and the timelines, usually included in a proposal.

  • Semi-Detached Home: A type of home joined to another home on one side only, sharing one common wall.

  • Single-Family Home: A home designed to be inhabited by a single family and has no shared walls with any other residential unit.

  • Site: The actual location or plot of land on which a home is to be constructed, including its geographical, environmental, and infrastructural context.

  • Space Planning: The process of arranging furniture and fixtures to work effectively together while using space efficiently.

  • Specification (Specs): Detailed descriptions of materials, workmanship, and the quality of other elements needed to carry out a project.

  • Structural Engineer: A specialist engineer concerned with the structural integrity and strength of a home, ensuring it is safe and stable.

  • Swatch: A sample piece of fabric or other material intended to represent the look and feel of the material for approval before use in decorating or manufacturing.

  • Truss: An assembly of dimensional lumber or other elements that creates a rigid structure for a roof or floor system. 

  • Walk-Through: A final inspection of a construction project by the designer, contractor, and client to ensure that all aspects of the project are completed to specifications before the final handover.

  • Zoning: Regulations governing the use, density, height, and size of buildings within certain areas of a municipality to ensure that a community develops in a planned and orderly manner.