Custom home design is defined by its personalized approach. Your custom home will be completely unique to your needs, wants, and lifestyle, with rooms designed to support your daily routines, family activities, and belongings.
Though our clients often have different priorities, there are some commonalities between them. And even though the point of custom home design is to achieve a home that’s uniquely yours, finding the right inspiration can help.
If you’re considering building a custom home or renovating an existing one, start here. You’ll find 5 custom home features our clients are increasingly asking for to accommodate growing families and multiple generations, while taking in the natural beauty of the great outdoors.
What Is Custom Home Design?
Custom home design is precisely what it sounds like. It involves designing a home that is unique to a person or family’s routines, needs, wants, and lifestyle.
Custom home design comes with benefits like:
- Personalized design
- Future-proofing – growing/changing family needs, elevator, 10/20/30 year plan
- Functionality
- Investment value
- Efficient floor plans
- Flexibility
- Expert designers with years of experience in solely residential design
- Creating a custom home that will meet your family’s needs for many years
Unlike stock house plans, it involves in-depth consultation, which helps home designers understand exactly what their clients want to achieve. In some cases, clients don’t know what kind of home they want, which is why blogs like this one come in handy.
Finding Custom Home Design Inspiration
Before your first custom home design consultation, we encourage you to get clear about what you like and don’t like in terms of exterior home style, features, and more.
Ways you can find inspiration for your custom home include:
- Online resources like Houzz
- Social media
- Blogs
- Exterior style directories
- Home design apps
While you can always count on your custom home designer for guidance and innovation throughout the design process, the clearer you are about your design vision, the smoother the process can be.
Our Approach to Custom Home Design
At Ellergodt Design, we specialize in custom home design. Each is unique to a client’s wants, needs, lifestyles, and aesthetic preferences. We aim to create homes that truly reflect our clients, so we start with an in-depth consultation and design questionnaire to truly understand their vision.
Want to learn more about our design process? Check out this blog for more.
Project Highlight: Elbow Park Traditional
Elbow Park Traditional home design
Project details: This This two-storey home in Elbow Park came together with extensive collaboration and conversations, which generated new ideas and insights and led to the home they envisioned.
Client comment: “When we decided to build a custom home, we contacted Brent for help with design. Rather than simply telling us his vision, he listened to our ideas and then synthesized them into a preliminary plan. We met regularly to discuss options. He was always open to our ideas, while making excellent suggestions for us to consider. Step by step the plan was refined, resulting in something that we are very happy with.”
5 Sought-After Custom Home Features
Now that you know the benefits of custom home design and what it can look like, let’s explore several custom home features our clients consistently ask for.
1. Functional Family-Friendly Spaces
One of the most common asks from clients is for family-friendly spaces. Where will the family hang out, and what will they do when they are there?
Why it’s important: Family time is important for many of our clients. Whether families are living together for longer, contain more family members, or want to maximize space, these are often the first features discussed by clients.
What it can look like: From living rooms with ample hang-out space to kitchens with built-in seating, functional family spaces are designed to support togetherness. Playrooms with built-in storage, mudrooms for busy mornings, and open-concept layouts make it easier for everyone to connect.
2. En-Suite Retreats for Parents
A bathtub in an en-suite bathroom overlooking a lake.
Why it’s important: Parenting can be both rewarding and exhausting, and parents need a sanctuary to recharge. A custom en-suite creates a haven for relaxation and privacy, away from the bustle of daily life.
What it can look like: Spa-like bathrooms with soaking tubs, oversized showers, and radiant heated floors are popular choices. Walk-in closets with custom storage, quiet sitting areas, and luxurious finishes complete the retreat.
3. Indoor & Outdoor Entertaining Areas
We get the best of both worlds in Calgary: city vibes and the great outdoors. It’s no wonder that maximizing indoor and outdoor spaces is crucial for so many—especially when it comes to entertaining.
Why it’s important: Entertaining spaces bring people together, whether for intimate family gatherings or larger social events. Seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor areas make entertaining effortless and enjoyable year-round.
What it can look like: Outdoor kitchens, screened-in decks, and fire pits extend living spaces into the outdoors. Indoors, open-concept living and dining areas, wet bars, and media rooms cater to entertaining needs.
4. Personalized Kids Rooms
Creating spaces for kids is another highly sought-after custom home feature. Families want rooms that grow with their children, meeting their needs now and in the future.
Why it’s important: Kids’ rooms should be both fun and functional, allowing children to feel at home while offering practical storage and design. As children grow, these spaces must adapt to their changing lifestyles.
What it can look like: Built-in desks for homework, playful design elements, and walk-in closets to keep things organized. En-suite bathrooms ensure privacy and convenience, making these spaces future-proof as children grow older.
5. Adaptable Multi-Generational Homes
We’re increasingly finding that two or three generations of family members are living in the same home. Kids stay longer, and parents move in, allowing families to be closer and potentially save money.
Why it’s important: Multi-generational living fosters closer family bonds and provides financial benefits, but it also requires careful design to maintain privacy and comfort for everyone.
What it can look like: Separate suites with private entrances, additional kitchens or kitchenettes, and shared common spaces. Soundproofing between areas and flexible floor plans help balance togetherness with independence.
Your Custom Home Awaits
At Ellergodt Design, we’ve spent over 20 years helping clients create homes that are as unique as they are. Our collaborative approach ensures that your vision is at the heart of the design, while our expertise brings it to life.
Ready to start designing your dream home? Get in touch with us to schedule a consultation today.
FAQ
What are some other cool things to include when building a house?
Multi-functional spaces, integrated storage, secret rooms, large windows, and statement ceilings are some other cool things to include when building a new house. If any of these excite you, mention them to your custom home designer.
Does custom home design include interior design?
It can. Interior design is an important part of your new home. We include it in the price of your custom home design to give you an idea of the overall project costs. However, if you prefer to take care of the interior design yourself, that’s completely possible.