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How to design a floor plan?

Essential guidelines you should follow before you design a floor plan!

To help you with this task, we have gathered seven essential guidelines that will help design the perfect floor plan that meets your requirements and preferences. Designing a floor plan is important for making a comfortable and practical living space. Even though the size of the floor plan is fixed, there’s flexibility in how we arrange things within it.

The following are the essential guidelines our BONE Structure architects follow when they design a floor plan:

1) Showcase your best features.

When designing your floor plan, it’s essential to showcase the best features that come with your property. Whether you have a beautiful view from the front or back of your home or enjoy ample sunlight, your floor plan should highlight these assets. If your home is custom-built and aligned on the East-West Axis, it’s important to consider that most sunlight will come from the South. Plan your living spaces accordingly and give special attention to rooms that need the most natural light. 

2) Go for an open layout. 

Choosing an open layout can make your space feel welcoming and roomy. By getting rid of unnecessary walls and barriers, you can create a more connected and well-lit environment. This contemporary design style encourages a feeling of togetherness and provides flexibility in how you use the space. 

3) Focus on useful areas.

When designing your floor plan, think about the purpose of each area. Determine the main functions of each room and allocate enough space accordingly. Creating a smooth transition between spaces while maximizing their usefulness will improve the overall livability of your home. 

4) Make movement easy. 

Having a well-designed floor plan means ensuring smooth and efficient movement throughout your home. Take a close look at how people naturally move within this space and create clear pathways that make navigation easy. Reduce obstacles and make sure everything is easily accessible, enhancing convenience and functionality. 

5) Keep safety in mind.

When designing your floor plan, it’s important to consider the safety of younger family members. Think about how children might interact within this space and choose features accordingly. Creating an area where adults can easily supervise them can be valuable, and it may be wise to avoid balconies both inside and outside the home to minimize potential risks. 

6) Linking rooms together.

If you’re not completely convinced about having an open floor plan, do not worry, there is another option! You can create a sense of visual connection between different rooms meant for socializing while still maintaining a cohesive feel. Use similar paint colors on the walls and stick to a defined color theme. This way, your home will have a unified look without being completely open. 

7) Bringing the outside In.

If you can, it’s a great idea to incorporate elements from the outdoors into your home’s design. This creates a smooth transition for homeowners, connecting their exterior environment with their personal space. Using similar colors and materials both inside and outside your home will help create a sense of connection and harmony. Don’t forget to add accents to prevent the space from feeling too plain or boring. 


Designing a floor plan involves making important decisions, and it all starts with prioritizing your individual and family needs. It’s crucial to consider your budget, functionality, and aesthetics when creating the perfect floor plan for your home. Don’t hesitate to seek advice from experts and professionals who can help you customize a floor plan to fit your preferences. Many generic floor plans are designed to inspire you and help you visualize your own unique home. 

At BONE Structure, our in-house architects have created inspiring collections that share a consistent aesthetic, regardless of the home’s size or layout. We offer a convenient one-stop-shop approach to designing your custom home. Take advantage of our integrated design services, where our team of project managers, architects, designers, and engineers will collaborate with you to turn your dream home into a reality. Good luck! 

The fire-resistant home is coming to California

The fire-resistant home is coming to California, and here’s what it looks like

By Amy Graff, SFGATE – July 24th, 2019 

It was a miracle.

The Santa Rosa family home of Howard Booster survived the raging flame front that devoured nearly his entire neighborhood at about 4 a.m. on October 9, 2017, amid the Tubbs Fire, among the deadliest and most devastating infernos in California history.

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Streamline modern structure of steel helps family recover from loss in North Bay fires

June, 2019 — Eichler Network

A butterfly-roofed modern home is rising from the scorched earth of the North Bay fires, bolstered by an innovative, steel-framed design that promises maximum energy efficiency.

“There’s so many people that look at this house and say, ‘Man, that looks like it was by Eichler,'” admits architect Brendan Kelly of his design for the home being built just west of Santa Rosa. “I say, ‘Man, Eichler wasn’t an architect, that was Anshen and Allen!'”

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Interview: BONE Structure Homes Bring New Rebuild Strategy To Sonoma County

May 10, 2019 — KSRO radio

Matt Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Pro.com and Marc Bovet, Co-Founder and CEO of BONE Structure joined The Drive with Steve Jaxon Friday to talk about their new model of home construction and involvement in the rebuild of Santa Rosa neighborhoods and their open house this weekend in Sonoma County.

Listen to the interview here!

Solar House Replacing Santa Rosa Home Destroyed by Tubbs Fire

May 11, 2019 — NBC

A Santa Rosa construction company is holding an open house Saturday and Sunday to showcase a net-zero energy consumption, 100 percent solar house that is replacing a Santa Rosa family’s home destroyed by the Tubbs Fire in October 2017.

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Has California Given up on the American Dream?

Buying a home in California is a dream increasingly out of reach for many residents. Only about half of the state’s residents currently own their own homes.

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How Building in California is Different

Everyone knows California is a little different than the rest of the United States. Some people take great inspiration from that fact, and others fear it.

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BONE Structure breaks ground in Los Angeles

Press Release

BONE Structure® breaks ground on first project in Los Angeles with award winning Architect Dan Brunn and Dwell.

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Luxurious net-zero Stanford home features an earthquake-resistant steel frame

July 21, 2016, Inhabitat

When Stanford Professor Mark Jacobson wanted an energy-efficient home that he could customize to his liking, he set his sights on the Quebec-based company BONE Structure.

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How fab can prefab be?

June 24, 2016, Palo Alto Online

Weekend tours to expose bare-bones construction of net-zero home

Most house tours offer an opportunity to check out picture-perfect interior designs and architecture.

At this weekend’s tours of California’s first BONE Structure prefab home on the Stanford University campus, visitors will be exposed to anything but the latest interior finishes and are advised to wear closed shoes: They will be touring the construction zone of a steel-beamed prefab house shipped down from Canada — its bones still exposed as design company BONE Structure finishes its assembly.

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