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Along with every new year comes a bunch of new year resolutions like exercising more or quitting smoking. We thought it would be fun to create a list of “No More Bad Design” resolutions.

This list comes from years of observing bad or dated floor plans that won’t seem to go away. We’ve touched on some of these, and some will be addressed in future blogs.

*Of course*, no one in our audience has ever committed these design faux-paus – but perhaps your competition has. Just saying. Let’s jump right in.

• Viewing the toilet from the front door: Happens far more often than most people would think. Don’t let the half bath become an afterthought!
• Entering the home through the laundry room: Women do not want their guests walking through hanging lingerie. Plain and simple.
• The bat wing/boomerang island (and peninsula): Oh yes, they’re still being built in new homes and it is beyond time to stop this practice.
• Lackluster outdoor living: No longer a bare bones back porch. The space should effortlessly address three functions: cooking, dining, and lounging.
• Mini master closets: Does Lita Dirks look thrilled with this cramped closet? I would think not. A quick rule of thumb: they should track with the size of the home. (Example: 20’ minimum of linear hanging space for a 2000 sq. ft. home, 30′ minimum for 3000 sq ft home and so on.)
• Plumbing wall faux-pas: Backing toilets or laundry rooms against bedroom walls is a no-no for obvious reasons.
• Forgetting the dresser wall in secondary bedrooms: Furniture layout matters in all rooms!
• Forgetting the linen closet: While we’re at it, don’t forget the coat closets!
• 6’ 8” tall French doors next to 8’ tall windows: Don’t let tall windows overshadow the front door! You can either spec a taller door or add a transom above the door.
• Creating a collision course: This is the path to the master and the path the kids take from their bedrooms to the bathroom. Keep them separate! Don’t cross streams!

Do you have a design pet peeve that needs to be left in 2018? Let’s make 2019 great!