Create Your Dream Home: Design Tips and Inspiration

White Traditional Home - Great Neighborhood HomesGreat Neighborhood Homes

Even though I’m very happy and content in our current home, I’ll always be a dreamer and a lover of houses. That part of me never goes away.

We may never move, but it’s enjoyable to imagine new possibilities. Even if those daydreams simply inspire improvements where you already live, dreaming can be motivating and fun.

What I struggle with is narrowing down one perfect dream house. If I tried to describe the ideal exterior, setting and style, I’d quickly realize there are so many options I love. If money and location weren’t a concern, what kind of house would I shop for? Would I choose an existing home or build from scratch?

Often I picture an old shingled cottage by the shore—Nantucket-style charm comes to mind. Yet other times I imagine a modern farmhouse on a wide, open property. We’ve even come close to unconventional choices before, like the time we nearly considered an alpaca farm. The truth is I’m drawn to different styles depending on the mood and the day.

Inspiring Quotes from the book Love the Home You Have – The Inspired Room – lovethehomeyouhave.com #lovethehomeyouhaveLove the Home You Have (my NYT bestseller)

For me, the perfect house is less about a single architectural style and more about the feeling the property evokes. It’s the atmosphere and how a place resonates with me that matters most. That’s one reason building a custom home feels daunting—I’m not always certain I could settle on just one vision.

I do love the house pictured at the top of this post; it could be ideal if the rear of the home opened with large windows onto a beautiful view. I’m not overly picky—I mostly want natural light, a lovely setting, and proximity to a charming town.

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What would your dream house look like—what setting and style would you choose?

More Dream Houses:

Shingled House on Martha’s Vineyard

Gorgeous Brick House

Beach House in the Hamptons

Lakeside House

Shingled House

Dream White Farmhouse

Another Dream White Farmhouse

That Time We Almost Bought an Alpaca Farm

Inspired Drive-Bys