Five Alive

Five House Plans Perfect as a Main Home or Vacation Home.

Samuel Stewart

Customers come to Mark Stewart Home Design looking for every kind of home imaginable. Lodges, modern homes, farmhouses, vacation homes, you get the picture. What has become obvious over the years is that many of our house plans work beautifully as a primary residence as well as a vacation home. It takes a certain blend of features for a home to work as both, and we think these five plans have struck that balance.

Neptune Barry

One thing that makes a primary home work just as well as a vacation home is its efficiency of space. Not a square foot is wasted in this stellar modern getaway. The kitchen island functions as an eating bar, the media/fireplace wall in the great room offers plenty of built-ins, and the master bedroom has cabinets, shelves, closets, and room enough for a king bed to fit comfortably. There is a second bedroom with bunk beds for children or overnight guests. A fantastic primary residence for one or two people, this home is also a phenomenal choice for a small second home. The main living space can function easily as one large living area or as two smaller spaces, with room to add a dining table for more formal dining. There are covered outdoor spaces in the front and back of the home, perfect for summertime relaxation. As you’ll see both in the renderings and the photos, this home works wonderfully with a pool at the back.

Baker’s Dozen

For a larger option with plenty of flexibility, you can’t go wrong with Baker’s Dozen. The main house features four bedrooms, a large den, and two and a half bathrooms. The fourth bedroom is large enough to work as a bonus room, something you may very well want in a vacation home, especially if traveling with children. Plenty of bedrooms mean you are prepared for any scenario, and the main floor master ensures privacy. The ADU is where this home really shines as a two-way residence. Not only does it allow you to accommodate a variety of guests in a vacation scenario, it also allows you to add a separate rental when you are away, and can also work as rental if this is your primary home. The ADU is equipped with a full kitchen, full bath, and a good-sized bedroom. The living area includes a fireplace, and the bedroom has its own back porch. ADUs can be an incredible addition to your home even if you aren’t looking to build a new primary residence. The Baker’s Dozen ADU is also sold as a standalone plan, and can be found here.

 

Black Pearl Sunset

Black Pearl Sunset is a lovely modern minimalist home that, with its tiny footprint, can fit on a ton of lots, a very attractive feature when figuring out where to build your vacation home. This house plan has exactly what you need and nothing that you don’t, and is perfect for those that spend more of their time outside and don’t need a sprawling floor plan. Easy maintenance is a key factor when choosing either a primary residence or a vacation home, and this home is about as low maintenance as it gets. A low maintenance floor plan means you can spend more time enjoying the home and less time worrying about cleaning. If you choose this as a vacation home, it means you have less to worry about when you arrive and leave, and also means quicker turnaround if you choose to use it as an AirBnB. For those with the option to leave their vehicles outside, the garage can also function as storage or even a creative space.

Farm 640

The most recent addition in this list of two-way house plans, Farm 640-Heritage is quickly becoming one of our all-time favorites. At just under 1000 square feet, it gives you enough room to stretch out, have plenty of privacy, and not want for more. The dramatic yet comforting exterior also serves to create two lovely covered outdoor spaces, something highly prized no matter what function the home will serve. It also means that whether your lot has a front view, rear view, or both, you will be able to take full advantage. The roof line of this home allows for bright, open ceilings, helping the home feel even more spacious. The bedrooms have been placed to ensure total privacy, not just from each other but also the central living spaces. The two car garage is a lovely feature in a home of this size, and something that makes it attractive as both a main home or a vacation home. The kitchen space is large enough and is arranged to allow for gathering, something becoming more and more important in both farmhouses and new homes in general.

Bamboo

Rounding out our list, Bamboo is the perfect choice for those looking for a warm northwest modern exterior and a truly unique floor plan. The massive windows at the front of the home let in an immense amount of natural light to both floors, and allows you to fully enjoy a view should you choose to build on a view lot. While this home does not have a true master suite, the upper floor could be seen as a deluxe master suite with an add on 6’x10’ study area. The main floor is open above to the upstairs, and includes a very generous kitchen island and large dining and living spaces. The first floor bedroom is accessed via a pair of sliding doors, and has a full bath right next door. Often when looking for a vacation home, people want something to feel drastically different from their primary home. This truly unique home accomplishes just that, while also offering a refreshing change of pace for those looking to build a new main residence.