Fun Must-Have Options When Building a Custom Home

A comment thread on Houzz.com explores what different users thought were “must-haves” or helpful, fun additions when building their custom homes. You might find an idea you hadn’t thought of before!

1. Magnetic door switches. The light comes on when you open a door – great for closets!
2. A built-in dirty laundry bin in the kitchen or bathroom areas.
3. An in-drawer ironing board.
4. Swinging laundry room door, since your arms and hands are usually full when coming and going!
5. In the kitchen, place the outlets under the cabinets instead of on the wall. This will allow you to tile the backsplash with a seamless, uninterrupted look.
6. Alarm systems for fire, carbon monoxide, and theft.
7. Electrical outlets on every wall, and at least two cable/internet outlets in each room. It will never be cheaper than now to add them so you have options in the future.
8. A large bathtub, especially if you’re tall!
9. Placing an outlet by your steps for Christmas garland/lights, and then the same on or by the fireplace mantel.
10. If you are going to tile the master shower, make sure there is a niche for shampoo, a ledge to rest your foot when you shave your legs, and a bar for washcloths.
11. Dimmers on all the light switches.
12. The largest walk-in pantry possible to get stored food OUT of the kitchen space.
13. A bath drawer set up for hair dryers, curling irons, hot rollers etc. that has its own power supply inside the drawer. No more laying around or having to unplug and wrap cords.
14. A tankless water heater under kitchen sink for all kitchen water. (Only a cold line need be run to kitchen, so there is no heat energy lost by water sitting in pipes and no running the water till it gets hot – making it more efficient.)
15. His and her dual iPad and iPhone charging docks on the bedside tables.