House plans, like everything else in our culture, have changed quite a bit over the years.  The modern house plans that are unique to each geographical area of the nation are not held back by the conventions of traditional architecture and design.  It is not uncommon to see floor plans that include features like concrete floors, massive glass windows, high ceilings and clean lines throughout the home.  This school of design was inspired by the modern art movement as we know it today, which has actually been around for 50 years.  For those who prefer to dissent from the conventions of traditional home design, this is the ideal type of home plan.

The house designs that are considered to be part of the modern movement span a wide range, and they are often influenced by the geographical area.  These various architectural styles include arts & crafts, ranch and art deco.  One of the common ties that bind these various styles within the modern movement is the openness of the floor plan, which typically combines space for entertaining, relaxing and dining.  We can thank modern architects like Frank Lloyd Wright for this newer concept, as well as European architects such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Germany and Le Corbusier in Switzerland.

Home plans are also often designed with a combination of modern aesthetics and more traditional influences, such as the modern country style.  This type of floor plan will typically include large plate-glass windows and outdoor patio areas that increase the living space while bringing a sense of the outdoors into the home.  The features that give any style a modern edge are clean geometric lines and a lack of unnecessary adornment.  While classical designs include embellished columns and arches, modern designs include space age materials and expansive open spaces.  Steel, glass and concrete are often used instead of stone, wood and plaster; and these materials are all put together with a focus on function before form.

Although modern house plans were born from a rebellion against traditional designs, the architects drawing today’s blueprints often prefer to bring together elements of traditional design with the modern focus on functionality, clean lines and an open community feel.  Geographic influences such as Spanish designs in the Southwest and Cape Cod designs in New England are also commonplace.  With a combination of clean lines, large windows, expansive spaces and natural lighting of the modern movement along with classic ideals and regional inspirations, the modern design for home plans has endless possibilities.

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