Andover 30-824
                   

This compact ranch-style home exudes a measure of traditional country charm, while being fairly inexpensive to build and maintain. A conversation bar fronts the kitchen’s long work island, which doubles as a dining room buffet. Standing at the kitchen sink, you can keep tabs on the porch and rear yard, while staying attuned to indoor activities.

Copperfield 30-801
                   

From the street, this small ranch-style home looks pleasantly symmetrical. Inside, vaulted ceilings in the linked gathering spaces help create a sense of expansiveness. While tending pots on the built-in range, the cook can serve snacks at the eating bar, supervise homework, and keep tabs on activities in the living/dining area as well as on the patio.

Riverton 30-811
                    

While this compact ranch-style cottage is designed to sit on land that slopes down at the rear, minimal changes would allow construction on level ground. Vaulted ceilings in the great room, dining room and owners’ suite increase the overall sense of spaciousness. Flames in the great room’s fireplace can also be enjoyed from the kitchen.

Meadow Lake 30-767
                     

The harmonious interplay of curved edges, horizontal lines and sparkling glass grids draws eyes to this modern ranch-style home plan. Living room and dining room flow together at the front, while the informal vaulted family room, kitchen and nook are open to each other at the rear. The owners’ suite boasts a deluxe bathroom and deep walk-in closet.

Ardella 30-785
                      

Uniquely versatile, this ranch-style plan can be seen as having five bedrooms, or as a three-bedroom home with a linked mother-in-law unit behind. A large skylight brightens the kitchen, which is partially open to both the dining room and vaulted living room. The covered porch that fronts the rear unit opens into a great room with a kitchen alcove.

Wallowa 30-737
              

Vaulted ceilings in this ranch-style house plan give an expansive feel to the entry, the study/office, and the great room/dining area at the rear. The richly windowed great room is open to the roomy kitchen across the wrap-around eating and conversation bars. A gas fireplace nestles into the great room’s rear corner, while a built-in hutch fills one wall of the dining area.

Fieldstone 30-607
         

Multipaned windows, cultured stone veneer, and a nostalgic covered porch beckon people to enter this ranch house plan. Abundant natural light washes into vaulted entry and great room linked to large kitchen. Owners’ suite is quiet, well-isolated retreat with roomy walk-in closet and private bathroom with spa tub.

Photo courtesy of: Future B Homes, Eugene, OR

Heartville 10-560
              

When the Associated Designs staff tallied the results of our 2009 Home from the Heart Survey, it wasn’t surprising to find that families wanted to spend about $30,000 less than last year for about the same square footage. Money is tight, but dreaming hasn’t downsized.

Several months ago, Associated Designs asked our readers to choose the features and layout they envisioned in their ideal home. Readers like you from all over the United States and Canada took part in our 2009 Home from the Heart Survey. Now that the survey results have been tallied, we’re ready to share what we’ve learned. Taking it a step further, we’ve designed the Heartville, a home based on the survey results.

When it comes to exteriors, the ranch style home is nearly three times as popular as its closest competitor. About half want a one-story home between 1800 and 2600 square feet with a basement.

Across the board, people want more green building features, with advanced insulation topping the list. “Good insulation is very, very important,” noted a woman from Utah. More than 40% want heat pumps, water efficiency, energy efficient design, advanced framing and increased use of recycled materials.

The woman from Wichita, who said she wanted a large kitchen open to the great room, echoed the sentiments of many. More than 90% prefer informal group living spaces or a great room, and 65% want their kitchen open to the larger room. As recently as ten years ago only half opted for the great room concept, while the other half wanted separated living, dining and family rooms.

This year, nearly 70% want a fireplace or woodstove, down from about 100% ten years ago. More than 60% want some outdoor living space. An Oklahoma woman noted that, “it’s nice to be able step outside and enjoy the fresh air.”

“Make room for work benches in garages. Men like them,” wrote a Utah woman. And indeed, nearly 60% of the participants agreed, including a man from Kansas who noted, “I need shop space for equipment.”

More than 80% want a main floor owners’ suite that’s well isolated from secondary bedrooms. That hasn’t changed a bit!
      
2008 Home from the Heart Survey Results

Ranch-style house plans are commonly one-story rectangular, U-shaped or L-shaped designs with built-in garage. You will find over 200 designs with a variety of sizes and exterior personalities to choose from. To see our ranch-style house plans click here.