3 ways to create a dream home for the holidays—and all year

There’s no time of year when we spend more time enjoying our home than during the holidays. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, our homes host a parade of family dinners, neighborhood parties, and marathon gift exchanges. Yet somehow, if you’re building a custom home, you might not immediately think of ways that your design choices can help make those holiday moments even more special. It’s worth consideration, though.

“What we need from our homes expands during the holidays, and it’s important to think of those needs when you’re designing your dream home,” says John F. Eilermann Jr., CEO and chairman at McBride Homes. “Ask yourself what features will make your kitchen more usable when preparing Thanksgiving dinner or baking holiday treats. How much space do you need for your New Year’s Eve party? What holiday decorating traditions will you want to continue in your new home? And where will you store those decorations the remainder of the year?"

Here are three key considerations:

1. An open floor plan can be ideal for get-togethers. The flexibility of an open floor plan is what makes it the most popular home layout right now, and it offers extra benefits at the holidays. Without the restraint of walls, guests can move freely from dining areas to gathering areas to gifting areas, and you can comfortably fit more people in your space. At Thanksgiving, families can spend more quality time together when the kitchen flows seamlessly into the TV area. And for all those holiday parties, friends can mix and mingle openly in a warm, welcoming environment.

2. Double ovens and other deluxe appliances make entertaining easier. If you suffer from a lack of oven space, you’re not alone during the holidays. There’s nothing more coveted from November to January than double wall ovens. (And think of how much you’ll love them the rest of the year, too!) 

“Your kitchen will be put to the test at the holidays,” says Eilerman. “That should be your standard for how much you expect from your appliances. In addition to double ovens, that means a larger capacity refrigerator, a high-performance dishwasher, and perhaps even a touchless faucet. Don’t forget a larger kitchen island for more prep, more serving, and more seating. These items might feel like a luxury when you’re designing your dream home, but they become a necessity when you consider the holiday factor."

3. Set the scene with a stunning fireplace. When building a new home, you get to personalize the details at a level that’s not possible with a resale home. From a stately stone surround to a majestic mantle decked out for the holidays, the fireplace is the epitome of winter comfort. Take a moment to picture your perfect fireplace scene, and then share it with your dream home designer. At McBride Homes' world-class Design Studio—one of the largest in the Midwest—you can choose colors, finishes, and more.

Some of the most wonderful memories of our lives are made at home during the holidays. These are moments that can shape us and fill us with joy for a lifetime. What better way to create wonderful holiday memories each and every year than to start with your dream home, designed with these special times in mind?

This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of McBride Homes. To learn more, visit mcbridehomes.com.