February 6, 2019

Home Design & Floor Plans - Writing Research

Credit: Charles Barry [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I find it's helpful to think about my character's home and it's layout when writing. Not only does it help you stage scenes, but homes are an important extension of a character and the story's setting.

Floor Plan Websites - They are really great because you can search by the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and features you want in your house. And they have a lot of results.
Real Estate Websites - Since larger homes are usually custom-made, this is where you can find larger homes. You can also find older homes.
  • Easy Street- Apartments in New York City.
  • Sotheby's Realty - Luxury listings from around the world.
  • Romolini - Historical homes, mostly in Italy. Some commercial real estate: hotels, wineries, etc.   
  • Christie's - Luxury listings from around the world.
  • Savills - Luxury listings from around the world.
  • Patrice Besse - Historic properties, mainly in France
  • Note: 
    • Due to privacy and security concerns, a lot of expensive homes don't always have floor plans. But they usually have plenty of photos to draw inspiration from.
    • Real Estate listings are often taken down after the listing sells, so be sure to download or screenshot the blueprints for future reference.  
    • Many large Country Estates have been converted into hotels or event spaces (for weddings, conferences, etc.).  So don't just look under residential listings. 
Create Your Own When you can't find exactly what you want. 

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