Get answers to questions about how to build a new custom home in North Carolina – with information for first time home buyers as well as experienced buyers.

7 questions to ask as you choose interior lighting for your design/build new home

Posted by Travars Built Homes on April 30, 2021

There are many lighting choices for your Travars Built custom home in NC. Here’s what to keep in mind to help ensure the lights you choose can be a good fit.

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#1 What lighting styles are your favorite? Matte black modern farmhouse? Contemporary chrome?

It’s common to mix and match lighting styles in design/build new homes. You don’t have to pick just one!

Kitchen Open to Living Room | On Your Lot Builder Chapel Hill NC

#2 How much light do you need?

How much natural light is available through windows, skylights, glass doors? How much foliage is around the home? How often will shades be closed?

Chapel Hill New Home Builder | New Homes Chapel Hill NC

#3 Where will the light source be placed?

Make sure the wattage and light bulb size are sufficient for the area you need to light up. Some lighting fixtures are really pretty. But they use tiny little lights. Will the lighting source be sufficient?

#4 What are you lighting up?

Rooms with high ceilings may need more light distribution. Screen porches may block some natural light from entering the rooms behind them.

#5 What do you need the light for?

Craft rooms, homework areas, informal dining areas or other specific designations may require extra lighting. Do you need a spotlight or more subtle lighting?

#6 What materials?

Chrome? Wood? Black metal? Copper? Crystal? It’s no longer an imperative for everything in the room to match. Faucets and doorknobs can be a very different material than lighting. The focus is more on personality and functionality than adhering to a single material.

Chatham County NC Custom Homes | Two Story Kitchen

#7 What is the purpose of the lighting?

Does the entire room need to be lit up, with multiple can lights to boost lighting or would sconces (for reading), under cabinet lights (for food prep) or theater lights (along the floor or steps) be something to think about?

Chatham County On Your Lot Builder | Chatham New Homes

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New home trends: Best hardwood flooring for pets

Posted by Travars Built Homes on March 3, 2021

You have a lot of choices for flooring in North Carolina new homes, from hardwood to tile and carpet, as well as custom options.

Travars Built Homes offer the highest quality features, finishes, materials and craftsmanship, including real oak hardwood flooring in every home. See what else comes, standard, here.

All types of flooring will see some wear and tear over time. But which types of hardwood flooring stand up best to daily traffic from people and pets? Here are 10 tips for choosing hardwood flooring in NC new homes:

North Carolina New Homes | Hardwood Flooring Trends

Hardwood flooring tip #1: Soft woods cost more — and provide less protection

If you want to avoid flooring that dents easiest, avoid American Cherry, American Walnut, and Pine. Better versions of these hardwoods for a harder surface? Brazilian Cherry and Walnut.

Hardwood flooring tip #2: Consider a Harder Hardwood

Hickory, Brazilian Cherry and other hardwoods rank high on the Janka scale. They come with a premium price, but are much harder than the 3/8 “hardwood” flooring most builders use. Travars Built Homes uses ¾ solid oak hardwood – a much higher quality wood with more resistance to wear and tear than most new homes start with.

Hardwood flooring tip #3: Strong grains can hide more scratches

Red oak has a stronger grain than white oak. Red oak, 1290 on the hardness scale, hides scratches better than Brazilian Cherry, which is 2350 on the Janka scale.

Hardwood flooring tip #4: Hand Scraped and Distressed Hardwoods provide modern rustic character that makes wear look appealing

The more wear you put on these hardwoods, the more realistic they look. Knots and other character traits also give “real hardwoods” a natural look that feels comfortable and welcoming.

Contact Travars Built Homes to get a price for your NC new home build.

Hardwood flooring tip #5: Mask imperfections with a Matte Finish

Ask your builder to use a matte finish on your site finished hardwood floors. Glossy finishes will be more reflective – and imperfections more glaring.

Hardwood flooring tip #6: Light stains hide scratches best

Another great characteristic of oak hardwood flooring is that it’s already a naturally light wood. The stain shade you choose can make a difference in how much scratches show, with lighter hues hiding more scarring than dark colors. lighter hue on the stain you choose And if you’ve chosen oak, a naturally light wood, even if the finish is scratched off the scratch is more likely to blend with the rest of the floor.

Hardwood flooring tip #7: Solid Hardwoods have long lasting qualities

Site finished solid hardwood flooring can be refinished. So if you feel like freshening up your woods in a few years, either because you’d like it to look new or want to change the color, you can simply sand it and restain it, at a much lower cost than replacing the entire floor like you’d need to do with an inexpensive laminate.

Hardwood flooring tip #8: The bamboo effect

Bamboo can be beautiful, but it’s not always the best choice for a floor that will have a lot of people and pet traffic. Stained bamboo can scratch very easily. Although it is technically stronger than oak, dents show up more easily. Strand bamboo costs more than carmelized bamboo, but can hold up better.

Hardwood flooring tip #9: Furniture Felt Pads can prevent heavy scraping

Using felt pads under furniture (even with wheels) can protect your floors. Scattered rugs can also protect areas with heavy traffic, such as doorways, hallways, kitchen aisles and gathering places.

Hardwood flooring tip #10: Leave your shoes at the door

Still love soft woods best? Create a space where shoes go as people enter your home, to avoid scarring caused by pebbles, dirt and high heels. Custom built-in shelving, drop zones or even just a corner on the floor reserved for shoes can help your floors stay cleaner and less worn.

Contact Travars Built Homes to find out more about building your new construction custom home in North Carolina.

7 barn door design ideas

Posted by Travars Built Homes on January 28, 2021

Barn doors are big in North Carolina new homes. See the best places to add a barn door – with the flexibility to fit every architectural style, from modern farmhouse to contemporary.

Love a floor plan, and want to add a barn door? Ask the team at Travars Built Homes what it takes to build your new home with a barn door for your kitchen, office, owner’s suite, sitting room, keeping room, pantry, bathroom, laundry, or closet during our custom home build process.

Stained wood sliding barn door

This barn door has a rural feel to it, with the 2×4 “X” across the door taking it one step further to a branded look.

Barn door design ideas | North Carolina New Homes

Antique white wood barn doors

Don’t take the term “barn door” literally. It’s a free ranging door style that can take on a different feel depending on the materials it’s crafted with – like the glass barn doors you see here, framed in white – with contemporary appeal.

Opaque glass barn doors

Barn doors take twice the amount of wall space as swinging doors. However, they can add functionality to an area where a swinging door is not feasible. That’s why they have become so popular in bathrooms, like this:

Double sliding barn doors

Barn doors are typically attached to the wall on metal girders like this, which are purposely big and dramatic to call further attention to them as a focal point:

Double barn doors are a great fit for larger spaces. They can be held open most of the time, like a frame around an entry place that can be closed off when desired.

Glass panel sliding barn doors

Sliding barn doors can lend importance to libraries like this, off the great room. The glass panels reflect the wall of windows in the room. White trim denotes elegance. Subtle metal rods and hinges meld into the home décor with classic appeal. Nothing rural about these barn doors!

French door style barn doors

Barn doors serve a decorative purpose in rooms like this. On the outside, they slide across the doorway. On the inside, they look like traditional French doors with an open view from an office, dining room, keeping room, sitting room or any other room that can be set apart by sliding doors.

Brushed nickel hardware for barn doors

Barn doors are often preferable to pocket doors in NC new homes – talk with the builder team at Travars Built Homes about why. Here, they add charm as well as functionality to the mud room.

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Where to use tile, wood, carpet – and other types of flooring in your new home

Posted by Travars Built Homes on January 26, 2021

What kind of flooring will your new home come with, when you build an NC custom home?

It can depend on what your builder offers, and the floor plan that you choose. Here’s what to expect in a Travars Built Home.

Kitchens

New Home Flooring Types | NC Custom Homes

Most kitchens in North Carolina new homes have hardwood floors. With Travars Built Homes, site finished, real oak hardwood is our standard. Ask us what some homeowners want for flooring when they have dogs. We’ll also tell you why tile isn’t as common in NC kitchens as in some parts of the country.

Living rooms / great rooms

Hardwood in the living room gives a clean, fresh look to gathering areas, with easy cleanup. Decide which stain color you’d like to go with on site, when you go there during the build to see what looks best with the cabinetry, in the sunlight.

Breakfast rooms

The hardwoods keep on flowing throughout all the main living areas in your Travars Built Home, with sweeping open space that’s beautiful from one room to the next, like this breakfast room.

Laundry rooms

Laundry rooms have tile floors in Travars Built Homes. Have fun choosing the personality you want in spaces like this, that get a lot of use! Ask us how to make your laundry room even better, with folding tables, cubbies, shelves, and more space.

Mud rooms

Mud rooms have tile floors too. They’re designed for easy cleanup of everything that tracks into the home from outdoors. It’s also great for furry friends. Ask how to tuck a dog house, pet shower, or other accommodation into your custom home, like the one you see in this mud room.

Bathrooms

Every full bathroom in a Travars Built Home comes with a tile floor, too. There’s a big trend right now for tile that looks like wood, which can give it a rustic, contemporary look that can be really beautiful, like this floor.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms typically come with carpet, which Travars Built Homes makes more comfortable and long lasting with 8 pound pad beneath and a variety of choices. We can install hardwood instead – it’s one of the many things you can decide what to do with, when you build a custom home the way you want it.

Library / home offices

Most offices and libraries in Travars Built Homes have beautiful oak hardwood flooring like this home. It can depend on the location of these rooms – all main living areas on the first floor typically have hardwood as a standard. Ask us about other flooring you’d like in your home – cork, bamboo, concrete, laminate – we can create whatever effect you would like.

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14 ways to create welcoming indoor/outdoor living spaces for your NC new home

Posted by Travars Built Homes on January 20, 2021

Building indoor/outdoor living into your NC new home can make it feel more open and spacious – with easy flow through to extra space where you can stretch out and enjoy natural light, fresh air, scenery and activities.

Get ideas from these 14 photos of indoor/outdoor porches, decks, windows and doors. See what comes standard (or can be easily customized) when you build a new custom home with Travars Built Homes.

Sliding glass doors

Double sliding glass doors are one of the most exciting new trends in NC custom homes. Framed by matching windows on either side, they promote natural light as well as access to a covered porch, screen porch, deck or patio through multiple entrances that extend gathering areas into everything your outdoor living area offers.

Indoor outdoor living spaces | NC new homes

Open space

Note how much more open space is felt in this NC custom home by adding outdoor living space separated by a wall of glass. The more you can view, the more your indoor open space can create a connection with back yard nature. Ask NC custom home builder Travars Built Homes about ways to add more – and bigger – windows, all over your new home, with modifications in its design phase.

Wall of windows

Indoor/outdoor living space that is connected through a glass door as well as a wall of windows adds extra dimension. This Modern Farmhouse screen porch extends living space with massive windows across the entire area. Note the dark framed windows – a huge trend for NC new homes.

Deck extension

Extending outdoor living area with a deck that stretches beyond a screen porch offers even more opportunities to leverage all the activities conducive to including nature in your new home.

Big screen porch with detail work

Think through the size of your screen porch when you’re looking at blueprints with the builder. Some floor plans already dedicate space that’s integral to the home. Others can have a porch added on. Note the detail work that makes this indoor/outdoor living especially inviting.

Patios

Consider stepping down from your screen porch to a patio below suitable for a hot tub spa, barbeque, or other fun outdoor gathering space. Check with the general contractor about impervious space and other regulations, to see what’s possible where you’re building.

Railings

Whether rails are required due to height or you simply prefer to have deck space walled in, there are various approaches you can take with a custom home. Wood railings and wrought iron railings are the most popular treatments in NC. See how creative you can be, when you create a special look with Travars Built Homes.

Maximize (outdoor) open space

Open space isn’t just for the interior of your home. When the world awaits outside, relax on a wide open deck where you can sit and ponder. This deck was designed to encompass two entrances into the home (the breakfast room and the laundry/mud room). Want more? The possibilities are nearly endless, when you build a custom home in NC.

Fans and lighting

Screen porch ceiling fans come standard in Travars Built Homes, to add further enjoyment to outdoor living space. Lighting extends enjoyment of gathering areas like this no matter what time of day you feel like relaxing or getting together on your screen porch.

Personality

See the personality you can build in, through the design decisions you make – and the craftsmanship of a Travars Built Home. See the difference in choice with this wrought iron railing as compared to wood railings. The deck that stretches from the screen porch you see here was designed for maximum space. Note the detailed trim and ceiling treatments. Everything adds up, as you create your home the way you want it.

French doors

The classic tradition of French doors can add an inviting touch to your outdoor living area. Tag on additional windows, for even more access to everything you want to see and do from the inside, out.

Open or enclosed

Travars Built Homes enclose your screen porch in comfort so your outdoor living enjoyment can be at its fullest. Screen walls. Screen door. Screen under the decking. Beadboard ceiling. Fan. Check out the details and relax. You’re going to love this.

Extending the view

Got views on all sides of your new home? Ask us about floor plans that give you a glimpse around the corner from your screen porch, like this NC custom home. Soak in all the reasons you chose your homesite, as you maximize your indoor/outdoor living with a view.

All brick

Wrap your indoor/outdoor living space with the solid feeling of strength, on your all brick home. This screen porch is an integral part of the home, with a doorway tucked into the brick corner that adds dimension.

In North Carolina, new home exteriors are typically sided in fiber cement, brick or vinyl. The material and colors you choose are dependent on your community covenants as well as personal taste. Talk with your custom home designer at Travars Built Homes about more indoor/outdoor living ideas.

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5 easy steps to get an NC custom home price quote

Posted by Travars Built Homes on January 13, 2021

Building a custom home is very different from purchasing a new or existing home. You often won’t find set pricing online because custom home builders need to know a few details to provide a quote you can count on.

Here are the 5 easy steps we walk through with you, so you can get a personalized custom home quote with 10 pages of details.

Step 1: Call Travars Built Homes at 919-740-7536. We can cover a lot about what you’d like to do in a ten minute conversation. And check here for quick answers to common custom home building questions.

Step 2: Email. Send the names of floor plans you’re interested in knowing more about. Need ideas? Request house plans, here.

If you own a lot, send the address, plot plan, soil determinations, improvement permits, community covenants and anything else that can help us provide you with the most precise information possible.

Step 3: Come to your 30 minute no obligation custom home consultation. We’ll go over the details in your 10 page custom home pricing quote. Take it home. Make notes on the things you’d like to consider changing, such as floor plan modifications. Email your questions so we can provide even more information.

Farmhouse Kitchen Island | Mebane NC New Homes

Step 4: Meet with Travars Built Homes at your lot for your free onsite lot assessment, where you’ll learn what it takes to build at your homesite. Find out about everything about your location that impacts build costs – before you sign your purchase agreement. Still looking for the right lot? We can help with your search, too.

Step 5: Read more about what makes Travars Built Homes unique, and meet one more time to go over the details in your final quote for the floor plan you want to build. We can cover any modifications discussed at your initial custom home consultation, and site work specific to your homesite. Your build costs are locked in with your purchase agreement!

Interested in a custom home quote? Contact Travars Built Homes. We will show you everything that comes included – and the flexibility you have for personalization – when you build your new home on your lot or neighborhood in central NC.

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What you can learn at a custom home consultation (cost, quality, and scope)

Posted by Travars Built Homes on January 9, 2021

A price quote and design meeting from a custom home builder is very different from semi-custom and production builders.

You’ll know which builder is best for your new home within minutes of sitting with Travars Built Homes at your custom home consultation. Quickly see how you can be more informed, involved, and creative, in just 5 easy steps.

During your custom home consultation, we’ll show you:

– What your floor plan costs – and ways to save money

– Features, finishes and the flexibility for choices

– What you can customize, modify and change

– How long it will take to build

– Who takes care of permits, blueprints and site work

Mebane NC New Homes | White Farmhouse Exterior

Our homebuyers often tell us they are amazed and excited about the depth of detail we provide – including build aspects nobody else has told them about.

The quote we provide is extremely precise – and our pricing has never been beat, apples to apples, by any comparable home builder.

The accuracy of our award winning proprietary estimating system will help ensure you know everything possible that it takes to build your new home, including next steps – your on site lot assessment with the builder – even before you purchase land or sign a purchase agreement with Travars Built Homes.

Your personal pricing package provides peace of mind, with the strength and comfort of our high quality materials and craftsmanship in writing. No hidden costs. No unnecessary surprises.

Request a custom home consultation:

Name (required)

Email (required)

Phone

Floor Plan Name

Do you own a lot?
Yes, I own a lotNo, but I have a lot in mindNo, I'd like help finding a lot

Location:
PittsboroDurhamChapel HillAnother Location in NCI am not building in NC

Build Budget:
400 - 450K450 - 500K500 - 600K600 - 700K700 - 800K800 - 900K900K+

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11 Best bathroom layouts for your new home

Posted by Travars Built Homes on January 6, 2021

Get owner’s suite bathroom ideas with practical solutions and beautiful options to make the best use of space in your custom home floor plan.

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These 11 owner’s suite bath layouts for your NC new home can change everything, as you customize your floor plan and build on your lot with Travars Built Homes.

Bathroom Layout #1: Single long vanity

If your floor plan has the space for a single long vanity, a 7′ granite countertop can provide enough room for two sinks and space to spread out. A single piece of granite can be as long as 10′ without a seam.

White Modern Farmhouse Bathrooms | Mebane NC New Homes

Bathroom Layout #2: Closet through the bath

A big walk in closet with lots of shelving and rods – and easy access to the bathroom – makes plans with a closet through the bath a popular choice.

Wendell North Carolina New Homes | Freestanding Tub

Bathroom Layout #3: Tiny touches with designer appeal

When you build on your lot with NC custom home builder Travars Built Homes, you can personalize your owner’s suite bathroom with lights, mirrors, cabinetry, tile and other customization that adds a fun designer touch – without a big price tag.

Bathroom Layout #4: Barn doors

The owner’s suite bathroom is a great place for barn doors in a variety of styles and materials. Choices depend on the door opening and available wall space for barn doors to slide. What a great way to maximize maneuverability, without a swinging door.

Chapel Hill Modern Farmhouse | Owners Suite Bath

Bathroom Layout #5: Frameless shower

Want a way to make your owner’s suite bathroom layout look even more open? Consider a frameless shower, like this. The marble countertop here adds artistry, too.

Chatham County New Homes | First Floor Owners Suite Bath

Bathroom Layout #6: Large shower and deep tub

Looking for the luxury of a deep tub and large shower? Travars Built Homes offers a variety of custom home floor plans – and modifications – that provide extra space in the owner’s suite bathroom – to create leisurely master suite retreats that allow you to linger and relax.

Chapel Hill Modern Farmhouse | White Gray Bathroom

Bathroom Layout #7: Big shower instead of a tub

Don’t need a soaking tub? Focus on floor plans with a big shower – or ask for ways to modify the owner’s suite bathroom with a massive shower instead of a combined or separate shower and tub in NC new homes.

Bathroom Layout #8: Vaulted ceiling

A vaulted ceiling can add a feeling of spaciousness, when the roofline allows it in one story home or two story homes with the owner’s suite upstairs. Ask your build on your lot general contractor what’s possible in your plan.

Raleigh Custom Homes | First Floor Owners Suite Bath

Bathroom Layout #9: Best use of compact spaces

Custom home owner’s suite bathroom sizes are designed in a wide variety of sizes, with typical square footage between 10-12 feet x 12-15 feet. Tighter spaces call for more creative tucking with your designer – like this.

Wendell North Carolina New Homes | En Suite Master Bath

Bathroom Layout #10: Freestanding tubs

The romance of a freestanding tub has become a top requested upgrade in new homes. Touted as more open and comfortable, freestanding tubs can also require a few more inches of space.

Wendell North Carolina New Homes | Large Tile Shower

Bathroom Layout #11: Open space

Most master bathrooms allow for about 10′ of width to accommodate typical vanities, tub, shower, and maneuverability. Talk with the NC custom home builders at Travars Built Homes about what it takes to build in more options.

Chatham County NC Custom Homes | Farmhouse White Bathroom

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How to Build a Modern Farmhouse in North Carolina

Posted by Travars Built Homes on January 3, 2021

“Modern Farmhouse” conjures a feeling of peaceful countryside living. But in a traditional sense, this popular architectural style adapts the term “farmhouse” loosely.

Looking for modern farmhouse builders? Travars Built Homes can build a custom farmhouse on your lot in North Carolina. Here’s how:

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A Modern Farmhouse is actually one of the most adaptable architectural styles, with the flexibility to invoke touches of urban, contemporary, traditional and industrial effects, on a palate that can be easily personalized with your own whimsey – like this:

White and Black Modern Farmhouse Bath | Mebane NC New Homes

Add a touch of Shiplap walls. Hint of cedar. Traditional brick fireplace surround. (Or a wide variety of other outdoorsy touches.)

Brick Fireplace Built Ins | Mebane NC New Homes

Nothing says “Modern Farmhouse” better than white board and batt. Metal roof accents. Black framed windows.

Carry that theme inside, with back to back to basics simplicity in white and black kitchens designed for home cooking.

Modern Farmhouse kitchens get a lot of attention, as a great place to combine contemporary and urban appeal, with ample space to create.

Chatham County New Homes | Farmhouse Kitchen

Be clever with black hanging lights when you design your Modern Farmhouse feel. Consider creating a sense of support structure, with cedar wood beams in the ceiling.

Another mix of architectural styles in Modern Farmhouses is the industrial look of metal to add functionality and style, like sliding barn door accents with black light fixture tie-ins.

Chatham County New Homes | First Floor Owner Suite

Consider the artistry of hand painted look like these faux wood gray framed mirrors, set amongst lantern style lights. Can you name the 3 architectural styles that blend into this small space?

Like the look of black framed windows that’s a signature look on many Modern Farmhouse exteriors? Carry that through to the glass in your bathrooms, for a bold, contemporary feel.

Take your time looking at tile choices – what you do with your floors can add a lot of personality to small spaces. See how different a laundry room can look with a black and white pattern like this:

Chapel Hill Modern Farmhouse | NC Homebuilder

Versus a black and white tile floor pattern like this. (Note the open storage spaces, too, that are also a big trend in Modern Farmhouse new homes in NC.

Laundry Mudroom Door to Master Closet | Mebane NC New Homes

Ask your NC custom home builder how many places you can add built-in storage centers, cabinets and closets. You might be surprised at the flexibility you have when you design build your new home with a builder like Travars Built Homes.

Built In Cabinets Walk In Closet | Mebane NC New Homes

Drop zones are a huge draw for every architectural style of new homes – and a must for a Modern Farmhouse feel. How big do you want it to be? What kind of tuck away access do you want it to have?

Raleigh Custom Homes | Built in Drop Zone

Bathrooms are one of the best places to mix architectural styles to achieve today’s Modern Farmhouse appeal – like this blend of quaint and classic, with a barn style framed mirror, trough sink and chrome faucets.

White and Black Bathrooms | Mebane NC New Homes

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How to add stock up space and big pantries to your new home (without adding sq ft)

Posted by Travars Built Homes on December 29, 2020

Customizing stock up space and big pantries starts with analyzing what you want to store – and the places you have to work with – in new custom homes in Chatham County, North Carolina.

Kitchens with big walk in pantries are high in “must haves.” Get clever when you go custom, with just-right spaces for everything you store, like these creative cubbies, shelves and racks in Travars Built Homes.

Custom built-ins

Chatham County Custom Homes | Kitchen Pantry

Every inch here was designed for a specific purpose. From pull out racks to built ins sized for each item to be placed there, this is what “totally custom” can look like, when you expand your kitchen into the walk in pantry.

Custom shelf height

Your NC custom home builder can use the measurements you give him to build custom shelving at the height you need, to accommodate everything from stock up Costco size packaging to cans and spices in your walk in pantry.

Custom shelf width and depth

Chatham County New Homes | Kitchen Pantry

Shelf width is another important consideration to talk through with your NC custom home builder. How many cans do you want to stack in a row? How big are the bags of rice or flour? How long are the cereal boxes?

Pantries with other built in storage nearby

Chatham County NC Custom Homes | Built In Storage

Avoid overstuffing your pantry or closets, by adding additional cubbies and storage spaces nearby. A drop zone only needs 12-18 inches of depth, and can be designed for whatever you want to put there.

Windows and lighting

Consider inset or spot lighting in addition to the usual ceiling fixture, to light up your closet or pantry. Choose between more shelves or a window to add natural light. Talk with your Chatham County new home builder about the impact on your home’s exterior.

Pantry location

How much pantry space do you need? A design build custom home builder in NC can create space for a bigger pantry (or second pantry) in a kitchen corner, hallway, mud room, breakfast room or under the stairway.

Secret pantries

Want special storage that’s even more tucked away? A custom design builder can add secret pantries and passageways to your floor plan during the early planning stages.

Butler’s pantry

A butlers pantry typically reflects the cabinetry and countertops of the kitchen, with a dedicated space all its own for items you want to easily access from eating and gathering areas, like this custom designed butlers pantry and wine bar.

Chatham County New Homes | Kitchen Wine Bar

Your design build custom home builder can work with you to create storage space for everything you want to have on hand in your new home.

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Category: How to Build a New Home

There are many lighting choices for your Travars Built custom home in NC. Here’s what to keep in mind to help ensure the lights you choose can be a good fit.

#1 What lighting styles are your favorite? Matte black modern farmhouse? Contemporary chrome?

It’s common to mix and match lighting styles in design/build new homes. You don’t have to pick just one!

#2 How much light do you need?

How much natural light is available through windows, skylights, glass doors? How much foliage is around the home? How often will shades be closed?

#3 Where will the light source be placed?

Make sure the wattage and light bulb size are sufficient for the area you need to light up. Some lighting fixtures are really pretty. But they use tiny little lights. Will the lighting source be sufficient?

#4 What are you lighting up?

Rooms with high ceilings may need more light distribution. Screen porches may block some natural light from entering the rooms behind them.

#5 What do you need the light for?

Craft rooms, homework areas, informal dining areas or other specific designations may require extra lighting. Do you need a spotlight or more subtle lighting?

#6 What materials?

Chrome? Wood? Black metal? Copper? Crystal? It’s no longer an imperative for everything in the room to match. Faucets and doorknobs can be a very different material than lighting. The focus is more on personality and functionality than adhering to a single material.

#7 What is the purpose of the lighting?

Does the entire room need to be lit up, with multiple can lights to boost lighting or would sconces (for reading), under cabinet lights (for food prep) or theater lights (along the floor or steps) be something to think about?

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You have a lot of choices for flooring in North Carolina new homes, from hardwood to tile and carpet, as well as custom options.

Travars Built Homes offer the highest quality features, finishes, materials and craftsmanship, including real oak hardwood flooring in every home. See what else comes, standard, here.

All types of flooring will see some wear and tear over time. But which types of hardwood flooring stand up best to daily traffic from people and pets? Here are 10 tips for choosing hardwood flooring in NC new homes:

Hardwood flooring tip #1: Soft woods cost more — and provide less protection

If you want to avoid flooring that dents easiest, avoid American Cherry, American Walnut, and Pine. Better versions of these hardwoods for a harder surface? Brazilian Cherry and Walnut.

Hardwood flooring tip #2: Consider a Harder Hardwood

Hardwood flooring tip #3: Strong grains can hide more scratches

Red oak has a stronger grain than white oak. Red oak, 1290 on the hardness scale, hides scratches better than Brazilian Cherry, which is 2350 on the Janka scale.

Hardwood flooring tip #4: Hand Scraped and Distressed Hardwoods provide modern rustic character that makes wear look appealing

The more wear you put on these hardwoods, the more realistic they look. Knots and other character traits also give “real hardwoods” a natural look that feels comfortable and welcoming.

Hardwood flooring tip #5: Mask imperfections with a Matte Finish

Ask your builder to use a matte finish on your site finished hardwood floors. Glossy finishes will be more reflective – and imperfections more glaring.

Hardwood flooring tip #6: Light stains hide scratches best

Hardwood flooring tip #7: Solid Hardwoods have long lasting qualities

Hardwood flooring tip #8: The bamboo effect

Hardwood flooring tip #9: Furniture Felt Pads can prevent heavy scraping

Using felt pads under furniture (even with wheels) can protect your floors. Scattered rugs can also protect areas with heavy traffic, such as doorways, hallways, kitchen aisles and gathering places.

Hardwood flooring tip #10: Leave your shoes at the door

Still love soft woods best? Create a space where shoes go as people enter your home, to avoid scarring caused by pebbles, dirt and high heels. Custom built-in shelving, drop zones or even just a corner on the floor reserved for shoes can help your floors stay cleaner and less worn.

Barn doors are big in North Carolina new homes. See the best places to add a barn door – with the flexibility to fit every architectural style, from modern farmhouse to contemporary.

Love a floor plan, and want to add a barn door? Ask the team at Travars Built Homes what it takes to build your new home with a barn door for your kitchen, office, owner’s suite, sitting room, keeping room, pantry, bathroom, laundry, or closet during our custom home build process.

Stained wood sliding barn door

This barn door has a rural feel to it, with the 2×4 “X” across the door taking it one step further to a branded look.

Antique white wood barn doors

Don’t take the term “barn door” literally. It’s a free ranging door style that can take on a different feel depending on the materials it’s crafted with – like the glass barn doors you see here, framed in white – with contemporary appeal.

Opaque glass barn doors

Barn doors take twice the amount of wall space as swinging doors. However, they can add functionality to an area where a swinging door is not feasible. That’s why they have become so popular in bathrooms, like this:

Double sliding barn doors

Barn doors are typically attached to the wall on metal girders like this, which are purposely big and dramatic to call further attention to them as a focal point:

Double barn doors are a great fit for larger spaces. They can be held open most of the time, like a frame around an entry place that can be closed off when desired.

Glass panel sliding barn doors

Sliding barn doors can lend importance to libraries like this, off the great room. The glass panels reflect the wall of windows in the room. White trim denotes elegance. Subtle metal rods and hinges meld into the home décor with classic appeal. Nothing rural about these barn doors!

French door style barn doors

Barn doors serve a decorative purpose in rooms like this. On the outside, they slide across the doorway. On the inside, they look like traditional French doors with an open view from an office, dining room, keeping room, sitting room or any other room that can be set apart by sliding doors.

Brushed nickel hardware for barn doors

Barn doors are often preferable to pocket doors in NC new homes – talk with the builder team at Travars Built Homes about why. Here, they add charm as well as functionality to the mud room.

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What kind of flooring will your new home come with, when you build an NC custom home?

It can depend on what your builder offers, and the floor plan that you choose. Here’s what to expect in a Travars Built Home.

Kitchens

Living rooms / great rooms

Hardwood in the living room gives a clean, fresh look to gathering areas, with easy cleanup. Decide which stain color you’d like to go with on site, when you go there during the build to see what looks best with the cabinetry, in the sunlight.

Breakfast rooms

The hardwoods keep on flowing throughout all the main living areas in your Travars Built Home, with sweeping open space that’s beautiful from one room to the next, like this breakfast room.

Laundry rooms

Laundry rooms have tile floors in Travars Built Homes. Have fun choosing the personality you want in spaces like this, that get a lot of use! Ask us how to make your laundry room even better, with folding tables, cubbies, shelves, and more space.

Mud rooms

Mud rooms have tile floors too. They’re designed for easy cleanup of everything that tracks into the home from outdoors. It’s also great for furry friends. Ask how to tuck a dog house, pet shower, or other accommodation into your custom home, like the one you see in this mud room.

Bathrooms

Every full bathroom in a Travars Built Home comes with a tile floor, too. There’s a big trend right now for tile that looks like wood, which can give it a rustic, contemporary look that can be really beautiful, like this floor.

Bedrooms

Library / home offices

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Building indoor/outdoor living into your NC new home can make it feel more open and spacious – with easy flow through to extra space where you can stretch out and enjoy natural light, fresh air, scenery and activities.

Get ideas from these 14 photos of indoor/outdoor porches, decks, windows and doors. See what comes standard (or can be easily customized) when you build a new custom home with Travars Built Homes.

Sliding glass doors

Open space

Wall of windows

Indoor/outdoor living space that is connected through a glass door as well as a wall of windows adds extra dimension. This Modern Farmhouse screen porch extends living space with massive windows across the entire area. Note the dark framed windows – a huge trend for NC new homes.

Deck extension

Extending outdoor living area with a deck that stretches beyond a screen porch offers even more opportunities to leverage all the activities conducive to including nature in your new home.

Big screen porch with detail work

Think through the size of your screen porch when you’re looking at blueprints with the builder. Some floor plans already dedicate space that’s integral to the home. Others can have a porch added on. Note the detail work that makes this indoor/outdoor living especially inviting.