10 Common Design Issues in Typical Homes

Effective design isn’t always about luxury. It can be simple yet beautiful, incorporating natural materials. The key is to reflect what matters to you and your family, rather than adhering to conventional ideas of home.

Design mistakes often result from poor planning or tight budgets, but they’re also a product of evolving trends in home planning and construction.

In this article, we’ve outlined 10 typical design flaws, presented in no specific order. If you recognize any of these issues in your home, don’t worry – you’re not alone, and there are solutions. Carpenters and handymen have always been resourceful, and many DIY experts learned through tackling design challenges and finding practical solutions that sparked their interest in home improvement.

10: Excessive Storage

Walk-in closets may symbolize success and luxury, but too much storage can detract from creating a peaceful retreat at home. Both excessive and inadequate storage can clutter your life. If you have too much, it may fill with unnecessary items, while too little may leave you struggling to accommodate a growing family.

Mark P. Sexton of Krueck + Sexton Architects in Chicago, Ill., believes that closets are one of the greatest design flaws in many homes [source: Sexton]. He argues, "The American walk-in closet is an enormous waste of space. It's the biggest waste, yet people love them. I support storage, but it should be adaptable. It’s more efficient and beautiful to use cabinets that allow circulation rather than isolating closet contents."

As Sexton puts it, "In great design, you achieve more by using less."

9: Insufficient Ventilation

This isn’t a recent issue, but many people in developed nations get very little exposure to fresh air. We wake up in heated or air-conditioned spaces, travel in cars, subways, and buses with tightly sealed windows, and spend hours in airtight office buildings.

Whether we open windows to allow fresh air in depends on safety, air quality, privacy, noise, and convenience. In older homes, windows may be sealed shut due to years of disuse, and in newer homes, windows are sometimes nailed down to prevent break-ins.

While sealed windows can make us feel secure and prevent drafts in colder climates, they can be dangerous when emergencies like fires arise. Building codes in the U.S. and other countries require exit plans, and older homes may need updates to comply with current safety standards. Similarly, concealed doors and windows, though often thought to be safer because they are out of sight, can become ideal entry points for burglars or criminals.

8: Inadequate Lighting and Power

When asked about common design flaws in typical homes, the renowned 20th-century architect Richard Meier responded, "Too few homes utilize natural light" [source: Meier].

A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that "In an average building, lighting accounts for 25 to 40 percent of total energy consumption. Besides the financial and health advantages, natural light also offers an almost 'perfect white light' with numerous visual benefits" [source: ScienceDaily].

While both buyers and sellers often highlight the number of windows in a property, natural light has its own set of challenges. In winter, the warmth of sunlight through the windows may be appreciated, but in summer, those windows may need to be covered to keep the interior cool. Additionally, maintaining clean windows and ensuring privacy are important considerations. The proximity of a neighbor's window to your bathroom or bedroom could feel intrusive if you value privacy during intimate moments, so it’s essential to check drafts and privacy throughout the day.

Most people wouldn't want to live in a cave, but likewise, they don't want to be constantly exposed either. If a space requires an abundance of artificial lighting, electric outlets, extension cords, or a significant amount of window treatments, the overall design might need to be reconsidered.

7: Poorly Designed for Multiple Uses

A dedicated office, craft, sewing, reading, or multi-purpose room might seem like a brilliant idea, but if it turns into a cluttered space filled with boxes and bags behind a closed door, it becomes an unfinished project that likely inspires nothing but dread.

A family game room is unlikely to be used if your family doesn't play games, and a recreation room that feels more like a museum will probably be avoided. Be realistic about what actually suits your lifestyle and activities, rather than imagining what you *could* do in a given space.

On the other hand, if there’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet, a change of pace might be the catalyst. However, a reality check is still important. For instance, a "workout room" filled with boxes from your last move might be a good sign of how you’ll likely use space in a new home, despite your intentions to the contrary.

6: HVAC Considerations

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) should ideally be an unobtrusive, hard-working component of your home. Unfortunately, improper placement, poor maintenance, and incorrect installation are common issues, often coming with high costs.

Bad HVAC planning can result in problems like mold growth from excessive moisture, distracting noise, and inefficient performance from units that are too large or small for the space. Without proper insulation or poorly positioned vents, the temperature inside your home can be uncomfortable most of the time—a flaw that is easy to prevent. Other design features like high ceilings or an abundance of windows can further increase heating and cooling costs.

While a stunning white-wash stucco home in a Mediterranean climate may seem like a dream, remember the extra work required to regularly whitewash the walls to fight mold. Beautiful woodwork in traditional Asian architecture and intricate wood detailing in Western Victorian design add character, but they also come with cracks, drafts, and other low-tech building challenges. Consider both your budget and your comfort through all seasons.

5: Mismanagement of Water

In places without running water, it’s wise to keep the waste hole some distance away from the home and cooking areas. So why do some Western homes have bathrooms next to dining rooms and kitchens? It’s due to plumbing. The shared hot water source for both the kitchen and bathroom, along with pipes designed to eliminate upward fumes, makes for an unusual proximity between where we eat and where we eliminate. And the bathroom itself can present its own challenges, as the area where you wash up is right next to the toilet.

Opting for a historic home often means accepting that your guests might feel uncomfortable using the only bathroom until after others have finished dining, and perhaps standing just outside the bathroom door.

When planning for growing families, the placement, layout, and number of bathrooms become essential considerations. For aging families, accessibility also plays a significant role. In a split-level home, the ability to move up and down stairs is crucial, as well as ensuring that children and parents can get off to school and work promptly each morning.

4: Disorganized Kitchen Space

Kitchens can serve as social spaces for dining and gathering or as strictly functional areas for cooking. The layout of a kitchen to suit the users' needs can be a deciding factor in both home buying and remodeling. The choice between a compact, efficient kitchen dedicated only to cooking or an open-concept space for meal prep and social interaction is a significant one. Designing better kitchens has been a continuous challenge in home design.

A 1946 U.S. study measured the actual steps housewives took to prepare meals, revealing that an "ideal layout" would result in a meal requiring just 70 steps, while the least efficient layout would require 454 steps [source: LIFE Magazine]. The study's design suggestion placed appliances, cabinetry, and drawers along two walls, a concept that evolved into the modern kitchen layout with islands, which offer extra counter space, storage, and an eat-in counter that transformed the traditional "L" layout into a "U" shape.

The Frankfurt kitchen, a pioneering study in domestic efficiency from 1926, was designed with practicality in mind. With a compact size of just 6.2 feet (1.9 meters) by 11.2 feet (3.4 meters), it maximized ease of cleaning and use. However, due to its dimensions, it was primarily intended for solo cooking [source: Moonan].

Drawing inspiration from earlier studies, today’s kitchen is often either a tiny, windowless space dedicated solely to food preparation, or a larger, less efficient eat-in area that combines the kitchen with the dining room and living areas—bringing along the sometimes lingering aromas of cabbage, curry, and garlic.

3: Uninspired Floorplans

As designs become more intricate, costs rise. Woodwork needs precise shaping, floors must be seamlessly joined, carpets need to align perfectly, and windows and doors often require custom fitting. More complex home designs mean more surfaces to clean and maintain.

Following World War II, a new housing style known as the ranch emerged, influenced by architects and developers like Cliff May, Alfred Levitt, and Frank Lloyd Wright. This design aimed to reduce costs by combining living areas, resulting in floor plans with a central living space and connected rooms accessed by hallways. When executed well, these homes featured open, flowing rooms with ample windows and doors leading outside. However, poorly designed ranch homes often featured awkward, boxy interiors. Initially seen as modern and appealing, ranch homes later gained a reputation for being long, box-like structures lacking personality.

Architectural styles evolved, incorporating more elaborate historical elements such as porches and decorative details. Yet, the rectangular form continued to dominate most Western homes. Stepping away from the boxy style was seen as a statement of design value, with many home buyers preferring variety. In recent years, lofts and open floor plans have brought back the rectangle in its more original, Modernist form.

2: Wrong Materials

We all have clothes that make us feel comfortable and others that leave us constantly adjusting and feeling self-conscious. Living in a well-built home, as opposed to one that’s cheaply constructed, can have a similar effect.

Cutting corners, like covering low-quality drywall with spackle or laying carpet over a thin concrete floor, can lead to surface failures and even more serious structural issues. Pay attention to the connections where rooms meet—where the ceiling joins the walls or where the walls meet the floor. Cracks, hairline fractures, and gaps can reveal the quality of the materials used and the stress placed on these critical areas of the house.

Untreated wood beams and particleboard or plywood under the exterior siding and drywall can warp with temperature changes, allowing water and ice to infiltrate and potentially damaging the structure. A skilled inspector can often estimate the costs of maintaining a house just by examining the foundation and structural supports. The quality of roofing material and its suitability to the local climate are also strong indicators of future problems.

According to a study by the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), 50.2 percent of people in the United States own their homes for at least 10 years, while only 27.6 percent hold onto them for at least 20 years [source: Emrath]. Many homebuyers focus on short-term goals, so ensuring a house is well-constructed for the long term often comes down to selecting the right materials from the foundation up.

1: Poor Pre-construction Planning

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) suggests home buyers ponder the question: "Is there enough room for both the present and the future?" [source: HUD]. While individual design preferences often take center stage, considering the future—aging, raising children, and accommodating extended family—can be just as crucial.

The layout of a house can shape how family members come together or maintain their independence. Whether you're working within a small or spacious budget, thinking about whether you prefer a close-knit atmosphere or separate spaces can help guide the design process for your family’s future. Asking questions about where each person will sleep, the privacy they'll have, and how everyone—from toddlers to seniors—will move through the house ensures you won't need to make costly adjustments or relocate as your needs evolve.

Creating a timeline of future aspirations and possible life changes helps eliminate designs that won't grow with your family, while opening the door to homes that can evolve seamlessly alongside your life journey.