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The 2012 NW Natural Street of Dreams home show runs from July 28th to August 26th at the Vineyard, in West Linn, OR. This year, BC Custom Homes are constructing 'Rivendell Manor' - a magical storybook style home designed by Eric Schnell, of Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc. The Rivendell Manor represents the 30th home AMDA have designed for the Portland Street of Dreams show, since first appearing in the show in 1987.

Alan Mascord Design Associates has been awarded "Best Of Remodeling" 2012 by Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design. AMDA were chosen by the more than 1.2 million registered members of the Houzz community.

For the eco-conscious consumers, sustainable luxury home plans might seem like an oxymoron, but not necessarily. Here are a few tips on how to make luxury house plans more eco-friendly.

People are increasingly choosing to include guest house plans in their custom home design for several reasons. Read on for the benefits of guest house plans.

Although colonial house plans encompass a variety of home styles, certain elements tie them together. Here are the common features, as well as the benefits, of colonial home plans.

This week’s featured house plan is the Bracken Bank, a traditional Craftsman house plan that fits neatly into a neighborhood as a narrow lot house plan.

In the recent economy, house buyers have become more flexible, and 2012 has seen a rise in small house plans and multigenerational house plans. Read on for more 2012 home design trends.

These days, one level house plans are actually gaining in popularity. Here’s a look at why more homeowners are choosing one floor house plans.

When designing custom house plans, interior traffic patterns should be carefully considered. Here are a few key factors to consider in your custom home design.

For eco-friendly homeowners, green living is a way of life. For those looking for green house plans, here’s how to build a sustainable house design with minimal carbon footprint.

French country house plans are perfect for those who desire a large home filled with warmth and comfort. Here’s a look at what makes French country home plans unique.

Create the home of your most indulgent dreams with a luxury house plan. Here’s a quick look at the details that make luxury home plans so unique and luxurious.

Storybook house plans can bring a touch of magic into your life with their cottage-style charm. Here’s a look at the history and elements of Storybook home plans.

When budgets are tight, homeowners can't afford to buy expensive home plans. Here are some tips for finding affordable house plans.

Whether you've finished construction and are listing your home for sale or are looking for images to promote construction and development services you offer, we have some fantastic resources to help you market your Mascord designed home.

For instance, Frank Lloyd Wright chose to build the Fallingwater house directly over a waterfall so the residents would always be able to enjoy the natural music the waterfall created. Don’t expect your designer to be quite that innovative, but do ensure that he or she has experience working with your type of property.

A 3D printer can help potential buyers visualize a house plan, because it’s a mini model. Here are benefits developers can get with a 3D model of a home plan.

This week’s featured plan is the Espresso, a perfect combination of both Craftsman home plans and Ranch house plans rolled into one simple, elegant house.

Here we discuss what easements are, how they affect your decision when choosing home plans, and the key to picking house plans within the limitations.

Get creative with your living space with a custom home design. Here are 5 benefits of making custom house plans instead of choosing a pre-designed home plan.

Spanish style house plans are a real mixture of architectural styles, from Spanish Baroque to Colonial. Read more about the range of styles that encompass Spanish home plans.

Cape Cod house plans have both beautiful design features and historic value. Read about the typical features of Cape Cod home plans.

Are you looking for that rustic cozy feeling of a cabin, but more permanently? Here are several reasons why cabin-style house plans are gaining popularity.

Considering drawing up your dream house plans? Here are 5 advantages of incorporating an open floor plan.

If you’re looking for multi-generational house plans or good house plans for seniors, here are the most important features of retirement house plans.

This week’s featured plan is a country house plan called the Madewood, which embodies the style of traditional southern house plans. Read about this elegant colonial style home.

As designers of house plans, we think it’s important to cultivate your relationship in a relaxing environment. Here are some floor plan design ideas for creating a romantic love nest.

This year’s Spring Home & Garden Show is coming up! If you’re looking for home construction ideas, we’ll be showcasing our custom home designs and house plans.

This week’s featured house plan is the Morecambe, a Craftsman-styled cottage house plan with rustic elegance and charm. Read more about this cozy get-away home.

Alan Mascord Design Associates is a leading designer of home plans, and just received a technology upgrade from Autodesk to deliver house plans more efficiently.

If you like to live green, consider including eco-friendly features into a custom home design. Here are the top features to include in green custom house plans.

Cottage house plans are just plain charming, designed for family gatherings. Here are just a few of the benefits cottage home plans offer.

If you’re looking for home plans with beautiful intricate designs, consider Victorian house plans. Here are the main features making Victorian home plans popular.

For many families, uniting under a single roof is becoming increasingly important, thus growing the need for multigenerational home plans with in-law suites.

This week’s featured house plan is the Hendrick, a classic Craftsman house plan with rustic elegance and features from the Arts and Crafts movement.

The Spring 2012 issue of Mascord Living Spaces is now available for free download on the App Store. Demonstrated by Kevin Lynch during the Adobe MAX keynote last fall, the premier issue brought revolutionary iPad interactivity to the home design industry. This brand new edition continues to impress with interactive renderings, fantastic photography and amazing custom and ready-to-build home designs from the talented team at Alan Mascord Design Associates.

This article lists the top features to look for when choosing home plans for a smaller house, or how small house plans can be used for building an ADU.

This article is a brief explanation of what 3D printing of floor plans is and how they help homeowners better visualize their house plans.

When choosing home plans, homebuyers want to be able to visualize what it will look like. Here are a few good formats to help them understand their floor plans.

Browsing through house plans is easier than ever with our new "Home Plan Finder" iPad App. You can sort through our pre-designed home plans from anywhere!

This week’s featured house plan is the Pasadena, a traditional Craftsman house plan incorporating additional design features from the Arts and Crafts movement.

This week’s featured house plan is a multi-generational home plan called the Vidabelo. The Vidabelo is a traditional Craftsman house plan, with added elegance.

We are proud to let all our clients know that our home plans are designed and printed in the USA. At first, you might think that "Made in USA" is just a slogan promoted to capture patriotic spenders, but the truth is that there are many reasons to consider supporting and buying American-manufactured goods. Here's a few of our reasons:

Home builders are often more talented than clients give them credit for. Look at these amazing carvings created from carpenters' pencils! With such attention to detail, one can only imagine what a full house will look like! :-)

If you’re looking for home plans that perfectly combine past and present, consider Ranch house plans. Here are the main reasons Ranch home plans are popular.

Sloping lot house plans present unique challenges, but also offer unique advantages. Here’s what to consider when choosing floor plans for sloping lots.

All house plans come with the standard rooms, but if you want to modify or customize your floor plans, here are the top 5 most sought-after design features.

Is it your dream to live on the coast? While perusing home plans, here are the most important considerations to take into account concerning coastal house plans.

If you’re deciding whether a basement is right for your home, here are some pros and cons of house plans with basements.

If you're considering going green with sustainable house design, here are the common features of green house plans.

It all starts in the classroom. Getting a good understanding of how a home is put together is paramount for anybody heading into construction - and who better to help them understand than those in the industry currently? We are proud to support Oregon City High School with materials needed to provide a hands-on learning experience, and are wonderfully pleased at the job these students do in producing scale versions of the homes we have designed. Great job!

Concerning environmental standards, the sustainable home design field has an effective system for rating green house plans: LEED certification. Here are the benefits.

Because land is limited and expensive, the need for narrow lot house plans is growing. Here are some tips on for maximizing space in house plans for narrow lots.

House plans come in a myriad of architectural styles, ranging from Spanish to Craftsman home plans. Here’s a brief review of the most popular home plans.

Are you looking for more storage, room for guests to stay, or an accessory dwelling unit? Here’s what to consider when choosing guest house floor plans.

For homeowners constrained by a budget, here are tips for choosing house plans with efficient floor plans that will be affordable to build.

Here's a brief description of the common design elements, features and benefits of country home plans and farmhouse designs.

If you’re in the midst of planning a home remodel design, it’s important to involve your remodel designer as soon as possible. Here are the benefits.

If you are buying a new home, here are a few reasons you might want to purchase stock house plans, which are pre-designed home plans with floor plan layouts.

When choosing house plans for your family, keep in mind how often you host holiday guests. Here are tips to help you choose floors plans that allow enough space.

Looking at different options for house plans? This article describes the common design elements and floor plan features of Traditional Neighborhood Designs.

In most Home design plans, the master suite is in the same area as the other bedrooms, but in split bedroom house plans, it is separate, which has 5 advantages.

Sloped lot house plans have unique advantages for your home. One positive aspect of house plans for sloped lots is the incorporation of daylight basements.

There are stock house plans designed to accommodate multiple generations. Here are some features to look for when considering multi-generational home plans.

Are you considering choosing contemporary house plans over more traditional plans? Modern house plans are designed for light and space and come in many styles.

Planning on working with a home remodeling designer? Outline your specific goals to keep the project on-track. Here are 5 common goals of a home remodel design.

Craftsman House Plans echo the design simplicity and hand-crafted style of the Arts and Crafts movement. Here are the unique features of Craftsman home plans.

When ordering predesigned house plans, you might not find exactly what you want, but floor plans can often be modified. Here are some commonly made modifications.

If you're considering selecting custom home plans or floor plans for a new home, here are 5 questions to ask yourself before making the final decision.

When considering a custom home design , the planning stage is very important. Here are 6 tips to help you and your designer build your dream custom house plan.

When designing custom house plans, selecting the land is a big decision. Here are some tips for choosing the right property and best floor plans for your home.

The ‘Mascord Living Spaces’ iPad app and its creator have been recognized by Adobe Systems Incorporated in the announcement and promotion of Adobe® Digital Publishing Suite Single Edition at Adobe MAX 2011. ‘Mascord Living Spaces’ is the first iPad magazine app to be launched from the offices of Alan Mascord Design Associates —Portland’s premier home design company.

“Working with Adobe InDesign and Digital Publishing Suite allowed us to turn our print catalog into a rich, interactive digital magazine without disrupting our existing workflow,” said Gary Higginbotham, director of marketing, Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc., a Portland, Oregon-based residential design firm. “With Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, Single Edition, it’s even simpler for a small business to reach out to customers in exciting, affordable ways.”

With the adoption of the 2011 version of the code, a number of new energy efficiency options have been provided to further enhance building energy performance. The code first prescribes a basic set of energy requirements in the form of thermal ratings and construction methods, and then provides a list of “additional measures”, from which two choices must be made. These choices range from relatively simple to those that are more complex, costly, or involve energy modeling or performance testing.

You can shop at Houseplans.co online with confidence. We have partnered with Authorize.Net, a leading payment gateway since 1996, to offer safe and secure credit card and electronic check transactions for our customers.

Sign up for our mailing list and indicate you are a Realtor - We will reserve a 'Mascord Collection' binder for you to come pick up (or we can ship to you if you cover the postage) - plus, we'll give you access to a library of all our pre-formatted RMLS images (usually $20 per plan) - for listing pre-sales or homes constructed using our home designs. Sound good?

We hope you managed to join us for the hugely successful Clark County Parade of Homes, where NW Classic Homes showcased Mascord plan 2396 - The Vidabelo. During the show, we offered visitors the chance to win a complete house plan package; any Mascord designed plan available on Houseplans.co, delivered as a reproducible PDF...

As our lives change, so do our needs for our home. Allow Houseplans.co to transform your current home into the house of your dreams will our remodel design services.

Thank You for your interest in having Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc design your new home. To make your first designer meeting productive, we'd like you to gather up the following information and bring it with you:

Get the answers to questions surrounding building a new home and design a floor plan.

Join the Mascord Partnership Program and each time you purchase a stock house plan you’ll earn reward dollars to apply to future stock plan purchases, and to assist you with marketing your homes, we provide marketing materials free of charge.

Houseplans.co provides you with a home that best suits your needs; balancing style with function—aesthetic with practicality. Occasionally, stock plans do not meet specific criteria. Houseplans.co offered house plan modification, making a stock house plan into a custom home.

Houseplans.co offers a set of tools and resources to help you build a more energy efficient, sustainable and healthy home. Whether you're planning to build a new home or remodeling your current home, the efficient living package makes it a breeze to build green.

We have construction packages available for many building scenarios, and to suit the requirements of many different construction teams. Houseplans.co offers digital copies of house plans or paper sets of construction plans.

Alan Mascord Design Associates, Inc. masters the art of balancing of architectural perfection with the need to be practical. We are committed to making your experience of designing and building a home an easy one by providing a wide range of home styles and home design services

Houseplans.co can make your dream home come to life with creative home design services that will make you home as unique as you.

When evaluating systems to incorporate into your green home, it is easy to get caught up in direct cost comparisons of similar products. For instance, it is easy to compare the costs of an 80% and 90% efficient gas furnace. There are up-front costs, and then there are operating costs. Even though the 90% furnace will undoubtedly cost less in the long run, the extra up-front costs can often be disillusioning.

AMDA’s new magazine app includes feature articles, slideshows, video, and 360 degree revolving renderings for new home designs. The app —available for free download— also includes an easy to use menu system featuring interactive table of contents, page thumbnails, and a story view.

It's very practical to select furniture and furnishings that you could use in any room in your home. Read these tips on choosing furniture and accessory pieces that can work well in small or large rooms, offer storage, and can be moved around the house when you need to.

Here's an interesting recipe: Take the visual cues and design aesthetic provided by Apple, mix it well with other technologies (such as induction cooking) - and add a pinch of genius, and let simmer on YouTube till you hear back from a prospective future employer.

I'm always interested in seeing what ideas builders and designers come up with, and how they implement some of the more fun elements of building science - and this example certainly caught my eye. Built in Wisconsin by designer Shane Black uses solar thermal panels to heat a bed of sand beneath the house, keeping the interior temperature comfortable throughout the year.

Well, the kitchen depicted when Doc and Marty went 30 years "Back to the Future" (circa 2015, predicted in 1985), complete with hydrating pizza oven, voice activated roof mounted fruit bowl and dodgy virtual window display seems to be a bit far off the mark, but I wonder if those creative guys over at IKEA will be any nearer with their vision of the future (circa 2040)? The 3D food printer certainly seems intriguing, as does the self-cleaning kitchen countertop. Hope it doesn't clean away my sandwich while I'm still making it!! I guess if it does, I can just print another one, right?

Increasing incentives and product options abound, solar thermal water heaters offer one of the fastest paybacks in the solar world. Of the may types available, implementing different technologies, one of my favorites continues to be vacuum tube type systems, like this kit from Kingspan.

I was recently at a meeting between local leaders, discussing how the newly released National Green Building Standard (NGBS) fits in with existing state and city level green building programs and incentives. There were a number of interested parties involved, including builders, designers, local utility companies, performance testers, city departments and state non-profits. I was extremely happy that we had such a wide range of perspectives present; the conversation was most interesting and I’d like to quickly share some of the thoughts that came from the group.

Your kitchen countertop has to be able to take a lot of abuse, including the heat from pots, cutting, and abrasive cleansers. The ideal countertop should be able to stand up to heat and the sharp edge of a knife, be impervious to bacteria and keep it’s finish.

Let us take a look at eight of the most popular kitchen countertop materials being used today:

Places to work and play. Bedrooms for the whole family. Areas to welcome guests. Nooks to retreat to. Spaces for storage. All the pieces needed to create an elegant-yet-comfortable family home perfectly fit together in this design.

A simple glossary of terms used throughout this site, all related construction.

Alan Mascord Design Associates offers hundreds of professionally designed home plans, but what if you don’t see exactly what you’re after? What if you locate a Mascord plan that comes close, but you would like to have some changes made to it? That’s where our stock plan modification services come in.

Each set of home plans that Houseplans.co offers will provide you with all the necessary information to build your home. Our plans come detailed to meet the latest International Residential Code, and include gravity loading calcs and beam specifications as needed for the home's design.

Taking the road less traveled may not be easy, but in the end it’s much more worthwhile. Just ask homeowners Don and Sheri Thompson, who spent five painstaking years building their one-of-a-kind custom home in Washington.

When plans for remodeling their historic home proved beyond their reach, Annette and Charles Chapman built an updated Arts and Crafts-inspired home that allowed them to have the amenities they desired while staying in the neighborhood they loved.

When choosing a design that’s right for you, consider your needs. Do you own at least one of everything and need a place to store all your goodies? Would the island become a catch-all or would it be a great place to prepare a meal and watch over the kids as they are doing their homework?

Living in a 'green home' is great, but your home isn't going to stay that way for long if you don't maintain it properly, or you don't lead a lifestyle to go with it. In the interests of helping you maximize the benefit of living in your efficient, healthy home - we've compiled a list of tips to help keep you in top form.

No doubt, some of the most interesting pages for you in your blueprints will be the floor plans. But to understand them, you will need to decipher the numbers and symbols that provide the keys to what they say. First, floor plans — and all of the other drawings in a set of blueprints.

Every person has his or her own idea of what a dream home really is, so designing and building a custom home is a very personal decision. Paul Beaudoin is a general contractor in Raleigh, and the owner of Lifestyle Building & Remodeling Co. Inc.. According to him, whatever a homeowner's dream may be, it is the contractor's job to turn it into reality.

Short sale marketing can be a tough call for an in experienced person. He/she may even be bombarded with informative tips and suggestions from friends and well-wishers. To generate great short sale marketing leads one need to put their myriad ideas into action.

Lighting is one of the most overlooked aspects in home construction today, primarily because there is a perception that good lighting or custom lighting is expensive. Budgets are getting squeezed and homeowners (and spec builders) often prefer spending on things they think give a bigger “impact”; more bang for the buck. And, people often go to great lengths to maximize windows and natural light, all very important considerations, but forget that a large amount of their leisure time is spent in the evenings, after dark, when relying on the artificial lighting in your home.

You want a builder that has experience. Things come up during construction and you want to make sure your builder has the experience or knowledge to deal with. Make sure the builder you choose has the ability to build the type of construction you are looking for. Look for a builder that has a proven track record, professional business approach, technical skills and the knowledge.

Create large spaces in smaller homes. Break down walls and open up communication. Maximize your home’s natural cooling and heating properties to lower your bills and minimize your environment footprint. With an open floor plan, separate living and dining areas coalesce into one unified space, which encourages connection and makes compact homes — from remodels to cutting edge “green” bungalows — surprisingly roomy.

Alan Mascord Design Associates took part in the 30th Northwest Natural Street of Dreams, with two homes that depict contrasting styles. The contemporary Prairie style features a dramatic 75 foot long skylight, and the traditional East Coast Shingle style, reminiscent of a Long Island vacation home, incorporates more traditional and formal detailing. Both homes were designed by AMDA Design Director Eric Schnell.

Textured walls, worn stone, distressed finishes, wrought iron and colors of cream, deep brown, burnt orange, burgundy and navy blue bring Old World style to the everyday, modern kitchen.

Hoods, ranges, sinks, backsplashes and countertops usher in the latest innovative kitchen technology with rustic flair. Placing stone alongside dark woodwork, barn-door inspired cabinetry and the most recent, sleek subzero appliances brings an air of antiquity to a fully equipped cooking space, set to fulfill even the most discerning chef's needs.

As you concentrate on a remodeling project in one room, other rooms in your house may look tired and bland in comparison to your newly designed space. So while you’re working on remodeling one area, think about incorporating some of these refreshing ideas throughout your home.

Over the years we have had many requests for Arts and Crafts-style houses, both from our custom design and stock plan businesses. Much like the philosophy that drove the original Arts and Crafts movement, you’ll discover that each of these designs honors the philosophy of design and building that make Arts and Crafts-style houses so beloved today.

We occasionally hold competitions, prize draws, or giveaways for products and services we offer. In the even of such an event, these are the basic rules for pariticpation:

Had Nietzsche boasted a great room of his own, perhaps the philosopher would have written such an architectural assertion in place of his oft-quoted theological one. The great room, frequently as grand as its name suggests, eliminates the need for a separate living room by revolutionizing the traditional home layout, bringing a sense of grandeur and togetherness to a home of any size.

When You see the TrusJoist logo displayed on a plan page it indicates that a TrusJoist Floor System is pre-designed and available for immediate delivery with your construction document package. Simply let us know you would like the TrusJoist layout for your home when you order the construction documents, and we will include the layout and specifications for the home.