Having a custom home built is the best way to get the perfect vacation home in Florida. Custom home building allows you the freedom to personalize the home to meet your family's needs, and that means more than just the floor plan – it also includes outdoor features for the home. Florida is uniquely suited for a lot of outdoor personalization. Thanks to the year-round mild temperatures, you can get a lot more out of outdoor features in Florida than you can in many other regions, no matter what time of year you choose to take your vacation. Check out some of the outdoor features that will make your custom Florida vacation home stand out.
A Summer Kitchen
Despite the name, a summer kitchen in Florida is often useful year round. If you're going to be vacationing in the summer, you're definitely going to want to have the ability to cook outdoors. Florida summers can be uncomfortably hot, and cooking outdoors can keep the inside of your house more comfortable without running up your electric bill.
Even in the spring, fall, and much of the winter, though, a summer kitchen with a grill, an outdoor oven, or even a wood burning pizza oven can be a big benefit. Cooking outside is great for easy, hassle-free cleanup and a fun family dinner.
To design a great summer kitchen, start by choosing an island. A basic outdoor kitchen island in an oval or rectangular shape is good if you plan on having just a small grill or oven, a small sink, and a basic food prep area. If you think you'll want more appliances and storage and prep space, choose an L or U-shaped island for more room. Consider propane-powered appliances instead of gas to cut the cost of running gas lines to the outdoor kitchen.
A Home Spa
You may not want to install a pool in your vacation home, especially if your property is on or very near the ocean. However, with or without a pool, you can't go wrong by adding a hot tub somewhere on your property. Spend your days swimming in the pool or the ocean and your nights relaxing your muscles in your own home spa.
In Florida, there's very little need to build an enclosure for your hot tub – even in the winter, it's rarely so cold that you wouldn't be able to enjoy the hot water. However, if you prefer privacy, you can always have a hot tub room added on the property.
Ask your custom home builder about the best materials to use. For an outdoor hot tub, you'll need a foundation of gravel, concrete, or cement pavers, or you could incorporate the hot tub into a deck, a very popular choice. However, for an enclosed hot tub, you'll probably need a cement pad or a prefabricated base. Ask for cement board drywall walls to avoid dealing with moisture damage down the road.
A Wrap-Around Porch
In the days before home air conditioning was common, wraparound porches were one trick that Floridians used to keep cool. No matter what time of the day it was, you could find a shady or breezy spot somewhere on a porch that went around the whole house, and as the day wore on and the sun's position changed, you could change your position as well in order to keep cool.
While you're not likely to skip the air conditioner installation in your vacation home, a wraparound porch can give the house an appealing early-Florida plantation look, and using the porch to relax and cool off outside will keep your energy bills lower. Plus, it provides extra outdoor space for seating and socializing if you're planning on entertaining guests outside. A wraparound porch makes your vacation home the ideal spot for a beach party or garden party.
Vacationing in Florida is all about enjoying the great climate and gorgeous scenery, so take that into account when you're planning your custom vacation home. Don't get so caught up in the floor plan that you forget to make use of your outdoor space with some amazing custom outdoor features. Contact K Gordon Construction to start work on your dream vacation home.