When building a new home for your family, the sky’s the limit for what you can include and for which custom items to include that will make your family’s life easier and more enjoyable. But when you’re deep in the process of building your new home isn’t the time to start changing your plans and adding more work for your contractor. Because of this, you should spend a decent amount of time figuring out what you want before any of the real work starts. 

To help you figure out what customizations might be best in your new house, here are three things to add to your new construction family home. 

Consider In-Kitchen Seating

In many kitchens, the majority of the space is meant for storing and cooking food. But when you have kids or are very family-centered, it can often make more sense to have everyone each close to where the food is being prepared rather than having to take all that food into another room, like the dining room.

To accomplish this, you might want to add to your blueprints or construction plans to put in some in-kitchen seating. According to ExtraSpace.com, this can be done by putting in a breakfast nook or by opting for extra seating at a bar or island. This will make it easy for your family to be near you while you’re cooking or cleaning in the kitchen so you can all be spending some more quality time together. 

Install Central Vacuums

When designing a home that’s meant for a family to live in, you’ll need to consider things that will make it easier to keep your home safe and clear, especially if you have young children.

One thing you might want to include in your new home construction that fits the bill here, according to Jamie Wiebe, a contributor to Realtor.com, is to install central vacuums. With central vacuums, you essentially have vacuum ports placed throughout the house where you can attach a vacuum hose rather than having to lug around a lug vacuum all throughout the house. And since central vacuums are usually stronger and last longer than traditional vacuums, this could be a great addition to your new home. 

Upgrade To Blackout Curtains

If you have young children or are planning to continue adding to your family, you may benefit from having blackout curtains installed in any room where you plan to have your children sleep. With blackout curtains, you may find that your kids have an easier time falling asleep and staying asleep, especially in the brighter summer months.

While blackout curtains can be an expensive upgrade, around $120 to $150 for an average window, according to Maurie Backman of Money Crashers, sleeping easier in your new home could be well worth it. 

If you’re building an entirely new home for your family, consider using the tips mentioned above to see if there are any additional features you’d like to include.