People like to gather – it’s just part of being human. When you host friends and family for holidays or get-togethers, having an open central space keeps people together and conversations flowing.

Picture your guests arriving at your new Nottingham home. From the foyer at the front entrance, they see familiar faces lounging in the family room. A few others are seated at the eating bar attached to an angled open counter in the kitchen, chatting with you – the host – as the aroma of a hearty meal floats toward the door. The dining room table is set, visible over a half wall to the left of the foyer; a quiet conversation happens in the private study to the right. The oversize windows at the rear of the family room fill it with welcoming natural light and give a beautiful view of your property.

You can do a lot with an open floor plan. Our model home for the Nottingham in Angleton shows one way you can use furniture to make the family room feel more like its own space. For some extra charm and a different centerpiece, you can customize the family room by replacing the oversize windows with a fireplace and two standard windows.

The counter that separates the kitchen from the family room has a sink, dishwasher, and plenty of workspace. This means less time with your back to your family and guests. Space for a refrigerator is just a few feet away on the same wall, and a stove with more workspace is on the opposite side. This setup is the ideal kitchen triangle for faster and easier food prep. Just want space? We can expand the kitchen, adding a small pantry and center work island.

Attached to the kitchen and away from the action is a small utility room. It has space for a chest freezer for more food storage, and gives easy access to the washer and drier during busy days. If you need even more food storage, the utility room can be moved and replaced with a walk-in pantry. The utility room can also act as a drop zone or mud room when you add the optional 2-car garage.

Even the most active families need some privacy. The bedrooms in the Nottingham are separate and quiet spaces. Two modest bedrooms with closets branch off from the kitchen, separated by a full bathroom. Adding a third bedroom to this area gives even more space between rooms, and gives enough space for two bedrooms to have walk-in closets.

The master suite is on the right side of the home, completely separate from the other bedrooms. The bedroom is spacious, with more than 200 square feet and a charming stepped ceiling. Double doors lead into the bathroom, which has a private toilet, large walk-in closet, and two vanities with knee space under the adjoining counter. The walk-in shower has built-in shelving and a seat, and the soaking tub next to it provides a quiet place to relax at the end of a long day.

View more photos, take a 360 virtual tour and see more customization options for the Nottingham.