At Jenkins Homes, architectural design isn't just about drawing pretty pictures. It's about understanding how families actually live – how a house that works perfectly when kids are small needs to evolve as they grow, how working parents juggle raising children while worrying about aging parents, how stuff accumulates and needs smart storage solutions. We work with a professional draftsman to design custom homes with real life in mind.
Our home design services cover everything from initial floor plans to final construction drawings, whether you're building with us in Spring Haven, Robindale, or on your own lot throughout St. Tammany Parish. We can handle your complete home design, work alongside your architect, or provide design-only services if you're building elsewhere.
Floor Plans & Space Planning
We create floor plans that actually work for how you live. Not generic layouts that look nice but don't function. We ask about your daily routines, how you use your kitchen, where you work from home, how many people need to get ready simultaneously in the morning. Then we design around that reality.
Exterior Elevations
From traditional Southern homes with wraparound porches to modern designs with clean lines, we develop elevations that match your vision while working with Louisiana's climate and St. Tammany Parish building requirements. Your home should look the way you want and stand up to humidity, occasional hurricanes, and time.
Site Planning & Lot Optimization
How your house sits on the lot matters. We consider sun orientation, views, drainage, setbacks, where you want outdoor living spaces, how the driveway approaches. Good site planning makes everything else work better.
Interior Layouts & Flow
Room connections matter. We design so traffic flows logically, private spaces stay private, entertaining spaces open up, and daily living doesn't involve walking across the entire house to do basic tasks.
Construction Documents
Detailed drawings and specifications builders can actually work from. Everything clearly documented so construction goes smoothly and you get what you designed.
At Jenkins Homes, we understand what it's like living in a house with kids. What worked when they were small doesn't always work as they grow. In every home we collaboratively design, we intuit our clients' current and future needs based on everyday conveniences, from major to minute. We take every client's personal needs into consideration, while bringing things they may not have thought about yet to their attention.
We know it's more cost-effective to design a home with future needs in mind, rather than retrofit an existing space when the time comes. Many working parents find themselves not only taking care of their children but also beginning to worry about their aging parents. When designing a home, it's often important to balance current needs with potential future needs for multigenerational living.
Forward-thinking details we suggest:
Adding additional studs into bathroom walls so grab bars may be safely installed should the need arise
Ensuring hallways and door frames are ADA-compliant, allowing extra space for wheelchair access
Pre-wiring the home for a future generator install to ensure safety and comfort for years to come
Insulating and plumbing the garage for easy conversion into a functional living space
First-floor bedroom suites that work now and accommodate aging-in-place later
Wide doorways and accessible bathrooms without looking institutional
These aren't expensive additions during construction, but they're expensive retrofits later. We design smart from the start.
As your family grows, so too does the accumulation of "stuff." And believe us when we say that nothing can make a big house feel small quite like clutter can. Whether it be toys, linens, or precious photo albums, we're experts at making sure there's a place for everything – right down to the minutia.
With a deep understanding of storage needs and stuff management that comes from raising families of our own, we know things like:
That space under the stairs can be a hidden playroom with pull-out storage
That kitchen island can have cabinets all around it and narrow shelves for cookbooks
That hallway has just enough space for a window seat with storage but can also double as a diaper-changing station for the time being
Mudrooms need specific zones: shoes here, backpacks there, coats above, sports equipment below
Linen closets work better with adjustable shelving than fixed
Pantries should have pull-out drawers, not deep shelves where things get lost
This is the stuff that makes daily life easier or harder. We design for easier.
Louisiana's climate and St. Tammany Parish's specific conditions inform every design decision:
Covered porches and outdoor living spaces you'll actually use
Window placement for natural light without afternoon heat gain
Materials that handle humidity and occasional floodingStorm protection that doesn't compromise aesthetics
HVAC zoning that makes sense for Louisiana summers
We're not designing for magazines. We're designing for living here.
We sit down and talk about your vision, your family, your daily life, your budget. Bring photos of homes you like, sketches if you've drawn any, Pinterest boards, whatever helps communicate what you're thinking. We ask questions about how you actually use space, not just what you think you want.
This meeting clarifies whether what you envision matches reality and budget. No point in designing something you can't build.
We develop initial floor plan concepts based on your needs, the lot, and budget parameters. This phase is about getting the big stuff right: room sizes, layout flow, and general style direction. We're not picking paint colors yet – we're making sure the bones work.
You'll see preliminary floor plans and simple exterior elevations. Enough to understand the concept, not so detailed we've wasted time if changes are needed.
This is where your custom home design gets refined. We work through the details: exactly where that island sits, whether the master closet needs reconfiguration, if that window should be bigger, and how the front porch should wrap.
Most clients go through 2-3 revision rounds. Your first instinct about something might change when you see it drawn out. That's normal and expected. We'd rather get it right on paper than fix it during construction.
Once design is locked in, we develop complete construction documents: detailed floor plans, elevations, sections, structural notes, electrical layouts, plumbing plans, and finishes schedules. Everything a builder needs to construct your home exactly as designed.
If you're building with Jenkins Homes, these feed directly into our construction process. If you're building elsewhere or need design-only services, you get complete plans ready for permitting and bidding.
Design typically takes 2-4 months, depending on complexity. Simple homes with straightforward layouts move faster. Complex custom designs with unique features take longer. We give realistic timelines upfront.
Real-Life Experience
We've raised families. We know what works and what sounds good but doesn't function. That lived experience shows up in every design detail.
Think Long-Term
We design homes that evolve with you. Future-proofing costs little now, saves massively later. Most designers don't think this way.
Local Knowledge
Deep understanding of St. Tammany Parish requirements, Louisiana climate, what holds up here, what doesn't. We're not learning on your project.
Storage Expertise
We're borderline obsessive about storage and clutter management because we know it makes or breaks daily living. Your home will have a place for everything.
Integrated With Building
Our design services connect directly to construction if you build with us. Design decisions informed by what actually works in the field.
Custom, Not Cookie-Cutter
Every home designed specifically for that family, that lot, that budget. No stock plans with minor modifications.
How much do design services cost?
Depends on project scope and complexity. Design for a straightforward 2,500 sq ft home costs different than a complex 4,000 sq ft custom design with unique features. We provide design fee estimates during initial consultation. If you build with us, design fees are typically rolled into the overall project cost.
How long does the design process take?
Figure 2-4 months for complete home design from initial concept through final construction documents. Simple designs move faster, complex custom homes take longer. We provide realistic timelines upfront.
Do I need to hire a separate architect?
We work with a drafting professional who handles all of the design. However, if you prefer to bring your own architect or need a specialized designer, we work with outside architects regularly and can build from their plans.
What's included in your design services?
Complete package: floor plans, exterior elevations, site planning, interior layouts, construction documents, specifications. Everything needed for permitting and construction. Revisions included during the design development phase.
Do you do 3D renderings?
We can provide 3D renderings for exterior and key interior spaces if desired. Helps visualize the design before construction. Not included in base design fee but available as an add-on.
What if I want to make changes during construction?
Changes happen. If you're building with us, we handle design modifications as needed. Some changes are simple, some require plan revisions and permit amendments. We walk you through implications and costs before proceeding.
We provide home design services throughout St. Tammany Parish and surrounding North Shore communities:
Madisonville
Covington
Mandeville
Slidell
Abita Springs
Building in Spring Haven or Robindale? We know those communities well and can optimize your design for the specific lots and HOA requirements.
