With housing costs on the rise and wages that cannot keep up, we have entered an era when it is becoming increasingly difficult for a lot of people to make ends meet, much less get on or climb the housing ladder.
As a result, we are seeing some changes in how people structure their lives. One of those changes is that it is increasingly common for multiple generations of families to live under one roof. But is there a way to do that while ensuring everyone can enjoy their privacy and autonomy? The answer is to build a next generation home.
What is a Next Gen Home?
A next generation house was a term coined by Lennar Homes but applies everywhere.
It is a home built to accommodate the needs of two generations of a family.
- Sometimes, next generational homes feature two separate “apartments” under a single roof, each with its own kitchen, bathroom, separate entry, etc.
- Other times, multigenerational homes feature separate apartments, but share some or all common areas (i.e. the kitchen).
- In other cases, spaces may be more merged overall, and the home could simply feature additional bedrooms.
This type of house, is also frequently called a multigenerational home, or a 2-family house. We have customers use both terms interchangeably and wanted to help you better understand the terms.
As you would guess, the spacious designs of barndominiums are ideally suited to multigenerational homes.
Key Reasons to Build Multigenerational Homes
Here are a couple of scenarios where next gen homes make sense:
- You are building a home, and you expect that your aging parents will eventually come to live with you. You can build a multigenerational home as an alternative to building a accessory dwelling unit later down the road, or trying to squeeze your parents into a regular 1-family home.
- You want your children to have the option of living under your roof into adulthood. Almost 16% of Millennials still live with their parents. Over 30% of Gen Z adults also still live with their parents. Many members of these generations simply cannot afford to move out, and/or their parents recognize that if they live with them for longer, they will have a better shot at eventually getting on the housing ladder or saving enough for retirement one day.
Times are changing in other ways too. Research shows that the brain development involved in adolescence extends to around age 25. As a society, we are starting to recognize that pushing young people out the door at age 18 doesn’t necessarily lead to them flourishing in life.
Questions to Ask When Choosing a Next Gen House Floor Plan
Here are some things you can ask yourself to help you choose the right floor plan for your 2-family home:
- Will the two generations share the home immediately, or is this a plan for the future?
- How long will the two generations cohabit? Will it be for just a few years, or permanently?
- Will you be sharing your home with an older or younger generation? What will the specific needs of your parents, in-laws or children be?
- If your children will be living with you, will their children eventually be as well?
- How much do you want to share your lives and space? How much privacy and autonomy will you and they prefer?
- How much space do you want them to have compared to what you will have?
- What types of rooms and features do you want for your house?
Get Inspired: Next Gen Floor Plans
Below are some of our favorite 2-family house plans, each with its own unique charms.
1. The Fowler Multi-Gen Barndo
The huge Fowler barndominium has 6 bedrooms in a massive 5,975 square feet of heated living space. With two master bedrooms on opposite sides of the design, the Fowler plan offers enough room for large families or those with live-in family members.
It offers luxury space and thoughtful designs for multi-family comfort, connection, and independence. The Linden was designed with multi-generational households in mind, this home balances privacy, accessibility, and shared living with ease.
The blueprint is 51′ x 50′ with mirrored living spaces and dual master bedrooms.
2. The Linden Multi-Gen Plan
The popular Linden barndo includes 7 bedrooms and a massive 4,528 square feet of heated living space. With two master retreats and a private suite— the Linden design offers flexible arrangements for extended family, guests, or live-in support.
It offers luxury space and thoughtful designs for multi-family comfort, connection, and independence. The Linden was designed with multi-generational households in mind, this home balances privacy, accessibility, and shared living with ease.
The blueprint is 36 x 76 feet with enough room for the largest of families.
3. Multigenerational Shop House
First up, we have a 2-family “shop house,” sometimes just called a “shouse.” That is a type of barndominium that includes an extra large shop/garage space which can be used for working on projects.
This floor plan features 2,384 square foot of heated space, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, 2 stories, and room for 2 automobiles.
Each floor of the home has its own separate “apartment”:
- On the first floor, you will find the shop/garage, along with storage on one side of the house. On the other side, there is a living room, kitchen, bathroom, guest room, and walk-in closet. There is also a large patio.
- The second floor includes a large deck. It has its own great room and kitchen. The rest of the bedrooms and bathrooms are located on this floor.
Judging from the fact that the master bedroom, great room, and a second bedroom are included on the second floor, while the smaller suite is on the first floor, this floor plan was optimized for families who are inviting their older parents or in-laws to live with them. It makes sense for the older occupants to be on the first floor of the house where they do not have to worry about climbing stairs.
We love this floor plan, but would recommend improving it with the addition of an exterior staircase. This would allow for a separate entrance for the second floor.
4. Luxury Next Gen Barndo
Need more space than the shop house floor plan offered? This luxury next gen house floor plan gives you 5,375 square feet, 4-5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 2 stories, and room for 3 cars.
- On the first floor, there is a spacious vaulted dining room and living room, a kitchen, a garage/shop (yes, this floor plan is also a shop house), three covered porches, a laundry room, a pantry, and multiple bedrooms and bathrooms.
- The second floor takes the form of a loft. There is a mezzanine that is open to the living areas below, along with a bedroom suite, a small kitchen and a bathroom.
This is a beautiful floor plan if your goal is to maximize the openness of your home as well as easy interaction between the occupants of both floors. Just keep in mind that the upstairs suite may be better suited to a younger occupant (or at least one with no significant problems getting around).
5. Next Gen Barndo with Game Room and Bunk Room
Finally, here is one more beautiful next gen barndominium floor plan to consider. It is also a 2-story plan, this time featuring 4,106 square feet of space, 3-5 bedrooms, 3-6 bathrooms, and room for 2 cars.
The reason for the “3-5” and “3-6” above is that this plan has options for a finished walkout foundation and a finished basement. That makes it a versatile floor plan you can adapt to suit your needs.
- First floor: Much of the space on this floor is taken up by the garage/shop. It also includes the living room, kitchen, laundry room, master bedroom, and a second bedroom, along with closets and bathrooms for each.
- Second floor: The second floor of the house features a kitchen, a game room, a bunk room, and a bathroom.
- Optional finished walkout foundation: If you opt for this addition, it includes a living room, kitchen, additional bedrooms and bathrooms, a pantry, and a storage area, along with a patio.
- Optional finished basement: This option features a configuration similar to what we described above.
Since this floor plan includes a bunk room, you can theoretically sleep a lot of people in the home, and have the versatility to use the extra apartment in any number of different ways.
A multigenerational home offers you a way to balance the financial needs of your family with their needs for privacy and autonomy. Whether you are building a home you can move your parents into or one your children can share with you, these 2-family barndo plans can help you ensure a comfortable future for your loved ones. Click on any of the links in this post to shop next gen house floor plans.