Wouldn't this blog be more effective if it was in the forums?

Mainly I just get myself inspired and let my mind go. First, I think of what would look nicest or how to get my goal done in the most asethetically pleasing way - one that fits in with the surroundings and looks good. Then I make the exterior which usually requires a bit of time - but for all those noobs out there, a wall you can walk across without having to go around something is not enough! I keep TONS of depth in mind when building. Then once I am done with the exterior, I plan the interior a bit - where's the living room? Bedrooms? - and make the walls. Then I just build what comes naturally to me. I usually polish it a bit in the end but I find myself satisfied with my builds almost every time. What's important is to try out different styles and find what works for you. Modern? Fantasy? Even steampunk victorian gothic if you like. Whatever you like building is great - you just need to practice.

Usually i start with the idea of the build and a pallette

Fantasy/Medieval/Steampunk: Start with framing it out and having the terrain. Make sure that the terrain you have fits what you will be building. Then start filling in the frame and adding details. From there just execute what is in your mind and when you think you are done, go through and check to see if its how you want.

Modern/Realistic styles: Pictureeesss and inspiration. Architecture Blogs, and irl mostly. I will sometimes make a mini-model. More so with larger buildings than houses. Then build each part, so for example the first shape or floorplan and then so on :)

I generally work from real-world floorplans and other refereance images. I usually try to stick to a certain archetectural style, but if it starts to look like something else instead, I might decide to take it in that direction.

The way I build... ultra abridged

First: I figure out my base-shape.
Second: I make a white wool outline of said shape.
Third: I fill it in with nicer materials.
Fourth: I add depth, detail, and all of those nice things.

i have a pretty "personal" way of building : i make a small house, then i make a bigger one AROUND the small one, then destroy the small one, and again, until it's big enough.

I'm starting with my improvisation (that's always work), next I'm just placing blocks, and trying to do the good shape :3

1. Finding inspiration: use PMC, Google and other sites (I like deviantArt). Criticise everything, see what is good and you didn't know about how to do that yet or what is possible to do and looks good. Give bonus focus to things that other like and things that noone find out yet.
2. Look from Minecraft perspective: for inpsiration things that weren't MC builds, many things cannot look same in MC, because of being limited to block style and types of it. Because of that many projects with lot of inspiration fails.
3. Barriers: do you have enough skill to build something good? Do you know how much time you will sacrifice for something?
4. Building: when you see the picture of how an things will look like, start building! Build when you're top inspired and don't stop!
5. Problems when building: if you're not happy in the middle of the build, be free to destroy something, get a break and new idea and try again. Be free to do it several times until you're not happy. If it took you too many time, is it worth building on?
6. Re-evaluate: time to time, take a break or take a sleep. Come back after couple of hours and see if something is really as you wanted. Criticise your build.

Additional notes:
1. May failing don't stop you. You will advance in skill and know your limits better.
2. Don't do bigger builds if you don't have experience with an style of build. Push your limits where you are skilled and don't just repeat your builds.
3. Listen to critics.

I make a layout pretty much... And all things came from bottom up... then its just upgrading and decorating ;)