7 deadly sins of building design and construction

The building game is strong at the moment. Everywhere I look on Instagram people seem to be planning or building a new home. It’s the great Aussie dream isn’t it? I just love the whole process and have done it a few times (and hope to do it again soon!). I know it can also be overwhelming and hard to get right if you haven’t done it before and aren’t great at visualising things. Today I have a couple of things you should consider before you build a new home…

Too open plan

Hallways are good! A lot of people say they are wasted space, but they act as a noise buffer and I believe they are important in creating distinct areas. Designing your home too open plan will cause noise issues and echos. Plus there will be no privacy and nowhere to hide. You need walls to put furniture, tables and art on.

Not designing for the family

How long will you be in this home? You should always think in advance. When the kids are older they will want separate spaces from you. As your family grows, so does your needs. Visualise yourself in that home 5-10 years from now and imagine who will be using the spaces.

Not orientating living spaces north

I see a lot of people make this mistake when building a new home. It’s important to orientate your living spaces all to the north/east – this will provide the perfect sun penetration and make your home feel lighter, warmer and brighter during the day. Your home should be protected from western sun. I recommend you put bedrooms (with high, smaller windows to protect from the sun), garage or laundry facing west. Also don’t have your outdoor living areas facing west. You’ll never be able to sit out there in the afternoons because it will be too sunny and hot.

Not thinking about the whole facade

When choosing the outside finish of your home it can be overwhelming because there will be a lot of choices eg. fascia, gutters, roof, windows, brick, and any other external features. The best thing to do is find a photo of a home you already like. Take your time, don’t rush it. The facade is important for overall curb appeal. Also remember that a garden will soften all exterior looks.

Making a space too big

Give me a smaller room to style any day of the week! A huge open space is very hard to furnish. Items simply float around with no real grounding areas. We all love huge open plan living spaces, but don’t get carried away making it too big or you’ll never be able to find the middle of the room and create a cosy feeling.

Not choosing standard

Fancy cornices, ceiling heights, herringbone floors, busy walls… it can all become one big mess. When in doubt just go standard. Not only will it keep the cost of your build down, but it will save you stressing over decisions (and maybe regretting them later!).

Not planning for landscaping

I know, you’ve run out of budget! We all do it. But you will need to consider landscaping when you’re planning your new home. You must think about retaining walls and turf (because you can’t live with dirt/mud for too long). Will you be putting pool in? Where will those fences go and are they high enough?

…

I know there are so many other things to consider too, but I think these 7 are very important when you’re just starting out. You might also like this list on TIPS WHEN BUILDING A NEW HOUSE.

♥ KC.