Room Planning & Orientation

Curved Walls vs Open Plans: Key Trade-Offs

When deciding between curved walls and an open upstairs layout, homeowners face a balancing act of aesthetics, cost, and functionality. Curved walls add luxury but come at a premium, while opening up the activity area with a balustrade can enhance natural light and flow. Understanding the trade-offs helps you allocate your budget wisely.

4 takeaways

Changing Floor Length Window To Sliding Door

Considering a significant alteration to your home's structure, such as replacing a floor-length window with a sliding door, requires careful planning and professional execution. This type of modification involves structural considerations, compliance with building codes, and coordination with various trades to ensure a safe and aesthetically pleasing result.

4 takeaways

Master Upstairs: Balancing Views and Practicality

Designing a home with the master suite and main living areas on an upper level can offer stunning views and a sense of retreat. However, this design choice involves significant considerations regarding cost, build time, and long-term liveability. Homeowners must carefully weigh the aesthetic benefits against potential practical challenges.

4 takeaways

Optimising Your New Home Floor Plan

Careful consideration of your home's floor plan is crucial for functionality and comfort. Minor adjustments during the design phase can significantly enhance liveability and future-proof your investment.

40 takeaways

Selections & Design

Shift the garage entry to the corner furthest from the kitchen to avoid walking around parked cars.

This improves the flow and convenience of accessing the house from the garage, preventing the need to navigate around vehicles and stored items.

Selections & Design

Re-evaluate the activity room's size and placement, potentially converting it to a theatre or study.

Optimising the use of large spaces ensures that every area of the home serves a practical purpose and meets the occupants' needs, avoiding wasted square meterage.

Selections & Design

Consider extending the house depth to better utilise rear yard space and improve internal layout.

Extending the house can create more functional internal spaces and potentially increase side yard areas, leading to a more balanced and usable block.

Selections & Design

Evaluate the kitchen work triangle, ensuring the sink is conveniently located for the main prep area.

An inefficient work triangle with the sink too far from the primary food preparation zone can lead to excessive walking back and forth, making cooking and cleaning tasks tedious and time-consuming.

Selections & Design

Consider adjusting internal wall placements to accommodate larger window sizes if setback regulations are the primary constraint.

Reconfiguring room layouts can sometimes allow for larger windows within the allowed building envelope, improving natural light and aesthetics without compromising compliance.

Inspections & Quality

Ensure all bathrooms have adequate natural light and ventilation, adhering to NCC requirements.

Building codes mandate natural light in bathrooms to prevent issues like mould and bacteria growth, which can compromise hygiene and structural integrity over time.

Selections & Design

Widen doorways, especially those that are 720mm or narrower, to at least 820mm if space permits.

Increasing doorway widths improves accessibility and the overall sense of space within the home, making it more comfortable for everyday use and potentially for future resale.

Selections & Design

Consider reverse brick veneer if internal thermal mass and ease of hanging items are priorities.

Reverse brick veneer places the brickwork internally, which can offer better thermal regulation and make it simpler to drill into walls for mounting shelves or fixtures compared to external brick veneer or timber frames.

Selections & Design

Consider removing the ensuite bath if a bath is available in another bathroom.

Ensuite baths are often underutilised after children grow up, and removing one can free up space for a larger shower or more vanity area, representing a better use of the floor plan.

Selections & Design

Evaluate the placement of minor bedrooms to ensure optimal orientation and privacy.

Placing minor bedrooms at the front of the house can lead to less desirable views and potential noise issues, while positioning them towards the rear can offer more privacy and a better outlook.

Selections & Design

Evaluate the need for a scullery, especially in smaller homes, to maximise living space.

Sculleries can consume valuable space that could otherwise be allocated to more functional living areas, bedrooms, or even garages in smaller homes. Prioritising spacious living areas often provides better overall value and liveability.

Construction & Site

Ensure there is direct access from the garage into the main hallway, not solely through the laundry or scullery.

Direct garage access to the hallway is crucial for convenience, especially when bringing in groceries or dealing with wet shoes and pets, preventing dirt from being tracked through the house.

Selections & Design

Consider making the master bedroom 4x4m and other bedrooms 3x3m if possible.

Optimising bedroom sizes to standard dimensions ensures adequate space for furniture and comfortable living, avoiding rooms that feel too cramped or disproportionately large.

Selections & Design

Ensure the toilet is not directly open to the bathroom or main living areas for privacy and hygiene reasons.

Having a separate, enclosed toilet space prevents privacy issues and concerns about hygiene, such as toothbrushes being too close to the toilet.

Selections & Design

Evaluate the necessity and size of open-plan study nooks and home offices.

Open-plan study nooks can be dark and impractical, and large home offices might be better repurposed for storage or extended living areas if not frequently used. Consider how the space will be utilised long-term versus the value it adds.

Selections & Design

Explore if reducing the size of the sliding windows could allow them to comply with acoustic regulations.

Smaller window openings may require less sound insulation to meet compliance standards. However, this could involve structural changes and may not align with your desired aesthetic or functional layout.

Construction & Site

Ask the builder if switching to a standard sliding door size for the window opening is feasible without significant structural changes or re-stamping acoustic certification.

If the window opening is already close to a standard sliding door size, the structural impact might be minimal. However, any change could require updated acoustic certification, potentially adding costs and delays.

Selections & Design

Consider a back-to-wall bath or inset bath if cleaning behind a freestanding bath is a concern.

Freestanding baths in shower areas can be difficult to clean around, leading to long-term issues with mould, water pooling, and dust accumulation. Back-to-wall or inset options can mitigate these maintenance challenges.

Selections & Design

Reconfigure Bed 4 to include a built-in robe and a cavity slider door to the ensuite.

A built-in robe maximises storage efficiency in smaller rooms, and a cavity slider door saves valuable floor space compared to a traditional hinged door, which is crucial for making a room feel more functional and less cramped.

Selections & Design

Add eaves to the east-facing bedrooms and the rear of the house to reduce heat gain.

Eaves provide crucial shading for windows, especially those facing east and west, significantly reducing solar heat gain during hot Australian summers and lowering cooling costs. Without them, rooms can become uncomfortable hotboxes.

Selections & Design

Prioritise opening up the upstairs activity area with a glass balustrade if you do not have young children, to enhance the sense of space and connection to views.

An open balustrade design significantly increases the visual flow and perceived size of an area, allowing natural light and views to penetrate deeper into the home.

Selections & Design

Assess the future use of a study space to determine if a built-in robe is essential, or if a freestanding option could suffice.

If the study might be converted into a bedroom later, a built-in robe adds value. However, if it's unlikely to be used as a bedroom, a freestanding robe offers flexibility and can be added later if required.

Selections & Design

Investigate alternative external shading solutions like awnings or blinds for heat reduction if roller shutters are restricted.

External shading is significantly more effective at blocking heat gain than internal options like shutters or tinting. Exploring these alternatives can help manage rising energy bills and improve home comfort without breaching estate guidelines.

Selections & Design

Consider the impact of alfresco extension on natural light, especially for north-facing living areas.

Extending the alfresco roof to the full width of a north-facing house can block essential winter sun from living areas, significantly impacting the home's warmth and energy efficiency.

Selections & Design

Swap the toilet and basin in the ensuite so the toilet is behind a door or at least more hidden from the entry.

Having the toilet visible from the bedroom door is considered unhygienic and awkward; repositioning it improves privacy and the functionality of the ensuite.

Selections & Design

Add a 180-degree hinge to the garage door so it can open fully against the wall, allowing better access.

Standard garage doors can obstruct entry when partially open; a 180-degree hinge provides full clearance, making it easier to move items in and out.

Selections & Design

Increase the width of robes in all bedrooms, especially the master, by reducing the walk-in pantry size if necessary.

Bedroom robes are often too small to be practical; sacrificing some pantry space for larger robes significantly improves storage and comfort.

Selections & Design

Consider redesigning the main living, dining, and kitchen area to improve cross-flow ventilation.

Adequate cross-ventilation is essential for maintaining good indoor air quality, reducing condensation and mould risks, and creating a more comfortable living environment, especially in warmer climates.

Selections & Design

Ensure adequate clearance is measured and accounted for in fridge recesses, especially when adjacent to a wall.

Refrigerators require specific clearances for door swing and ventilation; insufficient space can prevent the fridge from opening fully or lead to overheating and damage.

Construction & Site

Request larger internal doors from the garage to facilitate easier movement of groceries and bulky items.

Wider doors from the garage improve accessibility, making it much simpler to bring in shopping, move furniture, or transport items to and from the backyard or drying areas.

Construction & Site

Add a window in the ensuite shower, preferably a high one, to aid ventilation and prevent mould.

Good ventilation in shower areas is crucial to manage moisture and prevent the build-up of mould and mildew, which can be difficult to remove.

Selections & Design

Prioritise the master bedroom and living areas upstairs if ocean views are a key objective.

Capturing desirable views from your primary living spaces and master suite can significantly enhance your lifestyle and the long-term value of your home. It's often the main driver for choosing a multi-storey design.

Selections & Design

Consider the long-term practicality of having the master bedroom upstairs, especially for future resale or potential mobility issues.

While great for views now, stairs can become a challenge as you age or if family circumstances change. Having a master bedroom downstairs or an option for one can be a significant advantage for long-term living and resale.

Selections & Design

Consider adding a second master bedroom or a master-adjoining bathroom downstairs for flexibility and resale.

Having a second master bedroom or a well-appointed downstairs bedroom with easy bathroom access offers great flexibility for guests, older family members, or future buyers who prefer single-level living.