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1. Design multipurpose spaces

Any rooms other than kitchens and bathrooms can usually be multipurpose. For example, an unoccupied bedroom can double as a study, with a bed that either folds into a couch or into the wall. Living spaces can be dining areas and rumpus rooms can also be suitable for fitness and working out. While you’re thinking multi-purpose, don’t forget about the spaces which are often left unfilled in larger homes. The space under a stairwell, for example, can become a cupboard or bookshelf, or even a study nook.

 

2. Create the feeling of space

There are tricks to make small spaces look bigger. If you’re designing a home on a small block, increase ceiling height if you can. An interior designer will be able to recommend more compact furniture which won’t clutter up the walkways. You may also be able to work with a mezzanine design that gives a room two levels and allows more space to move around.

 

3. Make the most of doors and windows

Large doors and windows can help create the illusion of space as well. Large windows let in lots of light, ensuring small rooms are less cave-like. Not only that, opening them can add ventilation, making a room less stuffy. Take the time to think about the practicality of your doors. Swinging doors need somewhere to rest when they are open. Design your space so that doors open unobtrusively or consider sliding doors. Using sliding doors can also help you to create multipurpose spaces. For example, they can divide a larger room into two smaller bedrooms or turn patio space into an outdoor room for entertaining. 

 

4. Skylights

Where it might not be possible to add more windows, think about skylights. They will have the same effect as large windows but may be more practical from a home design standpoint.

 

5. Island kitchen bench

Not only are they very much on trend at the moment, large floating kitchen benches are also very practical. A floating bench can double as a desk as well as a dining table. This allows residents to use space that might otherwise have been taken up by additional furniture.

 

6. Study nook

Study nooks need not be much any bigger than a large cupboard. They are a handy new idea for students and at home workers. Design them to open into the main living area and they can add some extra space. Use ‘pocket doors’, which slide back into the walls and whoever is studying or working won’t feel like they are stuck in a cupboard. Pocket doors are also handy in the kitchen, they can conceal mess and turn cupboards into workspaces.

 

7. Eliminate the unnecessary

On a small block with space at a premium, every room should serve a purpose (or two). Aim to eliminate spaces like hallways, which don’t have a lot of practical use. Establish exactly how many (or how few) rooms you need to make the house liveable. The fewer rooms the better, as walls just take up space. Open plan is the way to go on a small block.

 

8. Dig deep

Small block home designs can make use of basements to create additional space. Adding a level below the main floor is ideal as a guest room or playroom, or it can be used for storage.

 

9. Do your research

There are small houses and then there are tiny houses. If you’re designing a small house, look around to see what tricks tiny houses are pulling off and you may be able to incorporate some to add even more space and functionality to the home you create.

Is it better to move house or knockdown and rebuild?

If your house is getting old and full of maintenance issues, leaving it behind is a tempting option. However, moving house comes with a slew of problems. Maybe it’s better to stay where you are and start from scratch?

If you're unhappy with your home, you have three options;

1. stay in your house as it is

2. Renovate

3. Knock it down and rebuild.

As scary as it sounds, the option of knocking down to rebuild has a lot of benefits.

 

Why knockdown and rebuild?

There are tricks to make small spaces look bigger. If you’re designing a home on a small block, increase ceiling height if you can. An interior designer will be able to recommend more compact furniture which won’t clutter up the walkways. You may also be able to work with a mezzanine design that gives a room two levels and allows more space to move around.

 

Take a look at the benefits of building a brand new home on your existing property:

Stay in your area

You love where you live, the kids love their school but the house has had it. Don’t uproot everything to find a new place. Stay in the suburb you love and keep your kids at their school by undergoing a knockdown rebuild project. This strategy means you get to maintain all your community ties. You don’t have to adapt to new shopping centres or public transport routes or go through the hassle of moving the kids away from their friends.

 

Build your perfect home

You’ve been living on the plot for a while so you know what is working and what isn’t. Building a new house on your existing land means that you know where the light comes from, which rooms might get hot or cold and which areas will be better for play spaces for the kids. By building a new house on your old land you have a unique opportunity to build the perfect house for you. Few people get the opportunity to choose a home design that matches their every need. It’s an exciting opportunity.

 

Avoid fees

The fees and legal rigamarole of buying and selling can get very expensive and after contracts are signed and taxes are paid you are left with little to show for the amount of money you have spent. Build on your own land and you only have to deal with council approval and building costs. Choose a MyPropHub ready made house plan that you can tailor to your needs and you will also save time, design fees and be in your new home sooner.

 

Do it in one fell swoop

Renovating eats into your time and money. It may seem extreme to start from scratch but renovating room by room over years has a way of adding up in terms of stress, time and money. It is all too easy to overspend and overshoot your schedule. In the end, you still may not achieve the results you want. Build a brand new home and you know exactly what you will be getting.

It will take less time and can cost less in the long run, especially when what starts as a small project leads to fresh problems after your builder discovers water damage and plumbing issues. With renovating, your life is disrupted for months or even years while work goes on around you. With a knockdown rebuild project, you can set the date to move out, rent somewhere comfortable for a few months and return to a perfect home.

 

Stress less

 

If you knock down to rebuild you don’t have to spend hours going to home opens or scouring real-estate websites. Finding the right existing property is a headache. Rebuild and spend your time on the design process instead. It's a much more rewarding experience and ultimately you will have your dream home. This is not something you are likely to find while house hunting.

 

Looking to knock down and rebuild? Check out the wide range of new home designs available at MyPropHub to find a plan that’s suitable for your property.

Here are some of the common mistakes made when people design a home from scratch, and how to avoid them. Don’t get caught out!

 

1. Account for the environment and the sun

One of the easiest mistakes to make when planning a new home is to neglect the impact of the sun and the environment of the local area. The sun will hit different aspects of the property at different times of day. Your floor plan and elevations (the ‘3D’ parts of your home designs) should keep light from hitting windows and heating up rooms in the summer or pouring through bedroom windows first thing in the morning. Consider the climate of the area as well. Colder temperatures may need fewer/thicker windows and clever strategies to improve insulation. Hotter climates need more opportunity for airflow. Fail to take heavy rainfall into account and you may end up with a flooded backyard.

An example of taking the environment into account is the hinterland above Byron Bay in NSW. In this area, it can get very windy so outdoor spaces need to be protected from blustery conditions while also maximising the view. One clever strategy to take warmer temperatures into account is to be strategic with room placement. For example, if you live somewhere like Queensland, talk to your designer or look for floor plans which put bathrooms, the laundry, the garage and other utility areas on the western side of the home. This will block the heat from the rooms you live and sleep in.

 

2. Think about furniture placement

There are natural places to put furniture in each room.

Children’s’ beds often have one side against a wall, for example, while adult beds tend to have the head against the wall. If you have designed a bedroom where it's not possible to do this because of the way doors or windows are placed, people will find it confusing and uncomfortable. The same goes for couches in the living areas. How will they be arranged so people can easily walk past and will it be possible to add a side table and lamp without running cables across the room?

 

3. Get the room sizes right

The size of the rooms depends on a number of factors. For example, is the home for an outdoorsy family who don’t spend much time reading/watching TV or are there older children who need space to study and be on their own? These details will help to determine how much room is needed in bedrooms and living areas. 

You also need to make sure that you don’t have one room that is too big at the expense of another. Consider that in your laundry you still need an area big enough to fold clothes and probably store some bits and pieces that don’t belong anywhere else. While bathrooms can be small, you still need to be able to get in and out easily.

 

4. Design around natural light and ventilation requirements

Windows and vents in the right places can make a difference to the welcoming feel of a home. Natural light makes a home feel comfortable and welcoming. Good ventilation keeps it from getting stuffy and close. Make sure your design has adequate ventilation (especially around the clothes dryer and stove top), and natural lighting.

When it comes to natural light, you can never have enough but keep privacy in mind as well. Windows facing the street need to be carefully designed or have blinds that can be drawn after dark.

 

5. Add storage

Too many home designers neglect storage. People have a lot of stuff and they need places to put it all so design cupboard space for linen, kitchen appliances, stationery, outdoor equipment, books and toys

 

6. Put functionality first

More important than how a room looks is how it will be used. When designing a space, think about the lifestyle of the people who will be using it. Think about the functionality of each space and what makes it work. One idea is to find floor plans for sale rather than designing from scratch. These will have already gone through an intensive process to maximise flow and functionality.

 

7. Keep the bathrooms private

Make sure that bathrooms are private and as far away from the kitchen and living areas as possible. It also shouldn’t be possible for the neighbours to see in!

 

8. Stick to your budget 

It happens to almost everyone; they start with a budget and then find themselves getting carried away, either due to a change in preference or unexpected expenses. Ideally, you should set your budget and leave some funds unallocated. This will save you from bill shock when the project is complete. Changes at construction stage cost money. Be thorough during the design process and stick to your decisions.

 

9. Beware of builders whose prices are too good to be true

If a builder is offering a contract that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Don’t expect quality reliable work from super cheap builders. Either they won’t do the job to your standards or they will have quoted too low to get your business and the costs will add up anyway. If they aren’t charging enough, you also risk having them go out of business mid-project. While we are on this subject, be sure to sign a contract and make sure your project is covered by insurance.

 

 

10. Make sure the materials you select are available

It is easy to design a home based on materials you have seen online. However, when it comes time to build, if the materials aren’t available, there will be long setbacks. Check on the availability of materials before you commit, and have backup options in mind.

 

One final tip

Instead of designing completely from scratch, you may want to find floor plans for sale which have already been tested by somebody else. The designer will have had feedback on what works so they can adjust it to be even more suitable for you. Buying ready made floor plans can save you up to 70 per cent when compared to original plans. You also get the benefit of being able to access them immediately rather than waiting for weeks before they are complete.

Is the cost for an interior designer worth it?

Designing and building a house is a pricey undertaking so is the additional cost for an interior designer worthwhile? It is an additional investment but it tends to pay off for a number of reasons. You might be surprised at how much interior designers do and how they can make difficult decisions seem easy. Here are just some of the reasons to hire an interior designer.

 

1. An interior designer will help you to choose the right furniture

It might seem simple enough but you would be amazed how many new homeowners have chosen the ‘perfect’ couch for their living room, only to find it is way too big. Interior designers are never far from a measuring tape and can help select furniture and other items based on the size of the room. They are trained to understand how to place furniture and will save you from purchasing something that is too big or small.

 

2. Create your signature style

Interior designers are in the know about current trends and how to use them in a way that suits your personality and lifestyle. Whether you’re into the Hamptons look or an industrial vibe, a good designer will talk to you about the interior looks you like and the way you plan to use your home before coming up with ideas that will help you create a functional and great-looking place.

 

3. Get the best deals

Do you know where to get the cheapest but best quality flooring? Do you have a deal arranged on bathroom fixtures? Your interior designer will. If not these exact examples, interior designers have access to suppliers and know where and how to get the best value for money. The cash you save this way alone may cover the cost of an interior designer. 

You can also bring quotes to your interior designer and they will let you know if there is a more affordable alternative. This will help to offset the cost for an interior designer.

 

4. Stay on budget

If you set a budget for the interior of your home, your designer will work within it. When you go out and choose everything yourself, it will be too easy to go overboard, especially because many online inspiration sites like Pinterest and Houzz aren’t clear on what things cost.

An interior designer will work with the budget and track down pieces that have the wow factor you want without burning a hole in your hip pocket. During the design process, your designer will work with you to make sure the looks you’re going for won’t blow your budget. For example, you may be considering a marble countertop but an interior designer will point you towards engineered stone as the right choice for your budget (or at least let you know how much you can expect to pay for the surface you want so you can cut costs in other areas).

 

5. Get the right pieces

It can be hard to know which products are reliable and which products go well together. You can spend an eternity researching reviews or just leave it to your interior designer. They will know from experience which brands are trustworthy and which gimmicks to avoid.

 

6. Settle your arguments

There are a lot of decisions to be made when completing your new home. If you are doing it with your partner, emotions may run high. A good interior designer will work as a mediator to help you find happy compromises and minimise arguments by only giving you a few options to choose from.

Build a beautiful home and keep your relationship intact… it’s worth the cost for an interior designer just for that!

 

7. Save time

When you have an interior designer, there is no need to spend forever on Google reading reviews, hours in furniture shops hunting down the perfect couch, or endless petrol as you drive from one supplier to the next. Leave all this to your interior designer, who will go on the product hunt while you get on with the other aspects of managing your new home build. These days, you can even work remotely with an interior designer. Schedule video calls and ask them to send you samples of tiles and colours in the mail.

 

Is the additional cost for an interior designer worthwhile?

Unless you already have insider knowledge, hiring an interior designer makes sense for your new home build. Your designer will help you by narrowing down your choices and creating a home interior that flows beautifully. The cost for an interior designer will depend on the size of your project and will be at least a few thousand dollars. However, you will definitely save time, money and stress by having this professional on call.

 

Looking for innovative new home designs? Check out MyPropHub to access a world of options.

From conversation pits to hotel-style bedroom suites, these are the home design trends that have risen and fallen over the years.

House designs are as susceptible to evolution and trends as anything. Just like flares and mullet hair cuts, what was in fashion several years ago is no longer as sought-after. What’s more, as technology advances, there are increasingly practical and lifestyle-friendly ways to design homes.

Take a look at some popular must-haves from the past, and the modern house designs that are in demand during the 2020s. 

 

House design trends that are out of fashion:

• The games room

In the 80s and 90s, your new house design simply had to have a games room to accommodate a pool table, dartboard and perhaps even a pinball machine. While they were a haven for teenagers, the evolution of gaming and its move to the online realm means whole rooms for games are no longer as sought after.

 

• Media rooms and home theatres

In the early 21st century, the games room gave way to the media room thanks to the rise of DVD and Blu-ray players. With the explosion of the home entertainment market, a dark room for a huge screen was a must. However, families are now more likely to watch their film of choice on a laptop or tablet than a big screen and media rooms feel like an unnecessary use of space.

 

• Bars

Having a bar in your home was once the height of cool but is now a dated relic of days gone by.  Instead of sitting around a bar, Aussies are more likely to enjoy their indoor/outdoor living areas to have a sundowner with friends.

 

• Conversation pits

In the 70s, having a sunken living room, a ‘conversation pit, was the peak of modern house design. These days we prefer our social spaces to be level.

 

• Enclosed kitchens

Once the domain of the housewife, kitchens have evolved into a natural place to congregate. A closed off kitchen now divides the family and makes whoever is cooking feel isolated from what is going on. It also creates a very hot space to work in.

 

Modern house design trends:

The latest trends in house design take into account practicality and functionality as well as looks. They consider the Australian climates and the way we live our lives.

 

• Multi-functionality

A key feature of trendy modern house designs is flexibility. People want their spaces to be multi-functional. You should be able to entertain, eat and consume media in any shared living space.

 

• Home offices

For better or worse, COVID-19 has re-empowered the home office. Lockdowns and quarantines have forced people who can do so to work from home and many have now adopted a ‘hybrid’ working model where they only head to the office two or three times per week, meaning a home office or at least a study nook is essential.

 

• Spacious kitchens

Australians have access to an abundance of fresh ingredients and we love to cook. The expectation these days for a family home and even a generous apartment is for chef-level kitchens with room for a big fridge, lots of drawers and multiple ovens.

 

• Ground level guest facilities

Whether it’s a flexible office space or a specific guest bedroom, ground floor guest spaces are on trend. This means when older guests visit they have a room to stay in without having to climb stairs. The guest room should also have an en suite for added convenience for your guests.

 

• Master bedroom suites

These days master bedrooms give mum and dad some peace and time out by feeling more like a luxury hotel suite. Modern house designs include generous bedrooms that have walk-in wardrobes and ensuites with double basins.

 

• Indoor/outdoor living

Kicking off in the early 2010s, the trend for blending indoors and outdoors has held on. Alfresco areas are one thing but Australians enjoy being able to slide back their doors and bring the outside in. An outdoor dining and entertaining area which can be lit and heated brings an additional living space to the home.

 

These trends above make sense for today’s lifestyle. However, including plenty of storage space, ample natural light and privacy solutions will never go out of style.

 

MyPropHub opens a world of modern house designs to landowners and builders across Australia and beyond.