Our journey of design and architecture includes plenty of research. We frequently discuss new and existing homes with homeowners and even our clients. There are so many factors to consider when designing a new home. Below you will find some basic tips and mistakes not to make. Avoid them and you are half way to a great design!
- No Consideration Of Orientation
Living areas – The sun rises from the east and sets in the west. For most of this time, the north face of a house is receiving direct rays of sunlight. As a general principle of sustainability and basic level architecture, the living room is generally the area which should receive the most sunlight, this is free heating for the home in winter. In summer, this heat can be blocked with many shading devices that your draftsman should be able to introduce you to (north facing should have fixed or adjustable horizontal shading above the window such as eaves or louvres).
Bedrooms – bedrooms should have east facing windows to allow the morning sun in (it helps you wake up in the morning!) Also, they cool down more in the late afternoon/evening so summer nights are cooler and easier to sleep through.
- Using Space In The Wrong Place
Many homeowners dream of a large bathroom and build it in their new home, compromising the size of the bedrooms. A bedroom may not be a living area but it definitely needs to be comfortable. Project home builders are definitely guilty culprits of this mistake. We try to keep bedrooms at least 3.5m x 3.5m excluding a built-in wardrobe.
- Not Enough Research – Regulations
Council codes and regulations are a major part in residential building and architecture. Make sure you check your local or government council codes for the proposed works. Constraints such as floor space ratio, building heights or even garage location can be a problem. Whether you are proposing to go down the approval pathway of a development application or complying development, it is strongly suggested that you do some preliminary calculations and measurements.
- Access and Storage
Access and storage are a critical part of residential living. When designing a new home, the linen cabinet is definitely not the first thing you think of, but it should be a consideration. Storage is often a problem for many home owners so allocate enough space that you won’t need to compromise later!
Access is also an important factor. Whether you’re moving or removing new or old furniture, wider hallways and open rooms are much much simpler to move through. Try to avoid narrow hallways and sharp corners, they are useless.
- Open Plan Living
Open plan living is the modern trend and there is nothing wrong with it. The issue many people have is the noise inside an open plan style house. Without fabric and furniture such as carpets, sofas or blinds, the reflection of noise can become quite disturbing. Acoustic type wall insulation and liquid acoustic applications are also helpful in noise reduction. Don’t forget, cozy spaces do not have to be large, open and empty.
Thanks for reading our post. Hopefully these tips are taken into consideration for your new home design. If you need a draftsman, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
