BuildHome November issue #25.4

With land scarce in so many prime locations, small and narrow lots have become commonplace. While these sites can pose certain design and construction challenges, with some clever thinking and the help of an experienced builder, you can have a home on a small lot that will meet your every need. We talked to some leading home builders and asked them to share their expert advice on how to maximise a limited site’s potential and design a home that will feel light, airy and spacious. We also called on the experts to take us through some of the latest, most exciting trends in home building. These are the must-haves that modern families are demanding and the common thread is making homes more comfortable, more sustainable, more flexible, easier to run and…

While buying shoes that are the height of fashion might well be a worthwhile indulgence, making decisions about the look and function of your home on transitory fads is not. That doesn’t mean, however, that trends in home building are to be ignored because they often reveal some very important innovations and leaps in thinking about how spaces can be best used and homes made more comfortable and easy to live in. We asked some of Australia’s leading experts to talk us through a few of the most important design trends. GOING FOR GREEN “The use of solar power is a trend that is significantly up and coming,” says Janelle Miles, Porter Davis’ World of Style Queensland lead interior designer. “Consumers are becoming increasingly educated and mindful of their impact on the…

Small lots are now commonplace but when it comes to the house you build on them, well, small can be beautiful. Lots of limited size, which includes narrow building sites, can be found in and around many city areas as well as in suburban subdivisions. The demand is so high that the leading volume home builders have developed designs specifically to make the most of these smaller, more challenging spaces. HOW SMALL IS SMALL? Everyone will have a slightly different idea about what constitutes small but, says Dylan Athaide, marketing manager for NSW-based McDonald Jones Homes, “We would consider a small site to be a block around the 250sqm range, while a narrow site would be anything between 12.5m and 10m wide. Both are becoming more common. In particular, narrow lots are…

Today, houses are bigger, blocks smaller so the amount of outdoor space many of us are left with is limited. Living in townhouses and duplexes, where pocket-sized gardens are the norm, is also on the rise. While having a small outdoor area doesn’t prevent you from partaking in all the joys of an alfresco lifestyle, there is an art to making the most of petite spaces as well as a few tried-and-tested design tricks you can employ. SIMPLE IS BEST “Balance, proportion and simplicity are my main rules when designing a small space or courtyard. Keeping the material and planting palette simple doesn’t mean boring, and selecting planting layers with a similar tone, but offering strong textural contrast will make your space feel calm but still full of character — it’s all…

Windows can be a way to allow in cooling summer breezes and warm winter sunshine, and invite in natural light. The right style of window can highlight a picturesque view and be a built architectural component that is a unique feature of a home. Of course, windows also enhance energy efficiency and act as a buffer to street noise. Beautiful and distinctive windows can also increase the value and look of your home. So let’s go window shopping … Window styles are available in a multitude of designs, from sliding, hinged, louvred, double-hung, casement, bifold, bay and more. Skylights also are a type of window; instead of views to a garden, they’re a window to the sky. Windows may create a dramatic and memorable entry to a home while windows that…

Victoria is home to many of this country’s most respected, accomplished and pre-eminent home builders, designers and architects. Whether you choose to construct your home on the coast, in the country, close to a city or in one of the many burgeoning suburbs, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to innovative home design and high-quality home builders. Over the following pages you’ll find a showcase of thoughtfully designed, expertly built homes that run the gamut from family-friendly one- and two-storey homes of both contemporary and traditional style, to luxury custom-built abodes offering an unparalled lifestyle experience and unique holiday homes with modern, open-plan interiors.…