BuildHome May Issue #25.2

Try before you buy — it makes sense whether you’re choosing a new car, a new pair of shoes or a home design. Display homes are built for just such a purpose, allowing you to experience a wide array of home designs first-hand. You get to walk through the rooms and see how easily the home flows, you can linger in the kitchen and imagine how your family would use it, and you can assess for yourself the quality of the finishes, fittings and appliances. Trying a home on for size can be an important first step in the home-building process and to help you get the most from the experience, we share some helpful tips from the experts. We also called on some leading home builders to talk us through…

FEELING EXPOSED? A strong blending of colours, unexpected materials, mismatched combinations and pared-back styling is setting the design narrative for 2019, according to Beaumont Tiles’ strategic designer, Christie Wood. “Last year introduced experimentation to the home design scene and in 2019 we are seeing designs that celebrate playful colours, organic charm, easy living and healthy homes,” she says. Beaumont Tiles has identified five lifestyle-look trends for 2019, including Exposed Life. Think neutral materials wrapped in earthy natural finishes and blended with weather-worn motifs. An Exposed Life decorating theme, says Christine, might start with an organic base, such as Amazon timber-look porcelain tiles (pictured above) and be built upon with lighter shades for cabinetry and walls. For more information, visit: beaumont-tiles.com.au TIMELESS TERRAZZO Imported direct from Italy, CDK Stone’s Northstone terrazzo range has a…

If you’ve outgrown your home but you love the location, the kids are settled at the local school and you have family and friends living nearby, you won’t want to move. You could renovate or extend your home, or you could knock it down and build a new one. “When you like the area you live in, a knockdown-rebuild is a path to a better house in the community that you have come to know and love. It presents the opportunity to upgrade your lifestyle, use the equity in your existing home, and have a blank canvas to build your dream home,” says Craig Moore, general manager of Rawson Homes. “The result is a new, modern home, built on your own land and designed to suit your needs, now and…

If you’ve decided to go down the project home route, you can look at homes in glossy brochures or take a virtual tour online, and these are great ways to get an initial sense of whether a design appeals. You can also pore over floor plans on a builder’s website to see what’s located where, but there is no substitute for actually walking through the rooms, getting a sense of how the home flows, or spending time in the lounge area or kitchen and picturing how your family would use these spaces. This is where the display home is an invaluable resource. Trying a home on for size can help you to make a better, more informed decision. “Building a home is one of the biggest investments you’re ever going to…

For future homeowners who know exactly what they want, there really is no substitute for a custom-built abode. Finding a reputable builder is the first, and perhaps most important, step on the journey towards creating your dream home — one designed with your lifestyle needs, sense of style and location in mind. A custom builder will guide you through every stage, from design to construction, and will work towards turning your dreams into reality. To streamline the process, a custom builder can also coordinate and manage the whole project to ensure everything stays on track and the end result lives up to expectations.…

From the timeless traditional exterior to the dateless — and decidedly glamorous — interior, this elegant two-storey residence in the northern Sydney suburb of Beecroft is a true classic. Custom designed and built by Young Homes for a working couple with two school-aged children, this home is the perfect fit in every way. It has the style the family loves, caters to all their lifestyle needs and looks right at home amid the neighbouring properties. “The clients had visited our display home, The Platinum, in Kellyville and been impressed by what they saw. They had also seen photos of another home we had built previously. This was in a classical style which they really liked,” says Dean Young, director of Young Homes. “We designed for them a home with an almost identical…