Building a new home is an exciting and sometimes stressful time. Stress can be reduced by knowing what you want ahead of time and making sure those building plans reflect your choices. Don’t rush the process but enjoy it to ensure you get a home that will suit your budget and lifestyle.
Here are 8 tips to consider when building a new home.
* Consider an open floor plan. It is easier to heat or cool and it allows the family to come together more easily. And supervision of children is easier while you are working in the kitchen. It also helps your home to look and feel more spacious.
* Clutter not only looks ugly, it makes the home feel smaller. Design additional storage areas in the garage, laundry and bathroom and incorporate more storage in small areas of the house such as under the stairs. You can even have built-in storage on the back veranda.
* To avoid dating your home, include a mix of classic and contemporary designs. Then go ahead and add your own design style and touches to make your home one that is unique.
* Forget the narrow doorways and tiny windows of yesteryear. Today it’s all about large windows and areas of glass that let in lots of natural light. Doors need to be wide enough to make lugging prams, toys, shopping, furniture and kids in and out easy.
* A luxurious look doesn’t have to cost a lot. Adding quality but classic fixtures, finishes and flooring will give your home an expensive look without blowing the budget.
*Street appeal is important because you may need to sell and that is one thing that brings buyers in. But in any case you don’t want to be known as the person with the ugly house. Make sure the colours and design on the front of the home complement each other and are kept maintained.
* Tiny bathrooms should never be seen in a modern home. The bathroom gets a lot of use and a larger one is far nicer to be in than a little one. Larger windows and light colours will help create natural light to ensure your bathroom looks even more spacious. It should also have plenty of storage.
* Incorporate environmentally friendly features into your home to reduce the running costs. These can be as simple as larger windows opposite each other to let through the prevailing breeze, orienting the house so the living areas are on the sunny side in cooler climates or the shady side in hot areas, having wider eaves that keep the summer sun off the walls and lighting that is eco friendly. It can also mean using paint and other finishes that are free of toxic fumes.
-Consortium
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