We asked several people what their biggest design regrets were……read on so you don’t make those same mistakes!
Misunderstanding the size of rooms
It is hard to appreciate the true size of a room from house plans, and even show homes can be misleading as smaller furniture is often used to make the rooms look bigger.
Perception versus reality can be quite different.
Tips:
If you are undertaking a design build project – talk to your designer about how your family would like to use the house, for example, how you use different areas and the desired size of social areas, priorities of use, noise and privacy needs.
Measure out the spaces and mark out on the ground so you can walk around them and understand what has been allowed.
Consider where you would place furniture – how would people move around the furniture and where would traffic highways be to access furniture and doorways? You could also mark this on the ground if you have trouble visualising.
When visiting show homes always bring a tape measure so you can link true measurements with what you are visualising, you can then take those measurements to your existing home and again compare visually.
Not researching different options
Knowledge is power. We do a lot of research about the cars we buy but what about our biggest investment, our home?
How many of us just go and seek out a plan we like, or engage a designer whose designs we like – but don’t investigate the sort of home we want, the materials or performance?
Innovations, sustainability, energy efficiency are among a range of considerations when thinking about future proofing a home. Passive house principles are just one of several building methodologies which deserve further research and certainly one that has triggered many to consider building again because they were not aware of it previously.
Tip:
Do your research before you make any decisions about designers or plans.
What are your priorities and why are you looking to build (your trigger)?
Not considering the changing needs of the family
This could be having children, children leaving home, elderly parents moving in and yourselves getting older (health and disability).
One specific example was regretting not building a big enough kitchen for their growing family).
It is important to accept that there are some things you can plan for and others you can’t.
There are also things in a home that can be more easily altered than others – walls and potentially doorways versus joinery and bathroom fit outs which are easier to update.
Tips:
Get your building envelope right. Build this ‘right’ from the start and you will always have a warm, healthy home. Whether its young children or aging occupants – health and comfort are a priority and not a secondary thought.
Look to the future and talk to peers who are further along than you – what advice do they have?
For example, If someone asked me now about teenagers, I would agree that space in and around the kitchen will reduce frustration (their increasing frames are always in it preparing food), a TV room you can shut off, bedrooms to give them privacy but a modest size is fine for their needs (although they will always want bigger), and a separate toilet to the bathroom! You may not agree but it gives you someone else’s experience to consider.
Consider multi-purpose rooms. As households change over time an office could become a bedroom and back again. Am office or a living room that can be closed off could be transformed into a guest room when needed, rather than needing that 4th or 5th bedroom just for intermittent guests.
Consider wider doorways when you build and placement of electricals. Structural changes are harder to manage but other accessibility demands can be managed later if this becomes unexpectedly needed. How far you go will depend upon your stage, a diagnosis or how much you want to plan for the ‘what ifs’.
Be content knowing that you build what you think is best at the time – other factors such as budget will also determine how much you can think beyond the ‘now’ so be kind to yourself too.
Hopefully, these tips have been useful, whether you are considering a design build or a plan range. If you would like to talk to us further about your new home design options, we would love to assist you. Our show home is currently available for viewing – remember to bring a tape measure 😊
