Floor plan design is arguably the most important aspect designing a new home.
A cleverly designed house floor plan will result in a house layout that is functional, considerate of budget and importantly, livable. The best floor plans have an interesting and unique layout but aren’t confusing to navigate. Pathways and destinations should feel intuitive and logical, and the sizing of spaces should be carefully considered so that they are proportionate and complementary in size. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your home’s floor plan in NSW.
BUILDING REGULATIONS
Before creating a home floor plan, it’s important consider building regulations. The Australian NCC Standard provides regulations on minimum room sizes, ceiling heights, ventilation requirements, energy efficiency considerations and other important features.
CLIMATE CONSIDERATIONS
What is the climate like where your home will be located? It’s important to consider the climate and orientation of your lot so your floor plan can maximize natural ventilation, solar gain and shading as necessary. These are all factors your designers is trained to considering during floor planning.
LIFESTYLE
Your home’s floor plan should reflect your family’s lifestyle and needs. Consider how you use your home and what features are most important to you, such as a large kitchen, a home office, or a dedicated playroom. This is also important information to important to your designer prior to starting your house layout.
ADAPTABLE HOUSING
Think about your family’s future needs and how they may change over time. Will you need additional bedrooms or living spaces in the future? Can the floor plan be easily modified or expanded if necessary? Could your house layout accommodate injuries that restrict mobility, if a family member was to require mobility aids in the future?
MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACES
Sometimes our budget and lot size restrict the size of our home and require us to creatively make the most of the space available. An experienced designer might suggest creating spaces that can serve more than one purpose. You may be able to add an alcove to a hallway or second living space to serve as a study nook, if you don’t have space for a full-sized office. Or, you could include a second living area with large cavity sliders that allow for the space to be opened right up when floor space is needed for entertaining, and closed again when the family needs private zones.
Our Floor Plan Design Process
Each of our pre-designed floor plans are completely customisable. If you select one of the designs in our plans library, we can adjust the layout, inclusions along with the full house design to suit your exact needs. For our clients who are looking to invest in a custom house design, we start by completing a site analysis and then focus on creating a floor plan that suits the site location, owner/s lifestyle, wants and needs and carefully incorporates all of the above design consideration. With a sprinkling of magic design dust (aka skills of the trade) and you will have custom floor plan, and subsequent custom house design that you will love.