Choosing a Home Design to Suit Your Land
Once you’ve decided to build a new home, and you’ve selected land in the perfect location, there are a lot of things to consider about the design of your home. Choosing a design to suit your block of land can seem like a difficult decision to make, but once you consider each aspect of where your future home will be built, you’ll be able to find a home design that suits the land and your home requirements perfectly. We’ve got some great tips below to help you along in the process!
Land Size
Considering the overall land size will determine the size of your home, but also consider the area around your home. If you have a family and would like an alfresco area, a large garden or space to build a pool later on then you’ll need to think about the positioning of your open-plan living areas to maximise indoor/outdoor living. If you’re building on a smaller block of land, particularly one that’s narrow, outdoor space may need to be sacrificed to ensure your home meets all your needs and suits your lifestyle.
Orientation
Think about where the front of your home will be and which way the land is oriented with the sun. The living areas should be north-facing to catch the afternoon sun and give your open-plan areas lots of natural light. If you have an alfresco area, try to position it in a location where it will benefit from the afternoon and evening sun, ensuring it will be in the perfect spot for entertaining. Bedrooms should be east-facing to receive the first light of the day as you wake, which will also position them away from the hot afternoon sun, keeping them cool in the warmer months.
Sloping Land
If you’ve decided to build on a sloping block of land, the most important thing to consider is how the land falls. Designing your home so that the flat part of the land houses the garage and the bedrooms means you can enter the home at ground level, then position the living areas and kitchen higher up on the slope to take advantage of the views. The gradient of the land will also determine whether or not your home will need to be built on stilts to elevate it, or if you will need to cut into the land to create a more even surface to build on.
Location
To make sure you maximise the positives of your location, consider the surroundings to determine which house design is going to suit the location of the land. If you live near the beach, you may want to build a split-level home with a reverse living layout. Having the kitchen and main living spaces, as well as a covered balcony area upstairs means you can take full advantage of the sea breeze each day. On hot days being able to open up the doors and windows upstairs to let the cool change in will make living on the coast feel like a beach holiday every day! If your land is located in a rural area with lots of open space, having the main living areas upstairs will give you perfect views of the sweeping hills, making your home a relaxing place to come home to.
Selecting the perfect block of land to build on is the first exciting step in your home building journey, and ensuring you consider each aspect of the land will help you make an informed decision about designing a home that has the best layout and surrounding space for your lifestyle. For home design ideas and tips, visit the Hotondo Homes website for inspiration.
