Unique Features in New Homes
When it comes to building a new home, there are a few space optimising, unique features that are becoming more popular with families who are looking for ways to keep their home clutter-free, while ensuring each area of the home remains as functional as possible. When working with your builder to determine how you can make each space work for your family, consider including the below features in your new home to create defined and organised areas that make everyday life easier!
Drying Rooms
In the cold weather, having somewhere to hide your washing as it dries can be tricky. The weather isn’t ideal for hanging it outside, so often the only solution is to have clothes airers out in the main living spaces, or to use a clothes dryer, which can drive up power costs. For these reasons, drying rooms and drying cupboards are becoming a common wish list item for new home builds. Providing a space where wet washing can be hidden from sight as they dry, these spaces come with built in drying racks ready to hang clothing on. While some drying cupboards are powered to allow for faster drying, opting for non-powered drying spaces means you won’t be increasing your environmental footprint. Alternatively, you can opt to add a drying space with a sustainable solar powered system to bring in warm air. If you have a large or growing family, being able to keep up with the washing on rainy or cold days, as well as not having the eyesore of washing hanging up in common areas will leave your high traffic areas clear no matter how much laundry there is to do!
Mudrooms
More common in homes in Europe and North America, mudrooms are designed to help confine mess and house outwear and equipment when people re-enter their house. This feature is becoming popular in Australia as families look for ways to organise their belongings in a functional way. Usually located between the home’s back entrance and the first interior room, mudrooms are a clever way to organise cold weather gear, children’s school bags, sports uniforms and equipment, tradie boots and tools, and a variety of other household items that are frequently used but need to be packed away out of sight each day. The areas are designed with durable flooring and finishes, and often include generous storage cupboards and clothing hooks to keep everything in its place while still being easily accessible, as well as bench seating for ease of putting on and pulling off shoes. Including a mudroom in your new home that’s cleverly designed to give each family member their own space for storage will create an area that’s functional and organised for families of any size.
Under Stair Storage and Study Space
With a large majority of new homes being double storey, there are often lots of places to include storage areas. However, in double storey homes that lean toward the smaller side, such as townhouses and duplex homes, finding ways to include storage can be a challenge. One space often overlooked is under the staircase. Often this space remains empty – either sealed shut by plasterboard or left open and the space under it is kept bare. It’s not an immediately obvious place to store things, but by working with your builder, you can create a storage space to keep your home organised and clutter-free. You could also consider incorporating a study nook that’s tucked away but still enables you to use this area of your home to its full capacity.
Including these unique features will ensure your family home will utilise each area in a functional and organised way. For more home inspiration and design ideas, visit the Hotondo Homes website today.
