Room by room
Living areas
Surely the most lived-in part of your home deserves extra special attention!
Clever design of space is crucial in a living area. It's how the space feels and functions that matters most, not how many square metres it is.
Design your outdoors as an extension of your living room, effectively getting more living space for free.
If using sliding or folding doors, make sure they seal properly when closed.
If you have young children, design kitchen and living areas to overlook play areas.
Use light-coloured surfaces to maximise natural light.
Face glass north if you can (unless you live above the Tropic of Capricorn) so you get light for most of the day. If your living areas already face north this is easy. If not, your designer may still be able to find innovative solutions, such as skylights or high windows.
In tropical climates above the Tropic of Capricorn, face living areas and openings to capture cooling breezes.
Make sure you have openings on more than one side of your living area, to allow cooling breezes through in summer.
High openable windows or skylights work well to get rid of hot air as it rises, and let in winter sun. But make sure they're double glazed with good seals to keep in winter warmth.
Choose skylights with built-in shading, unless your roof is already well-shaded.
'We love spending time in here, it's much more comfortable than it used to be!'
When living areas are too open, especially if they have
mezzanines or high ceilings, they can be difficult (and
expensive) to heat and cool. In all but the mildest
climates, it pays to design living areas so they can be
partitioned off from the rest of the house.
[See Your
Home: Passive Design.]
Kitchens
It's often the kitchen that people fall in love with, and that's important if you're thinking about resale value.
First, consider what's worth reusing in your old kitchen. Can you leave the cabinet carcass and just replace doors and benchtops? See the tips about choosing cabinets and benchtops.
A good kitchen gives you room to move but is compact enough to allow easy reach between different activities. Make sure it isn't a thoroughfare.
Leave generous bench space between the sink and the cooktop, as this is the most convenient space for food preparation. Consider using drawers instead of cupboards for easier access.
Locate dishwashers near sinks to allow easy loading. This also concentrates your plumbing in one space and saves money.
Multi-bin sorters under sinks are a great idea - you can separate your rubbish for recycling straight away.
For safety, avoid sharp benchtop corners and have at least one lockable cupboard for harmful substances.
The fridge usually uses more electricity in a year than any other appliance, so when replacing your fridge choose one with a high energy star rating.
Make sure cabinets allow an air gap all around the fridge of at least 50 mm for good ventilation.
