Given interest rates are at all-time lows and house prices in much of the country continue to rise, it makes sense for people to increase the quality of their everyday lives by improving their properties.
However, before you go knocking down the walls, it’s important to have an understanding of the latest trends in custom home plans and designs, which will help you to choose design components that not only work for you and your property, but will also appeal to prospective buyers when the time comes to sell.
The most common type of home renovation we are asked for at the moment is for the rear of the home to be opened up with large sliding or concertinaed doors. In addition to this, homeowners are requesting internal walls be removed to create an open-plan living space with a new kitchen. Often we are also asked to design an attached outdoor room with cooking and entertaining facilities that provides strong links to the inside and outside of the house.
For new extensions, high ceilings remain popular, as well as windows that take advantage of light and sky views.
An outdoor room may be little more than a gazebo, summerhouse or pavilion, but the current trend is for an elaborate structure incorporating a luxurious bathroom with toilet, shower, bath and basin amenities, and kitchenette facilities including glass-fronted fridges, barbecues, stove, cupboards, sinks, tables and chairs for entertaining purposes.
The trend for cabanas and outdoor rooms has been fuelled by the desire to turn our outdoor spaces into places of retreat, away from the hectic pace of life and separate to home and work.
Another general trend in home, outdoor room and cabana design is for flexible floor plans for different stages in life. Changing lifestyles require changeable living spaces. Numerous design requests are for structures to have sliding doors, concertinaed doors, and other types of movable partitions to allow flexibility in living arrangements.
Dedicated formal lounge and dining rooms are being replaced by oversized, everyday family areas. In addition, many houses and cabanas include private “bonus” rooms that can be used for office space or can be adapted to a variety of specialised needs, such as a gym, yoga room, artist room or spare bedroom.
People are choosing to think outside the box in terms of materials for poolside entertaining areas, with hardwood sleepers, stepping stones and lawn popular flooring products. Some of these materials can be a particularly cost-effective way to create a unique look.
Another recent trend is the resurgence of wet edges to bring the water level of the pool up to the same level as the coping, allowing the water to flow out of the pool to be recirculated through grates. This also means tanning benches with water cover of between 150mm and 250mm can be easily added to a pool, as well as wider benches that can accommodate lounge chairs in the water.
Homeowners want their outdoor spaces, regardless of size, to be an extension of the interior a fusion of indoor/outdoor living. The solution to this lies in good, concise and practical design to maximise all available areas.
Plunge pools have a smaller surface area, so we are seeing people experiment more with unique and expensive tiles. Often very dark or very light tiles are used to turn the plunge pool into an interesting feature.
Timber decking will always be fashionable, however people are opting for larger boards (up to 250mm x 75mm) and either leaving them to weather naturally or applying a Japan Black stain.
Mood lighting, which adds depth to the space at night, is becoming more and more popular and is easily created with LED lights. These can be bold or subtle, warm or stark white, or tinted with a colour such as blue or red. These lights can be strategically positioned to draw attention to a plant or garden feature, or to create different areas of low light and washes of light to create mood.
Adjustable louvres and retractable awnings are the most popular shade structures due to the flexibility they provide. They give the user the option of having sun or shade, particularly handy in smaller spaces where the area needs to be versatile.
Home automation systems often include centralised control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors, and other systems to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security. Automation systems can be integrated with garden lighting to create exciting night-time shows in the garden or living areas that are in sync with whatever music is playing.
Homeowners want to use their outdoor spaces all year, so plants that provide year-round appeal are on trend. The variegated foliage of Mother-inlaw’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata), the interesting bark of a Leopard tree (Caesalpinia ferrea), the swollen sculptural stems of Buddha Belly bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris ‘Wamin’) and the vivid purple foliage of Ajuga reptans ‘Bronze Burgundy’ can provide year-round colour and interest.
A rainwater tank is one of the most obvious additions to a garden project and the collected water may be used for toilets, irrigation for lawns and gardens and pool top-up. Other on-trend ways to create a more sustainable and eco-friendly garden are incorporating a drip-irrigation system (minimal water loss as opposed to a spray system), drought-tolerant plants and endemic species, and deep-mulching gardens (which restricts water loss).
Design decisions can also affect environmentally friendly gardens, particularly when it comes to swimming pools, which typically use a lot of energy. For example, choosing a northern aspect for the pool location is the best way for the pool to be heated naturally by the sun. Also, dark colour choices for the pool interior and surrounding paving can also trap heat, whereas light colours cool things down. Surrounding a pool with a hedge planting of lilly pillies or cupressus will provide a windbreak to retard heat loss and wind evaporation to a pool area. A pool cover can also be easily incorporated to restrict water loss from the pool and retain heat from the heating system.
Rocks and soil from excavation works can be reused on site in gardens, lawns and levelling, and excavated rock may be used for forming materials. More natural options to filter swimming pools are also gaining popularity; homeowners are not only looking for more environmentally friendly options, but are also more conscious of their own health and looking after their skin and eyes.
However, before you go knocking down the walls, it’s important to have an understanding of the latest trends in custom home plans and designs, which will help you to choose design components that not only work for you and your property, but will also appeal to prospective buyers when the time comes to sell.
Custom home plans and designs: HOUSE RENOVATION
People are more educated about the importance of undertaking a holistic approach to home building projects. Having the inside and outside designed together makes both good design and monetary sense. If the same design company is involved, the finished project will flow better and appear more integrated. Homeowners are recognising this as they are increasingly asking for design companies that have experience in both house renovations as well as landscaping and outdoor projects.The most common type of home renovation we are asked for at the moment is for the rear of the home to be opened up with large sliding or concertinaed doors. In addition to this, homeowners are requesting internal walls be removed to create an open-plan living space with a new kitchen. Often we are also asked to design an attached outdoor room with cooking and entertaining facilities that provides strong links to the inside and outside of the house.
For new extensions, high ceilings remain popular, as well as windows that take advantage of light and sky views.
Custom home plans and designs: OUTDOOR ROOMS
With Australia’s moderate climate, outdoor rooms that incorporate kitchenettes, barbecue and entertaining facilities are high on the priority list for renovators. The trend is for these spaces to be either linked to the home itself or designed as freestanding structures, such as a cabana, which is often associated with external features such pools or tennis courts.An outdoor room may be little more than a gazebo, summerhouse or pavilion, but the current trend is for an elaborate structure incorporating a luxurious bathroom with toilet, shower, bath and basin amenities, and kitchenette facilities including glass-fronted fridges, barbecues, stove, cupboards, sinks, tables and chairs for entertaining purposes.
The trend for cabanas and outdoor rooms has been fuelled by the desire to turn our outdoor spaces into places of retreat, away from the hectic pace of life and separate to home and work.
Another general trend in home, outdoor room and cabana design is for flexible floor plans for different stages in life. Changing lifestyles require changeable living spaces. Numerous design requests are for structures to have sliding doors, concertinaed doors, and other types of movable partitions to allow flexibility in living arrangements.
Dedicated formal lounge and dining rooms are being replaced by oversized, everyday family areas. In addition, many houses and cabanas include private “bonus” rooms that can be used for office space or can be adapted to a variety of specialised needs, such as a gym, yoga room, artist room or spare bedroom.
Custom home plans and designs: SWIMMING POOL
Swimming pools are becoming much less complicated as people opt for clean, straight designs instead of complex pool shapes. We’ve been using chunky square edges to create floating effects to paving around swimming pools, coloured micrograin interiors and using paving materials beneath the waterline instead of tiles.People are choosing to think outside the box in terms of materials for poolside entertaining areas, with hardwood sleepers, stepping stones and lawn popular flooring products. Some of these materials can be a particularly cost-effective way to create a unique look.
Another recent trend is the resurgence of wet edges to bring the water level of the pool up to the same level as the coping, allowing the water to flow out of the pool to be recirculated through grates. This also means tanning benches with water cover of between 150mm and 250mm can be easily added to a pool, as well as wider benches that can accommodate lounge chairs in the water.
Custom home plans and designs: HIGHER-DENSITY LIVING
More people are living in urban environments and there is a general trend towards higher-density living. With this, private exterior spaces are becoming smaller so they need to be special. There is a higher expectation for outdoor areas to be used to their full potential and we’ve noticed people are spending more money, particularly on engaging a designer and on quality products and materials.Homeowners want their outdoor spaces, regardless of size, to be an extension of the interior a fusion of indoor/outdoor living. The solution to this lies in good, concise and practical design to maximise all available areas.
PLUNGE POOLS
Plunge pools are gaining popularity as they suit smaller outdoor spaces. A plunge pool is typically smaller than 6m x 4m and is often used as a pool in summer and a giant spa in winter. They also frequently incorporate swim jets that allow a swimmer to remain in place while exercising. The depth of a plunge pool is often set at 1500mm throughout, whereas pools traditionally have a depth that gradually increases from 1000mm to 1800mm. Removing the depth variation and flattening the bottom of a small pool or plunge pool allows total submersion, creating a better plunging experience.Plunge pools have a smaller surface area, so we are seeing people experiment more with unique and expensive tiles. Often very dark or very light tiles are used to turn the plunge pool into an interesting feature.
OUTDOOR KITCHENS
Outdoor kitchens can be as simple or as grand as you desire and the budget allows. However, we have noticed a trend for people to invest more in elaborate structures that incorporate luxury items to add fun and interest to the space. People want to include the conveniences of the indoor kitchen with a bench and sink, but with more novelty items such as elaborate beer taps, glass-fronted fridges, industrial-style rangehoods and pizza ovens.COLOUR
Colours used in outdoor areas are becoming increasingly bolder and more vibrant. People are incorporating the colour palette from inside the house in outside spaces to create a more cohesive look. The hottest colours of the season are pastel blue and turquoise as well as various shades of brown, vibrant yellow and green. Bolder primary colours are being used heavily in outdoor furniture to add pops of colour to the outdoor space. Also, monochrome black and white remains a popular and timeless colour scheme.
PAVING
Current paving trends are all about using a natural product such as Sydney sandstone, basalt, travertine and limestone, or handmade products including porcelain tiles with sandstone, limestone or timber prints, and embossed or raw insitu concrete. Larger-unit pavers remain popular, with 900mm x 900mm being the most commonly chosen size. In terms of colourings, people are opting for busier paving colours that are better at hiding accidental stains or scuff marks.Timber decking will always be fashionable, however people are opting for larger boards (up to 250mm x 75mm) and either leaving them to weather naturally or applying a Japan Black stain.
LIGHTS
Lighting is an important consideration in outdoor design and is being used more extensively and correctly than in the past. Functional lighting, which enables the space to be used at night, is still mostly attained with traditional floor lights. However, the trend is for these to be positioned higher so the light source is hidden.Mood lighting, which adds depth to the space at night, is becoming more and more popular and is easily created with LED lights. These can be bold or subtle, warm or stark white, or tinted with a colour such as blue or red. These lights can be strategically positioned to draw attention to a plant or garden feature, or to create different areas of low light and washes of light to create mood.
HEATING AND SHADE
Heat and shade are becoming more of a consideration for outdoor spaces as they are the difference between a spot that is used constantly or only when the weather is not too hot or cold. Radiant heaters and firepits are now more popular than space heaters as they provide just the right amount of warmth and atmosphere to make sitting out beneath the stars an enjoyable experience.Adjustable louvres and retractable awnings are the most popular shade structures due to the flexibility they provide. They give the user the option of having sun or shade, particularly handy in smaller spaces where the area needs to be versatile.
AUTOMATION
Home automation and smartphone connectivity continue to become more affordable and easier to use, so it’s little wonder people are more inclined to install these systems. In pools, this can mean easier cleaning and heating, easier management of lighting and water features, or simply the ability to control a filtration system remotely.Home automation systems often include centralised control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors, and other systems to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security. Automation systems can be integrated with garden lighting to create exciting night-time shows in the garden or living areas that are in sync with whatever music is playing.
PLANTS
At A Total Concept, we have noticed plant styles are changing and we’re using more eclectic planting styles as well as mixing different styles together. The lines between traditional and modern are being blurred so that it is now acceptable to mix various looks and incorporate aspects of both. For example, a tropical garden using a haphazard mix of bamboo and palms as background planting may be mixed with formal-style border planting.Homeowners want to use their outdoor spaces all year, so plants that provide year-round appeal are on trend. The variegated foliage of Mother-inlaw’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata), the interesting bark of a Leopard tree (Caesalpinia ferrea), the swollen sculptural stems of Buddha Belly bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris ‘Wamin’) and the vivid purple foliage of Ajuga reptans ‘Bronze Burgundy’ can provide year-round colour and interest.
ECO FRIENDLY
In the last few years, our clients have become more interested in selecting energy- and water-saving devices and designs. There are numerous simple options that do not necessarily add substantially to the cost of a project.A rainwater tank is one of the most obvious additions to a garden project and the collected water may be used for toilets, irrigation for lawns and gardens and pool top-up. Other on-trend ways to create a more sustainable and eco-friendly garden are incorporating a drip-irrigation system (minimal water loss as opposed to a spray system), drought-tolerant plants and endemic species, and deep-mulching gardens (which restricts water loss).
Design decisions can also affect environmentally friendly gardens, particularly when it comes to swimming pools, which typically use a lot of energy. For example, choosing a northern aspect for the pool location is the best way for the pool to be heated naturally by the sun. Also, dark colour choices for the pool interior and surrounding paving can also trap heat, whereas light colours cool things down. Surrounding a pool with a hedge planting of lilly pillies or cupressus will provide a windbreak to retard heat loss and wind evaporation to a pool area. A pool cover can also be easily incorporated to restrict water loss from the pool and retain heat from the heating system.
Rocks and soil from excavation works can be reused on site in gardens, lawns and levelling, and excavated rock may be used for forming materials. More natural options to filter swimming pools are also gaining popularity; homeowners are not only looking for more environmentally friendly options, but are also more conscious of their own health and looking after their skin and eyes.
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