5 Features to Include in Your New Home

by | Aug 8, 2014 | blog, DIY Tips, Home

eclectic-bedroom-with-wooden-floating-bed-frame-with-white-mattress-with-sleek-rug-and-wooden-nightstand

Are you thinking of building a new home? Whether you’re building an spacious and comfortable country house or an inner-city townhouse, there are certain features to keep in mind while you’re designing your new residence.

From staples of modern interior design such as open-plan kitchens and living spaces to oft neglected design features such as skylights and interior daylighting, we’ve put together a list of five great features to include in your new home.

Open-plan living spaces

While open-plan bedrooms and bathrooms aren’t favourites of ours (we featured both of them on our list of five features not to include in your new home) an open-plan kitchen and living room combo is a timeless favourite.

Opening up your living room, kitchen and dining area allows you to enjoy a more spacious, comfortable place to spend your time. It also makes entertaining a great deal easier, since the barriers between these spaces are largely eliminated.

Better yet, open-plan kitchens, dining areas and living spaces allow natural light to easily flow through your home. This makes your entire living space feel a lot more spacious and comfortable, giving you a far nicer place to spend your time.

Walk-in closets and storage

When you’re building your own home, the sky (and your budget) is the limit. One of the best features in modern interior design is the walk-in closet – something that we believe should be a staple of every modern master bedroom.

Walk-in closets give you more storage space for clothing, footwear and more. They also give you convenient storage for boxes, heirlooms and other items that are best kept close by in case you ever need to access them.

Better yet, the air circulation of a walk-in closet prevents mould and mildew from forming and destroying your clothing. From comfort to clothing care, there are no downsides to a walk-in closet for your master or guest bedroom.

Naturally lit living spaces

Did you know that artificial lighting makes you feel more fatigued, less attentive and significantly less comfortable. Research, particularly from Mirjam Münch, indicates a significant link between exposure to artificial light and poor focus and comfort.

Natural light, on the other hand, provides you with essential Vitamin D – one of the most important vitamins for fighting disease. It also makes you feel more energised, focused and comfortable within your home or workspace.

When you’re designing your living area, focus on maximising the amount of natural light that you’re exposed to. Large windows, glass doors and other features make it easy to fill your living room with warm, comfortable natural light during the day.

Bedroom and bathroom skylights

Don’t let natural light stop at your living room. Adding skylights to your bedrooms and bathrooms allows you to maximise the amount of natural light you can spread throughout your home during the daytime.

In the bathroom, a skylight lets you effortlessly light the entire space without having to worry about privacy. Adding blinds to your skylight also makes it easy to control the amount of light that flows inside to make your space exceptionally comfortable.

Likewise, skylights allow your bedrooms to be lit throughout the day, no matter the direction of the sun. Instead of waking up to an alarm clock, keep your skylight open and wake up to natural sunlight gently flowing into your bedroom every morning.

Beautiful shelving and storage

One of the most frequently forgotten aspects of interior design is shelving. Without adequate shelving and storage, even the most beautiful interior will quickly become overrun with books, DVDs and other possessions.

When you’re designing your flat pack house, make sure you allow plenty of storage and shelving space. A good rule of thumb is to include at least one storage area for every bedroom, living space, kitchen and hallway in your home.

For shelving, make sure every bedroom and living space has enough shelving for your books, DVDs and other items. Unused shelving can easily be filled with small items and antiques to give your new home character and unique style.

Read through our useful guide for more information

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