Design Tips for Small Blocks of Land
Given the increase of living prices as well as an increasing number of high rise developments, small blocks of land are becoming more common and popular. The smaller blocks allow for the population to keep growing and for more families to be situated in areas where they are close to popular amenities. Knowing how to maximise the space will allow you to create the home of your dreams.
Open-plan living
To make your home feel larger than it is, you want to focus on creating an open spacious living plan. This isn’t a new concept, and may well be something you have incorporated into previous homes. Creating an open space not only makes the room feel bigger but also utilises all the natural light available. It’s important that you don’t feel as though you are living on top of each other and therefore making what was once considered a ‘small area’ seem so much larger. Consider creating a connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces. A small alfresco space or even a narrow side walkway creates an inviting, low maintenance space and means you can open up the space to let natural air and light into the home. Check out the various custom home designs that Lofty offers with examples of included open living plans.
Build up
The addition of a second level to your house is undoubtedly going to be an effective use of space. However, if this is not possible there are other options you can consider including; higher ceilings, large windows and skylights. These features create the illusion of more space and make the home feel more open. When combined with an open plan living and connected outdoor space it really does fully utilise the space you do have. Another feature you could introduce is sliding doors as they dont take up any additional space when being opened and closed.
Be clever with your storage spaces
When building a home on a smaller block the focus is always going to be on the functional rooms, so your bedroom, bathrooms and living spaces. However, the importance of storage is often forgotten about and you don’t want to be surrounded by all your belongings making the home feel smaller again. Look at incorporating more storage areas to reduce clutter and optimise the use of small nooks within your home. The corners of rooms where a cupboard would take up too much room may be perfect for some open shelves or hooks depending on the room and the storage needed.
