subject: The 21st Century Family Home [print this page] In the 21st century, what is a family, and what is a family home? How have house plans kept up with the changing styles of the Australian family, and how do they suit your needs today?
Certain trends are very obvious. Falls in birth rates have reversed recently, and families are getting a little bigger again. This is also affected by single parents with children forming relationships and creating "blended" families. The effect on new home design has been dramatic.
In simple terms, family homes are getting bigger. Lot sizes have fallen, in response to land shortage, but homes have grown, and today it is not at all unusual to see new homes with minimal garden around them, and every spare inch of the land used for the "building envelope". It's easy to see why. If the number of people in a family is growing, so more people will need somewhere quiet to sit and think or study, a variety of leisure spaces are needed (unless everyone wants to listen to the same Nintendo game) and the home has more demands placed on it generally: for example, more bathrooms are a growing feature of all new homes, even home designs for narrow blocks.
It's important to think about what type of family you are before plumping for one design over another. Do you do a lot of formal entertaining, for example? Then you'll want a discrete dining room, and somewhere to banish the kids to while you serve a lovely meal to your guests. Two storey homes often provide a sensible solution for many families, because one half of the team can disappear upstairs while the others use the living hub or dining area. Many double storey homes have a separate leisure area upstairs for exactly this reason.
Even smart, spacious single storey homes now sometimes offer a separate leisure area nestled in the "additional bedroom" section, and well away from the Master suite, too.
It's all about rubbing along well together, with a minimum of friction. If you've ever had people queuing to use a bathroom for that big night out, you'll know. Unlike trying to sort out priorities in a secondhand home, no matter how nice it is, new houses can be configured from scratch with an attractive ensuite attached to every bedroom if you wish. Just watch the smile on a teenager's face when you tell them that.
New home design will continue to evolve with the changing needs of Australian families. One thing is for sure, the dream of owning your own brand new dream home, where everything is just perfect, will never die.
by: Nellie Daniels
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