General House Design Checklist

So, you are seriously considering designing and building a new home. Where do you go from here? Should you use an architect or designer? Do you have an existing set of plans? Can you select a set of plans from a magazine or plan book? Will these plans meet your needs? What is your budget? All these questions and more need to be answered before you begin the exciting process of building or renovating your home.

If you work with an architect or designer they will be able to work through these questions with you, and create an initial conceptual design. Each new home offers varied challenges and problems depending on your personality, the location of the plot, your budget and your lifestyle.

Forming A Design Brief

Before designers can begin the design process for your home, it is necessary for them to have as much information about your needs, tastes and objectives as you do. The design brief then encapsulates your objectives in a few sentences. Clippings from magazines, photos of houses you have seen, lists of spaces you require and their sizes are useful to collect to provide inspiration and ideas. The Design Checklist below will help you in this process.

Design Checklist

House Plan

• Size - what size home do you need?
• Rooms - what rooms do you need and how big do they need to be?
• Do you ever work from home?
• Do you entertain often and if so, is it formal or informal?
• Do you have frequent house guests?
• Do you have hobbies which require special considerations?
• Do you anticipate any changes in your lifestyle or living arrangements that could affect the way your home functions?
• Is re-sale a major consideration?

Floor Plan

• Do you favour one, two or three storey designs?
• Do you prefer formal or informal room layouts?
• Do certain parts of the house require more privacy than others?
• Do some spaces have dual uses?
• Do you need integral or detached garaging?

General Character

• Is there a particular period or vernacular house style you would like to adapt?
• What character does the house project from outside; from inside?
• How is the house approached?
• How do the major spaces of the house interrelate with the garden?
• Is privacy important for outdoor spaces?
• Do you garden or do you dislike exterior maintenance?
• Which views/aspects are most important to you?
• Will you have a pool or tennis court?
• What is the aspect of your land in relation to the sun?

Budget

• How much do you want to spend?
• Does this include interior design, furnishing, landscaping, and amenities such as pools?

If you are trying to select an existing plan from a magazine or plan book, the design brief will be the same. The only difference is that you will be trying to select an existing plan which meets your requirements. Again, the Design Checklist will help you to understand your needs.

Working closely with your architect or designer at this stage will ensure both you and they understand exactly what is expected and desired of your new home. Don't hesitate to voice any concerns over the design - it is, after all, your house and it will not hurt the designer's feelings if you decide that you do not like something he/she has suggested.

The Floorplan

Your ideas will be synthesised into an initial floorplan. In this schematic layout, you need to ensure the room layout meets your needs. Then imagine yourself in the home as you move through, from room to room. Traffic patterns will tell you a great deal about the 'live-ability' of the floorplan. Then back up and look at each room as a space - what will it look like when you are in it? What will it look like looking into it? Living in it? Mentally 'walk through' the floorplan.

Ensure that the needs of all the family members are taken into account in the floorplan. This may mean catering for individuals that want private space, as well as allowing for the family to draw together. Here are a few ideas worth considering:

The Entrance Hall

The first impression is created by this. In many developer built homes, this space is usually sacrificed. However, a large hall can give the whole house an air of spaciousness. The hall is the ideal place to use a gallery or cathedral ceiling. If you have the space, consider making a feature of the stairs; they can be staged, swept, turned or galleried. A popular idea in many individual homes is to have a 'dining hall' - a combination of the under-used dining room and hall. Offset with an open fireplace, a dining hall can be reminiscent of Tudor manor houses.

The Social Centre

An entertaining/gathering place away from private or working areas of the house is essential. In many older, historical houses (Georgian/Queen Anne/Victorian) this was always a separate drawing room. In an open plan layout, a reception area can be defined by using a change in floor or ceiling height, or in floor covering. Easy access from the entertaining area to the dining area without circulating through family or cooking areas may be necessary.

The Family Room

It is often a good idea to position this near the kitchen, so whoever is cooking can interact with the family. In many homes this will also double up as the children's play area. In an open plan layout, this area can be located next to the kitchen area, separated by a breakfast bar. If the house is to have a patio or garden access, it is convenient to provide direct access from the family room.

The Study/Hobby Room

Located in either a quiet corner downstairs or, increasingly, off the master bedroom, a study doubles up as a quite retreat and somewhere to work.

The Playroom

Either a separate room or an area in a larger room, it is a good idea to dedicate some space for the children to take their friends, make a mess and leave their toys. For younger children this should be located in earshot/sight of the kitchen/family room. Older children may want their own area of the house, perhaps an attic or the room above the garage.

Kitchen & Utility Areas

The kitchen is one of the most important areas of the house - and one which developers usually squash down to the smallest possible size. Give your kitchen space careful thought. It may be worth consulting a kitchen designer. As for location of the kitchen in the floorplan, it should be positioned near to the entertaining areas; perhaps positioned to take advantage of the morning sunlight. A separate ante-room, boot room or mud room before the back door is very popular. This may double as the utility area. Perhaps include a 'living' part of the kitchen - with comfy sofas, TV, next to the family eating area.

Bedrooms

It is well worth dedicating some extra space to the master bedroom. In addition to the now almost obligatory en-suite bathroom, many individual homes now include walk-in dressing areas, twin sinks, a separate shower room, private sitting area and study.

A guest suite is another popular feature, positioned away from the family bedrooms to afford guests some privacy. If space allows it should also include its own private en-suite bathroom. Children's rooms sometimes share a bathroom, located between the rooms.

Built In Flexibility

The ideal floorplan takes into account the changing needs of its occupants and allows flexibility for the plan to adapt to meet future requirements. For instance, a suite of rooms on the ground floor may be designed so as to allow a kitchenette and WC to be added later to form an independent annex for an elderly parent. The roof structure can also be designed in such a way as to allow for future accommodation.

Once you have allocated the rooms, you can begin to think about storage, lighting, positioning of power sockets, TV and telephone points. Remember, it is always more cost effective to make provisions now rather than discover they are needed towards the end of the project.

The design process is one of the most fun stages involved in building your home. It is your chance to get exactly what you want, where you want. It is a chance for self-expression, to create a home that will say something about you, your family and your lifestyle.

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