Building your dream home can be an equally exciting and daunting process. It is a serious commitment and a bold financial move. While building a new home can seem like a big task, it is definitely worth your time and money.
Anyone who’s gone through the process will tell you that all the hard work, chopping and changing of plans, the contracts and the unexpected twists and turns are all worth it in the end. Why? Because you’ve got the place you’ve always dreamt of.
However, taking that first step towards creating a home begins and ends with the design. Whether it’s walking through the door and instantly feeling comfortable or feeling a sense of achievement from seeing all your design choices come together, there is something special about designing your dream home.
Ensuring the design is everything you dreamed of can be both complex and time consuming. Creating a custom house design checklist will simplify the process and ensure you don’t forget anything important. Luckily, the professionals at Meridian Homes are here to help, every step of the way.
Here is a short checklist for your dream home design that will give you peace of mind and guide you through the entire process to turn your vision into a reality.
1. Create a plan and set a budget
Before construction on your dream house can begin, you must be able to visualise what it will look like. This will dictate the outcome of every decision you make. Consulting home design books, blogs, magazines and browsing display homes are great ways to seek inspiration. You don’t need any fancy software or design applications to begin making decisions. Use pencil and paper to sketch your home design ideas and record the features you want in each room of your new home.
Setting a budget is an important tool in ensuring you don’t empty your wallet when designing your dream home. Determining whether you want a single-storey or two- storey home, minimalist, traditional or luxury residence will enable you to organise your finances and avoid unnecessary stress.
2. Consider your lifestyle
Do you have or plan on having children in the coming years? Do you intend on regularly entertaining family and friends? Are you considering operating your own business out of your home? These are the questions you must consider before designing your dream house. Also, take note of which rooms are used in day-to-day life and where the ‘traffic jams’ occur in your current home. Balancing style with functionality is critical in the design process and it’s important to get it right.
3. Prioritise features
Once your ideas are recorded and your vision is in place, begin prioritising features for your new home. When designing your own place, you can easily exceed a budget by getting overexcited and letting your fancies run amok. In today’s market, there are so many luxuries to choose from. It’s important to remain realistic and prioritise the most important aspects of your design.
4. Showcase your favourite features
If you already know where your custom house will be situated, consider the topography, size and features of your block. Embrace the features which will make your dream home unique. For example, if your house will overlook a naturescape, consider facing the living room towards the feature so that family members or guests can enjoy the view. At Meridian Homes, we’re happy to accommodate customisations to our home designs to help you achieve your dream home.
5. Consider function and flow
As you begin playing with various rooms and decide where each one will be located, consider how your final design will flow and visualise how your family might function in each living space. For example, ensure you place the bedrooms away from communal areas of the house to minimise noise and distraction in sleeping areas. Likewise, if your family is the type to gravitate towards the kitchen, an open floor plan allowing excellent flow between the living room, kitchen and dining room will suit you well.
6. Embrace natural light
Not only does natural light lower your electricity bill and improve the interior lighting of your home, but it is also a healthy and natural way to enjoy the indoors. Natural light brings warmth and Vitamin D, helping to make rooms comfortable and cosy, even in those chilly winter months. Studies suggest that improving the interior lighting of a home can help people recover from oversleeping, overeating and energy loss. Therefore, it is important for people to embrace natural light when designing their dream home. Implementing skylights and windows wherever possible can be a great way to maximise natural light and improve both the aesthetics and liveability of a space.
7. Contact a custom home builder
The choice of contractor can make or break your dream home design. Choosing a reputable custom home builder is critical and will largely dictate the success of your project. To get the most out of their expertise, you must provide the correct guidance and information. Communicate with your builder to ensure they’re on the same page and that your needs are met. Check the details and request an accurate floorplan of the house to help you visualise the design and layout of your future home. As long as you’ve chosen the right builder who is honest and meets your expectations, building your dream house will give you a space where you can create countless family memories for years to come.
8. Trust the process
When you’re working on the design of your dream home with a qualified builder that has years of experience, your project should become streamlined and much less stressful. Talk with your dream house building team about each step of the process. Ask questions when needed and trust that they have it under control. No building process goes 100% according to plan, and occasionally you’ll have to make a few compromises along the way. Concentrate on cooperating with the building team and establishing a positive working relationship. You’ll be surprised at how well things can go!
Contact a professional at Meridian Homes to find out more about our home designs and find one that suits you.