The home building process
Planning a Home for a Growing Family
If you have a little one on the way, are onto your third or are simply thinking about the future — there are a whole range of things to consider before planning a new home for your growing family, to ensure you and the kids can live together in harmony.
Kids Can Be Noisy
As much as you love them, kids are noisy creatures and you’re going to need some quiet space. When planning your new home, consider where your living spaces are situated.
Ensure you have a peaceful place to escape to when the kids are busy playing video games or chasing each other around the house. Whether it’s for some quiet reading, an important phone call or just somewhere to enjoy a glass of wine — every parent needs some alone time!
Storage Solutions
Books, games consoles, toys, clothes — it’s amazing how much stuff kids can accumulate. To avoid having your house look like a daycare centre, you will want to consider strategically placed storage solutions in rooms where these items will end up to make it as easy as possible to keep your home looking somewhat ‘adult’.
Kitchen
Your kitchen is a hive of activity, and with an increasing amount of mouths to feed (and their friends!), you want to ensure it is as user-friendly as possible. Large, open-plan kitchens allow you more space to move around when you have little ones running around at your feet, while adding a breakfast bar will mean that you can keep an eye on the kids as they eat while continuing to prepare food for yourself and partner.
Outdoor space
There’s no doubt that modern-day families spend a huge proportion of their time attached to various technology, but there’s no replacement for a good ol’ game of backyard fun. Kids love spending time outdoors, particularly during the lovely Australian summer months, so it’s important that you ensure they have a safe environment to explore and play; and as they get older, they’ll most likely take up a sport, which they’ll want to practice in the backyard.
Kids are messy
Let’s face it, kids make a lot of mess at every age, so when planning your home you want to make it as easy as possible to clean up that mess. For example, carpets can create a cosy, homely feel but can be difficult to keep clean when you have kids with muddy shoes and crayons. Wooden and vinyl floors can easily be cleaned, and you can always add a few rugs to cosy things up.
Do you have any tips for planning a family-friendly home? Browse our range of homes that have been designed specifically for growing families.
