Are you planning to build a home in the near future? Whether it’s your first home or your dream home after years of saving, the design is the most crucial aspect. NZ home designs come in all shapes and sizes, meaning there’s always something to perfectly suit your needs. But knowing what you need for your unique lifestyle is integral to getting a home you absolutely love. Let’s look at the different home designs no matter what stage of life you’re in.
Why does lifestyle matter when looking at NZ home designs?
Everybody wants a certain level of comfort. After all, having a roof over your head is a basic human right. But remember, building your own home is one of the biggest financial investments you’ll ever make. Plus, you’ll dedicate plenty of your life to working and paying off your mortgage. So, with so much invested, you want more than basic comfort.
The liveability of a home always depends on your lifestyle. A simple, easy-to-manage home may be perfect for busy young professionals. However, a large family wouldn’t get the same level of comfort from a smaller home. As a result, it’s extremely important to choose a house design that really suits your needs.
Of course, you can always renovate and add extensions as your needs change, but from a financial perspective, you don’t want to do that within the first 10 years of owning a new home. Ideally, you’ll know what life holds for the next decade and build a home that fits your needs now and into the future.
So, let’s take a look at the different stages of life and the house styles that might suit you best.
NZ home designs for couples
As a couple with no children, you’ve really got all the options in the world when it comes to designing a home. For example, you could get away with fewer bedrooms and larger living areas or an entertainment room. If you’ve got an active social life, you might want a beautiful outdoor entertaining area to impress your guests.
However, if you’re a young couple planning a family, you’ll need to keep this in mind. Will this happen in the next 5-10 years? If so, you should ensure you’ve got ample bedroom space, multiple play areas and a nice outdoor space for kids to play. So, your needs will be a little different than a couple who hasn’t had children or has no intention of doing so.
Designs for young families
Young families generally need a lot of space to avoid feeling cramped. Bedrooms are the obvious consideration here, and you’ll need as enough for the number of children you have, unless of course, they’ll be sharing rooms. Living areas should be spacious for kids’ activities, and you’ll probably want a nice outdoor area for the adults to enjoy their precious downtime.
It’s likely you’ll have at least one vehicle, and there will be plenty of kid’s toys, bikes and other things that can easily fill a double garage. Another consideration for families with young children is access. Ideally, you’ll want to stay away from stairs unless it’s unavoidable, especially when it comes to entry access. Trying to juggle kids, bags, shopping and everything else in the rain is never much fun, so opting for some internal garage access is a great idea.
NZ home designs for downsizing
We often think about new home builds from the point of view of young growing families or first homes for couples. But what about at the other end of life? If your children have grown up and flown the nest, you might find you don’t need all the space you’ve had. In fact, looking after a larger home just becomes a hassle when you could be doing better things with your retirement.
As a result, many people consider downsizing as they get older, which is not only productive financially but helps them enjoy their leisure time more. Fewer bedrooms, smaller gardens to maintain and easy level access are the key components of a downsized home. You could sell your existing home, build a brand-new home that’s a bit smaller but packed with modern conveniences, and still probably walk away with some money in your hand.
Homes for entertaining
The folks who love entertaining also need a mention here, because often their NZ home designs can look a lot different than a standard home. For the more social among you, space is the big-ticket item, both inside and out. One of the foundations of a great entertainer’s home is an alfresco dining area with weather protection.
But the inside is important too. People who love entertaining usually prefer open-plan designs, with plenty of space for guests to gather. Whether it’s a large living room or even an additional dining area, entertainment room or multi-purpose room, the bigger spaces are key.
Whichever style of home suits your needs, there are NZ home designs out there to give you a comfortable life.
Need help choosing the perfect house designs in NZ?
Stonewood Homes offer a huge range of home designs to suit all lifestyles. From the bigger homes for families to smaller, low-maintenance homes for retirees, we’ve got everything. Plus, as your local NZ home builders, we also customise house plans to suit your individual needs. Contact our friendly team today and find out why so many people are choosing Stonewood Homes.
