Make it Work; Design Must-Dos When Building on a Narrow Block

There’s no denying that land is becoming increasingly harder to come by, and is continuing to go up in value, every day. Because of this, many Australians are unable to afford large blocks of land and instead are looking for ways to make the home of their dreams work with the limited space available. 

In this blog, we will discuss some of our favourite tips and tricks on how to maximise space, create illusions of the eye and style your home to make blocks of land, as small as 7.1 metres wide, feel roomier than ever! 

Open up your home?

Opting for open plan living may seem obvious, however, it is crucial when you’re looking to create more space and a better flowing layout for your home. Ditch the dividing walls and choose sliding/foldable doors that completely open up to ensure you’re making the most out of valuable space. The best and most popular way to do this is with a room that blends into a kitchen, dining room, living space and onto an alfresco area. Bonus tip: We advise steering clear of long hallways, as they can make your space seem closed in and small.

Height over width

When we talk about height, we don’t necessarily mean a double-story design, adding height to a home can simply come from your ceilings. High ceilings are not only a stunning feature, but they can actually make a room feel and look bigger. Selecting specific rooms for added height will draw the eye up and distract from any width that may be lacking from your home. The entryway, kitchen and living spaces are the ideal rooms to opt for high ceilings when designing your home. So what’s standard and what’s a luxury when talking ceilings? Roughly 2.4m is the standard ceiling height for most homes in Australia, the closer you get to 3m, the more grandiose your home can seem. 

Mirror mirror on the wall

The ultimate illusion… mirrors! After you’ve done what you can in the planning stages of your house, strategically using mirrors throughout your home when decorating will go a long way in creating more light and the illusion of more space. However, the placement is important. We suggest having large mirrors in tighter spaces, such as bedrooms and bathrooms (an obvious one we know), as well as utilising them opposite from sources of natural light to bounce light back into a room.

Let there be light

With smaller homes, there’s no such thing as too much natural light! Therefore, when designing your home, windows, glassed doors and skylights are going to be your best friend. If placed correctly throughout your home, they are an easy way to generate a sense of openness and the illusion of a roomier home footprint. Bonus tip: Choose a lighter colour scheme for your home as darker walls, countertops, etc. can make a space feel smaller.

Understanding the market and the demand for clever design, suited to smaller blocks, Crystele Homes carefully crafted a collection of homes that maximise every ounce of space available on narrow frontage lots.

To find out more about our most innovative collection yet, explore our Creative Collection range and discover how you gain everything and miss out on nothing. Or if you’d like to have more of a say in the layout of your forever home, contact us today to start the design process.