10 steps to design success
Rebecca Foster gives her top tips on how to plan a house that delivers exactly what you want
Above: Designed by PAD Studio, this coastal home was inspired by the character and scale of fishermen’s buildings nearby. The house hunkers down into the site to create a feeling of privacy for occupants
LATITUDE 50
For most people embarking on a self build project, the key attraction is the result –a bespoke home that’s carefully tailored to your needs. While the prospect of getting involved with the build phase might be enticing, it’s vital to spend plenty of time at the design stage before diving in on site. This way, you’ll end up with a house that achieves your goals.
1 Clarify your goals
If you’ve set your sights on self building, you’re probably going into it with a good idea of the lifestyle you want and how the house should facilitate it. However, it won’t hurt to spend some time reflecting on these goals so you can formulate a clear vision of what your future house should be like. For instance, are you downsizing to a smaller home that’s easier to maintain for your retirement? Or, do you want a spacious family abode that can easily accommodate friends and relatives when they come to stay?
As a starting point, it might help to think about what your current house fails to deliver. If you’re always running out of space to stash books and work papers, for example, a home office with plenty of storage might be a top priority. If you feel cut off from the rest of the family while you’re preparing dinner, an open-plan kitchen-diner could be the goal.