For those who choose to have a family, it’s one of the two biggest things they’ll ever do. The other is owning a home. Here are a few tips you can use to make the most of both. 

It was once the case that designing your own home was an opportunity only experienced by a privileged few. In recent times, however, with the innovations brought about by kitset homes, crafting your dream home can be accomplished on any budget and at any stage of one’s life – including first home buyers and those wanting to start families in the near future. 

For young families, figuring out what the perfect home needs will largely revolve around what’s perfect for growing families within. This means not only creating a sanctuary for your family now, but for years to come. 

Now, of course, trying to plan for the future can seem daunting. Plans change and unknowns happen – life’s like that sometimes! However, there are a few things we’ve gathered over the years that have proven effective when creating the perfect family home. 

Define your needs, and set them against your budget

Start by listing everything you think you’d need in your home. Working from home is fast becoming the new norm, will you be needing a home office? Do you anticipate having a lot of guests visiting over the years? Will you need a guest room? Will you be needing a nursery at some point? Perhaps further down the line, you’ll need another?  

Perhaps you’ll realise that it’s not in the budget to have a dedicated room for each and every one of these specific needs – but that’s not actually a problem –  a home office can be turned into a guest room with nothing more than a mattress and a place to put it, or very easily become another bedroom, should another little one find itself on the way. What you really want to do here is ensure that your dream home can meet all your needs in some way or another.

Of course, for the most part, everyone’s specific needs are different, but there’s one thing that tends to be in constant demand – more space. You see, the thing about a growing family is, they REALLY grow – not just in terms of members, but in terms of stuff. Perhaps like many modern young folks, you’ve become a fan of minimalism. But take it from anyone who has raised a family – you’ll be acquiring a lot of toys, books, picture albums and many, many more bits and pieces over the years. So plan for it, don’t be afraid to invest in more storage space. This could be in the form of a dedicated rumpus room, an attic (or basement), and extra garage or even just more cabinetry – whichever you go with, you’ll be really grateful you thought ahead. 

Making a case for open-plan

Due to their recent(ish) burst of popularity, chances are you’re already considering an open-plan style home. And why wouldn’t you? Open-plan spaces are stylish, modern and create an open, airy atmosphere in any home. 

But there’s another benefit to the open-plan setting that lends itself particularly well for families. Look, life is busy, and this only becomes more so the case when you add more members to your clan – so when it comes to keeping up with all your day-to-day duties, squeezing in family time can seem impossible. How do open-plan spaces factor into this? 

Well, open living spaces allow you to go about important family duties in different areas of the home whilst remaining in contact with other family members. For example, you can prep dinner whilst talking to the kids as they play in the lounge, and then watch something on TV whilst the kids are put to good work on the dishes. Open-plan designs allow for the combination of getting things done whilst spending time with loved ones, and in this busy world – that’s priceless. 

Having said that, make some room for yourself

But sometimes you just need some time to yourself, or just you and the significant other. Privacy can also be a vital part of family life, so incorporate this into your home plan. If you have the space for it, you could consider making an “adults only” room – think of it as a shared man cave/she shed for just the two of you. For smaller homes, it could be something as simple as setting up a little area in your bedroom – even just a TV as something for the two of you.

The best part about designing your own home is that you can craft a bespoke sanctuary that’s truly custom-built for your needs, and your family’s. And hopefully, with the help of these tips, the same can be said for your family’s future too. 

Dreaming up your family’s perfect home? We’ll make it a reality. Get in touch with your local Trenz team here.