Throughout New Zealand, Kiwis are increasingly building smaller homes on smaller pieces of land. But that doesn’t mean that you have to settle for less!
We recently had a chat with Architectural Designer and Sentinel Homes Taranaki Franchise Owner Andrew Kuriger about why maximising space in your new home is important, some smart solutions to increase storage and make your home feel bigger, and how thinking about maximising your space early on can make a massive difference in the long run.
Maximising space in your home starts with an understanding of you, your family, and how you’re going to live in the space you’re creating. Thinking about your lifestage, hobbies, family needs, and personal preferences all play a part in creating a space that functions according to your needs, no matter the size. As Andrew puts it, “When you're designing a home from scratch, that's when you can build a place that really works for you. When people have thought of how they live and the solutions that work for them, that’s when at the end they just go ‘that's fantastic’.”
One of the key parts of maximising your space is ensuring you have the right amount of storage, but as Andrew explains this isn’t always top of mind for a lot of people. “Sometimes storage gets thrown in as a bit of an afterthought, and people might just say, ‘well there's a little bit of a nook here where we could put some storage in’. It’s one thing when it comes to designing that I think needs to be thought through more properly. When you go to a new home and they’ve got the storage wrong it really shows.”
According to Andrew, the best way to design effective storage solutions is by thinking about the way you move in the home. “Our brains are always trying to find the shortest way from A to B, so when storage spaces are put out of the way they don't function naturally in the house. That’s why for us, we look at logical places for people to keep things that help them easily save on clutter. An example of this that’s becoming a lot more popular with us are mudrooms, especially for families with kids. It provides an easy space for things like school bags, jackets and keys right by the door, and stops the dining table or the kitchen island from becoming a dumping ground for these things.”
Being able to fit in all the elements you want in your dream home and including smart storage solutions for the things you love is clearly a big part of maximising your space, but another sometimes overlooked part is making sure you’re creating an open and relaxed environment by getting rid of dark corners and cramped spaces to provide a calming sanctuary that you love to come home to at the end of every day.
Andrew knows that there are plenty of architectural tricks and design ideas that can make your home feel a lot bigger than its footprint may show. “You can create volume through higher stud heights or light shafts with light wells to give a sense of vertical space”. Another great option that we use is to install enlarged glazing looking out over spacious outdoor areas to connect the inside to the outside. There's even a lot in play with the sense of volume around colors and how you paint walls and ceilings, dark and light, it sort of messes with your mind to make rooms feel broader or cosier which is quite cool.
New developments in maximising space and smarter solutions that work well for Kiwis are something that Andrew and the whole Sentinel team are always keeping an eye on. “We’re keen to stay at the forefront of design and build so we make sure we’re learning from people doing really well, visiting the newest showhomes, and bouncing ideas around with each other. Just trying to continually grow, understand what's new and exciting and look at how we offer better solutions.”
Andrew sees this commitment to developing and working with clients along their design journey as key in how they've been able to create affordable smaller homes that pack a big punch. “I am convinced that there's a difference between something being cheap and something being exceptional value for money, and I think the thought that goes into the way we understand our clients and the way that we think about how they live, that gives terrific value.”
Although getting more out of increasingly smaller spaces can be tricky, Andrew finds the challenge one of the more enjoyable parts of his role. “I love the challenge of a slightly more tricky site. You've really got to work a bit harder to find great solutions and get a great outcome - and those are the ones that I find quite satisfying, you know, when you've had to work a little bit harder for it.”
If you are looking to build in 2025 and want a design that maximises your section and your budget, reach out to your local Sentinel Homes team today.
Let’s get together for a free, no-pressure meeting with one of our team, at your place or ours.
We can't wait to hear your ideas!
