29 Oct Building The Perfect Family Home
A home cannot simply be stylish and modern. It has to suit your lifestyle and serve the needs of your family with a functional, family-friendly home design. If you’re a young family or are hoping to become one soon, there may be a number of interior design elements you haven’t considered – such as how to make hazardous places (like the kitchen and bathroom) safer for young children, where best to locate the bedrooms, and how can you create an outdoor space ideal for play and exercise.
At Linear, we’ve had the privilege of building plenty of wonderful family homes ideal for a young, growing family. Keep reading to find out our tips for building a wonderful family home.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is often the hub of the home, where families cook, share meals, and just generally spend a lot of time together. While you want to ensure this is a space that accommodates gathering, you also want to make sure it’s safe for young children, as there can be plenty of hazards (including sharp utensils and hot, burning surfaces). You’ll want to make sure this space is crafted with a family-friendly kitchen design. Make sure your kitchen benches and kitchen islands are at a high height that small children cannot reach on their own. This will help you avoid accidents and keep prying fingers away from the food.
The selection of appliances will also be a factor in the overall safety of your kitchen. A major item of consideration should be your cooktop. There are three main types of cooktops to choose from – gas, ceramic and induction. Both gas and ceramic cooktops will hold heat for long periods after cooking is over, whereas an induction cooktop drops in temperature almost immediately after the pots and pans are removed from the top. Gas flames can also release small amounts of contaminants such as nitrous dioxide, which can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory conditions. Minor considerations might be to entertain the installation of individual thermostat controls on hot water outlets in chosen locations to avoid the potential for scalding.
The Bathroom
With plenty of wet surfaces, a bathroom can easily become a space for trips, falls and slips. Thankfully, there are plenty of family-friendly bathroom design ideas that can help mitigate these risks. You should install no-slip strips on the bottom of the bathtub and think about getting a toilet lid lock. When deciding on your cabinets, you should consider installing ones with are high on the wall, so little kids cannot get into any toiletries or electrical appliances.
It might also be worth opting for a bathroom design that includes a separate bathtub and shower, as well as a bathroom in a separate room. This way you’ll be better able to supervise your children and attend to their washing and toilet needs.
As with the kitchen, there is an opportunity to install a thermostat control on all hot water outlets in the bathroom.
Another consideration might be to install toughened glass where possible. Toughened glass is a safety glass processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared to normal glass. The prime function of any toughened glass is to ensure that if it is broken for whatever reason, it breaks safely.
The Backyard
It’s so important to have a spacious, green area for kids to run around, play sports and have fun. Think about designing a space that prioritises lawn over concrete, as concrete is a hard surface that can cause injury in the event of a fall. If the yard is to have retaining walls with a drop on the other side, it might pay to entertain the need for a barrier, which may also need to be non-climbing.
Other family-friendly garden designs include a pool with a shallow area and a self-closing lockable gate. If the pool will be located adjacent to the neighbouring properties, all fences will need to be non-climbable. Any existing hard structures, plants, or trees adjoining a potential pool will need to be considered as these could be deemed a point of access to enter the gated pool enclosure.
Other considerations include a verandah with plenty of shade, and ensuring that your backyard is secured and private with extensive fencing. This will ensure that you’re able to enjoy the lovely outdoors with your family with little stress!
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Looking to build a beautiful new home suitable for young children? Get in touch with Linear today!