Real estate today is at a premium, especially in urban locations. Therefore, most offerings do not offer a lot of space. Despite this, a lot of folks are making whatever they have work through smart and innovative home designs.
Narrow houses, particularly, are the common real estate provisions in big cities. Homes that are just 10 feet wide (in London, there is even a home that is just seven feet wide but it is selling for £1 million) are popular options for singles and couples. However, families are able to live large in such dwellings as well.
How to Make a Narrow 2-Storey Home Spacious Enough for Your FamilyWhen you are working with a skinny space, function should always be the top priority. It is imperative to make every square foot count in supporting the activities at home. This does not mean, however, that style should be secondary.
Rather, every implement should be a balanced marriage of beauty and utility. This is actually what reputable 2-storey home builders specialise in.
They make sure that despite the shape and size of the property, residents would not feel like their quality of life is compromised.
Thus, if your property investment is narrow and you feel like the living spaces are nothing but hallways, it certainly helps to turn to home builders that are experts in space-saving designs. This way, everything you need for a comfortable and convenient life can fit into your home in reliably functional and stylish way.
The Best Space-Saving Solutions for Narrow HomesTo make the living areas of your narrow home feel airy and open, these are some of the best design implements or ideas to use:
These always work better for narrow homes because they open without eating up too much space, unlike swing door s. Also, they provide a much sleeker look.
The only setback with some sliding doors such as barn doors is they do not shut out sounds as effectively as conventional options.
- Find more use out of vertical space
Typically the spaces in "high" locations are left vacant. But for narrow homes, they should be used more effectively for comfortable movement around the house.
Placing shelves, cabinets, and additional windows in those locations will provide storage that can free up floor space and enhance indoor illumination.
- Opt for recessed shelves
For skinny spaces, it is always better to do little with protrusions. So, if it's possible to make shelves go "into" the walls, this will create a more streamlined design that can ensure comfortable movement within the home.
- Make implements multifunctional.
Say, you need a divider wall to clearly define the different spaces in the house. Get more use out of that wall through thoughtful design. It can serve as extra storage with recessed shelves. Or, it can hold a fold-out table for an "instant" home office for your living room.
There are home builders that can even build wine holders and spice racks into room dividers.
The main idea here is to determine how to increase the functionality of anything that you desire to be added to the house.
- Find strategic locations for skylights.
Natural lighting is one of the secrets to making narrow homes deceptively spacious. Among the main issues with narrow homes are the limited options for window installations because two walls serve as dividers for two separate real estate properties.
Windows are most homes' sources of natural light. If you cannot have a lot of them, your home will be dark if you do not turn on your electric lights.
But, don't you worry because if you wish to save energy and take advantage of natural light during the day, you can have skylights installed to make up for the lack of windows around the house.
For 2-storey homes, you want to make sure that the illumination from the skylights is not limited to the second floor of the house. Builders can determine the most beneficial placements for these implements.
They likewise can come up with an improvisational design for your home to maximise the natural illumination skylights provide.
All in all...
A narrow 2-storey dwelling does not mean cramped living for its homeowners. It can be just as cosy and visually delightful despite its shape and size.
The key here is to work with established professionals who have the expertise in building narrow residential structures. You need their craftsmanship to outwork whatever limitations you see with the building.
Otherwise, the project of maximising the space you have can turn bad fast.
When it comes to beautiful and functional designs for narrow homes, Danmar Homes are among the best in Australia. This Perth-based home building company has been creating wonderful designs for both luxury and scaled-down abodes.
If you need the most trusted professionals in the industry build your home, get in touch with Danmar Homes through its website and chat with a member of the Danmar team.
AUTHOR BIOBen White is the Sales & Marketing Manager of Danmar Homes. He has had a passion for home construction from an early age as he grew up in construction and followed in the footsteps of his parents. At Danmar, we believe in building great homes of value for families that want to build an asset and their financial future through housing and developments.
