Building a new home can be an exciting, and daunting, experience. As you can imagine, when you start the build process there’s a multitude of decisions ahead.
However, there’s a few simple ways to begin the journey that will help you create the home of your dreams. Firstly, ask yourself two questions:
- When I think of “home” I think of or picture …
- In my new home I envisage being … or doing …
Don’t overthink. Just answer simply. Write down your answers in a notebook you can keep handy for recording your new home ideas. If you find a picture that matches add it in. If you prefer using a digital notebook create sections for different rooms of the house and add words and images. In this way you begin to develop a more concise idea of what you want achieve in your new home build.
For instance, when I think of home I think of my Granddad’s baking and flowers on the table, Mum’s lasagne and noisy chatter, and curling up on the couch for a movie night. These memories bring me great joy. So, in a new home build I definitely want space for lots of family and friends to gather. This would be a priority in my budget. I need to remember catering for everyone will mean I need a large oven, decent bench for prep and serving (buffet style) as well as room a big fridge, or two! Looking back on these memories I can picture the rooms we were in. I always preferred homes with blue tones in paint, light timbers over dark, and adding softness in a room through textiles. Having lots of natural light and windows that give you the feeling of bringing the outside in makes me smile.
In building a new home, apart from gathering with family and friends, I envisage taking long soaking baths and gardening. For me there’s nothing like seeing plants grow, especially when all the flowers are blooming and the birds and bees visit my garden. To be in nature everyday is good for my overall wellbeing.
As you can see, by asking two simple questions you can easily create pictures of what to incorporate into your dream home so you can live the life you desire. But understanding your lifestyle desires you can then identify your budget priorities. This will help bring clarity in your decision making process and ensure you make wise investments in your new home and your future.
TIP: I suggest you and your partner do this activity separately at first and then come together and discuss. It’s likely some things you will have in common and others will be personal. As you take time to listen to one another you can identify priorities for your new home to meet both your needs. A note of caution, if you have children who will live at home they might have some thoughts or suggestions but remember, this is your dream home. Your children’s room can reflect who they are but one day they will “leave the nest” to build their own homes. You need to curate spaces that make you happy. Your joy and sense of “being home” will be what creates that feeling for the whole family.
