27/04/17

Top Tips For Functional Family Homes

Top 5 Must Haves For A Functional Family Home

A Downstairs Toilet

Anyone with little ones will be familiar with the frantic rush to unlock the door and get the kids to the bathroom before there’s an accident on the doorstep and with a downstairs toilet, frankly that’s just so much easier. Potty training is another time in life when not having to run up a flight of stairs every hour or so becomes a major advantage.

Even if you haven’t started your family yet or if the days of potty training accidents are long behind you, you can still benefit from a downstairs bathroom. When you’re entertaining guests, being able to cater to their every need on the ground floor alone, means you can shut off the upstairs of the house and spare yourself the extra tidying that comes with giving guests the full run of the house.
 

A Teenage Hideaway

We were all teenagers once and we can all remember the value of privacy and space during those moody, exam ridden school years, so a teenage hideaway can be a real benefit. This can be as simple as having a second en-suite bedroom that can give the teen of the house their own bathroom space and cut down on the morning rush to get everyone out the door on time for school and work.

Three storey living can also help to separate out the family living spaces and create that sense of distance and escapism from the rest of the house, without actually having to build a shed at the bottom of the garden. But of course that is an option if your new home is lucky enough to come with a garden that can accommodate one.

Our luxury family homes at Wharfedale in Menston are great examples of family homes that give family members their own privacy, thanks to multiple en-suite bedrooms and in houses like The Sandringham and The Highgrove, a third floor retreat.
 

A Quiet Workspace

It’s important to separate work and home to get that all important life balance just right. But that’s often easier said than done, as a busy professional it’s not uncommon to be bringing work home to help ease the pressure the next day, and of course, kids almost always have homework as well.

One way to help prevent work from taking over the home is to furnish a dedicated study space. If you have the luxury of a spare room then this is the perfect use for it, but if you don’t, making the most of large landings is simple by just adding a desk and chair. What’s key is to make sure studying or working overtime stays separate from the bedroom, which should be associated with relaxation, peace and quiet.
 

More Than One Bathroom

We’ve already covered a couple of ways in which bathrooms can be vital for functional family life, so really, any substantial family home needs at least two bathrooms if it’s going to prevent everyone getting on top of one another.
 

Lots Of Storage

It goes without saying that the more people living in a house together, the more stuff there is that needs storing somewhere, somehow. A key storage area for many family homes is the attic as it provides the perfect solution for long term storage where things that are only needed occasionally, can be kept out of sight and out of mind.

A garage is another great storage solution as well. Particularly if it is an integrated garage which allows easy access through the house. For many people this provides an opportunity to keep appliances such as washing machines and chest freezers within easy reach, but without cluttering up the kitchen.

Many new build homes now also include built in storage cupboards and even wardrobes as well to provide even more storage. And don’t underestimate the storage potential of alcoves either, as these can often accommodate bookshelves and cabinets that can provide stylish storage, without encroaching onto the open floor space of the room.

The Harewood house type at our Hampton Park development is a great example of a family home build with storage space in mind. Not only is there an integrated double garage, but there is also a utility room, downstairs cloakroom and an impressing dressing room in the master bedroom suite.
 
So, if you’re looking for a brand new family home in and around Leeds, why not take a look at some of our latest developments which feature everything from expansive 4, 5 and 6 bedroom homes, to smaller, but perfectly formed 2 and 3 bedroom homes.