Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

Must-Have Features for Your South Coast Retreat

It is said that location is the Number 1 priority for your home, and by living on the stunning South Coast, you can be confident you’ve ticked that box! You have the block, and now it’s time to make the most of every single aspect of it – literally – with your stunning new architectural coastal home.

Here’s the must-have features you need to design and build your dream home to create your South Coast retreat.

Your home’s orientation

The unique location of the South Coast offers an abundance of enviable elements such as winter sun and fresh sea breezes. And you can bring these benefits to your everyday living with clever architectural design.

When it comes to light and airflow, high north facing windows capture natural light, warming your home in winter and regulating summer sunshine, while louvred glass allows moderated airflow year-round. Weather conditions can be capitalised on with cleverly formed shelters such as stone walls that protect from winter squalls and create sheltered outdoor living for all seasons.

Architectural design

By incorporating thoughtful architectural design into your home, you will enjoy the magnificent South Coast views in every part. Cathedral ceilings and atriums create dramatic spaces to take in the showstopper aspects and coastal light. Alfresco areas created on the east and west sides of your home mean you will enjoy the sunrise and sunset every day.

Great architecture also prioritises easy everyday living. Direct outside access to wet areas and outdoor showers let you rinse off the sand, while inside, discreetly placed or featured ceiling fans allow you to keep inside temperatures constant.

Bringing nature in

Coastal retreats create serene and relaxing spaces for you to enjoy, and even surrender to! By bringing nature into your South Coast home, you can enjoy these tranquil feelings every day.

Choosing natural materials for the exterior of your home, such as timber and stone, sets the scene the minute you arrive. Extending these elements into interior feature walls, floors, and ceilings extends the coastal vibe, while indoor courtyards bring so many benefits by allowing you to live next to nature.

Luxury touches

Investing in quality cabinetry throughout your coastal home elevates the way you live – from custom kitchens that extend to high ceilings, to clever pocket doors that create an abundance of space in powder rooms, to bespoke walk-in robes.

Door furniture adds a luxe touch to every room, while beautiful tapware creates a glamorous feel in ensuites and bathrooms.

Clever outdoor areas

The South Coast lets us enjoy the outdoors every day of the year, and creating beautiful and practical outdoor living is a must for your coastal retreat.

Function and form work together to create an outdoor kitchen for the resident chef that’s protected from the weather too, while built-in seating and cabinetry walls provide clever storage for cushions and pool toys. A private outdoor bathroom lets you bathe in the elements, and sheltered balconies create a reading nook or your very own yoga studio.

If you’re looking to design and build your architectural South Coast home, we would love to talk with you. At Smartbuild South Coast, we have the experience and passion to build your dream coastal home. Contact us today to start the conversation.

Architectural Homes, Blog, Coastal Living
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Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

How to Maximise Your Home’s Orientation to Create Multiple Living Spaces

For those of us who are lucky enough to live on the South Coast, we enjoy the fresh sea air and stunning views every single day. And if you’re looking to build your dream home here on the coast, you can capitalise on this incredible place we call home by bringing together stunning architectural design and excellent building methods and materials.

From inviting in the breeze, to savouring the sun rise and set, there many ways Smartbuild South Coast maximises your beautiful new home’s orientation to create clever living spaces.

Enjoyable, easy living

Working closely with your builder and architect allows you to describe the way you want to live in your home. From entertaining friends and family in an incredible kitchen with a butler’s pantry, to retreating to a relaxing master suite with a view to drink in, it’s important to set your architectural home’s design from the outset of your building journey. That way the structure of your home will incorporate the best placement of living areas and bedrooms for your lifestyle and for your block, allowing you to enjoy the views and natural light throughout the day and evening. 

Floor plan

Sweeping open plan spaces, incredible atrium ceilings, and clever zoning allow you to design your new home to take in the South Coast views from each room. You’ll enjoy every meal in the sunshine with a breakfast nook to the east and dining area to the west. Towering atriums and cathedral ceilings in living areas create mesmerising spaces and allow the light to play as fresh sea air circulates around your home. 

Designing specific areas throughout the home makes family homes all that more friendly with areas for parents to relax away from the kids who can play to their heart’s content.

Materials

Our unique environment calls for specific materials that withstand coastal conditions. Natural stone and glass survive the elements and provide stunning exterior and interior aesthetics, creating formal and casual living spaces. Natural stone walls add texture and warmth, and floor to ceiling glass illuminates spaces throughout different times of the day. Plus, interior glass creates inspiring indoor courtyard spaces that create sections within rooms without obstructing light.

Fixtures and finishings can cleverly delineate spaces by providing texture and colour differentiation. Timber flooring with a herringbone feature forms a walkway in an open plan space, and textured ceilings can continue seamlessly between indoor and outdoor areas to create the appearance of one large living space.

Outdoor spaces

Extending your living space to balconies and terraces can add another dimension to your home. Rooftop fire pits are incredible for both entertaining and relaxing, and outdoor kitchens let you enjoy long evenings. Thoughtful placement of walls and screens provide shade from summer sun and shelter from winter winds so you can enjoy your own outdoors year-round.

Smartbuild South Coast was founded on the South Coast and we work with local architects and designers who know our part of the world as well as we do. If you’re thinking about building your dream coastal home, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us today to make a start.

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Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

Everything you need to know about installing a lift in your new build

There’s a new must-have for show-stopping, architectural homes – a home elevator. Thanks to advances in technology, the home lift is no longer for the elite – just as the ensuite revolutionised homes in the twentieth century, a lift in your home is a game changer for luxe living and convenience.

To make the decision to include a lift in your new build even easier for you, we’ve done the research as to why you should consider adding an elevator to your home.

From a structural point of view, lifts can make an architectural statement and level up your home’s design. The material you choose for your lift makes a statement. From shining chrome to polished copper features on the doors and interior, to the lift shaft’s enclosure, your home’s design can centre around that of your lift.

Glass lift shafts allow light to play in otherwise dark spaces, making the addition of stunning interior courtyards an option for your new custom coastal home. A glass lift shaft provides an element of spaciousness too, opening up the entire floor of your home. They also allow you to visually see the entire height of your home, adding a stunning atrium effect.

Home lifts bring many benefits to your new build too.

Investing in a home lift adds immense value to your home from both the ‘wow’ factor, as well as the addition of practical convenience.

Home lifts increase mobility by allowing all residents access to every floor in your home. Younger and older residents as well as those with special mobility needs can move around from floor to floor easily. And depending on your life stage, incorporating a lift in your home’s design means you have the option to stay in your forever home, forever.

A lift can add even more value to your new custom home’s location too. Coastal homes often take advantage of views, and that means the kitchen may be best located on the first or second floor. Climbing multiple flights of stairs to these living areas can be a hassle, especially when you’re lugging groceries, bags, and furniture all the way up. Lifts make it much easier to move items around the home’s living areas.

Lifts are wonderful for pets, especially older pets. Stairs can be dangerous for very young pets as well, and a lift makes your home fur baby friendly by providing safe access to every level, so they can spend time with you in every part of your home.

Perhaps the best thing about home lifts is that they can be incorporated down the track. If you’re starting to think about designing your new custom home and considering the addition of a lift in the future, you’ll need to design your home with the provision for a lift well.

At Smartbuild South Coast, we have the knowledge and experience to help you build your dream custom home, complete with its own lift. Contact us today to start the conversation.

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Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

Architectural Home Design in 2023. What To Look Out For

As 2023 continues, new trends for home designs continue to emerge, particularly amongst architectural homes. When building an architectural home, there are a number of key aspects that need to be considered before going ahead with the build. At Smartbuild South Coast, we are passionate about leading the way in fresh and exciting architecture, creating eye catching homes that are guaranteed to stand out.

Here’s our rundown on what to look for in 2023 architectural home design:

Embrace natural surroundings

Take your home design to the next level by embracing its beautiful, natural surrounds. Incorporating exterior elements of your home with the interior can create synergy amongst spaces, and a truly majestic and homely environment.

Not only is this a beautiful way to elevate your home, it also allows for the incorporation of functional features. Embracing your home’s natural surroundings can be achieved through many ways, such as:

  • Large glass windows and doors that invite the outside in to create open and spacious living zones not only create beautiful views to the outdoors, but also allow an abundance of natural light to enter your home.
  • Matching interior cabinetry to exterior natural surroundings creates visual continuity, so consider using natural timbers or stone in kitchen or laundry cabinetry.
  • Strategically positioned windows used to frame outdoor landscapes creates a scene that almost makes the outdoors appear like a painting on the wall.
  • Ensuring that exterior finishes are sensitive to environmental conditions creates a sense of oneness with your home’s location.

Build to suit local conditions

When building an architecturally designed home, it’s important to consider the local conditions and choose the materials to suit. Factors such as the direction of roofing or positioning of windows can be an important decision in the design process. Things to consider when building to suit local conditions include:

  • What local area weather conditions are expected for annual rainfall, winds, and temperature ranges?
  • Is the area prone to any floods, droughts or fires?
  • What impact will temperatures and natural changes have?

Work with a team of dedicated experts

Architects are specialists in their field, meaning they understand every detail required to design a home that showcases its natural environment. And when you engage an architect during your design stage, every aspect of your home will be considered. From your block’s orientation to the placement of windows, to incorporating skylights, to adding balconies – architects will design your home to incorporate the features you need to deliver the home that you want.

Once you are happy with the design, you can finalise the details, and then start the building process. That way, the building journey is a smooth one, as every detail is recorded and understood. We have worked with the best local architects for more than ten years, and have developed great working relationships to ensure we deliver a home you will love to live in.

At Smartbuild South Coast, we’ve been building in the local area for over a decade, and we know the best way to make the most of your home to enjoy where you live for years to come. If you’re ready to start the conversation about your build, contact us today.

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