Thursday, October 04, 2012 2:30 PM

Home design in New Zealand is constantly evolving and different designs are suited to different needs and different locations.

A winter retreat chalet on a hill in Queenstown is obviously going to have different design principles to a beach house in the Coromandel or a small inner-city pad.

However, there are some consistent trends, and these should be taken into consideration when buying, renovating, or updating your property to sell for a higher price:

• We all know kitchens are often referred to as the ‘heart of the home’ and home design in now reflecting this too. Kitchens are becoming larger and even more integrated into family living spaces with a clear view of the garden or pool to enable parents to easily watch children at play.

• Kitchens are also becoming more than just a place to prepare food. They now commonly feature informal dining areas and also small offices or access to computers for easy access to social media, phone directories, recipes and online news.

• Bedrooms are getting larger again, ensuites more opulent, incorporating a bath and a shower, separate toilets or even his and her toilets.

• Separate media rooms are popular for more expensive properties, as owners are wanting living spaces to be free from TVs to concentrate on family time or peace and quiet. 

• More traditional building materials such as weatherboards, brick & concrete are being used and designs with eaves, pitched roofs and more traditional styling are popular, due to the “leaky homes” problem.

• Having a healthy insulated home with efficient heating is now right at the top of the list. There is a huge range of options to make sure houses are warm and dry. Heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular for existing homes, as are home ventilation systems, whilst new homes are now even opting for smart technology that not only controls heating around the house but also entertainment and other technology. 

• And with Kiwis’ love affair with the outdoors, indoor/outdoor flow is paramount with many now treating the outside area as another living space featuring outdoor couches, fireplaces and covered areas.