One thing we do a little bit differently at Resi is ask our clients directly how they feel about their project at various stages throughout their renovation – from their first call with us to the moment they’re lounging in their brand new kitchen. A consistent theme that we’ve noticed emerging time and again is the concept of the ‘forever home’.
It comes up over a wide range of projects for a huge number of different properties and individuals. Because it’s so important to the Resi community, we wanted to understand just what a ‘forever home’ is and what the most important factors to consider in your pursuit of building one are.
Defining a ‘forever home’
Okay, let’s get the obvious out of the way - of course ‘forever’ implies that you want to craft somewhere that you’re not going to leave. Literal interpretations aside, there’s something heartily emotional behind the expression and what it means to each of us is different. It’s important to approach the creation of a ‘forever home’ with a healthy mix of pragmatism and romanticism. It’s vital to prioritise any structure or functional concerns so that you can set aside enough budget for practical matters and plan ahead for more design-led work.
But what are the commonalities? We’ve identified three main areas through our customer interviews and research that outline what elevates a ‘home’ to a ‘forever’ home.
Adaptable for life changes
One of the most important aspects about homes that persistently comes up when we ask Resi clients or members of the public about what they value most in their homes is adaptability. It always seems to come out right near the top of people’s priorities. We define adaptability in the home as offering a space that can be refashioned for multiple purposes, whether that’s within one day (for example, a family dining room that doubles up as a home office) or over a number of years (for example, an unused alleyway converted into a side extension that creates a new room for either little ones or aging parents).
It would seem then that forever homes are those that can accommodate any challenge or opportunity that comes your way.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Are there any planned life changes in the next few years that will make an impact on your living space? New family members, professional changes, or even hobbies that require space that you'd like to dedicate more time to?
- How often do you work from home?
Tips to enhance adaptability:
- Get organised and the rest will follow
One of the keys to creating functional, adaptable spaces is to dedicate spaces to organising your belongings away (this could be a utility room or just a stylish set of drawers or shelves). Having stylish, sleek organisation solutions will allow you to transform your home-working desk back into your family dinner table in seconds.
- More space means more opportunity
Creating more space in your home is hardly going to limit its adaptability. The simple truth is that the more indoor square metres you have to work with, the more opportunities you have for your home in general. The most simple solution to this is to get a home extension. But if you’re unsure where to start, book a free advice call with one of our in-house experts who will be able to guide you through the best options for your household and your property.
Unique and distinctive
What separates a forever home from a starter home or a rented property? The anecdotal evidence from our client interviews seems to suggest that it’s somewhere that has been a labour of love to build and has become reflective of you and your household over time. Recognising the potential of a property and investing in its ability to reflect who you are are key to considering a place being yours forever.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Trends aside, what interiors do you love?
- What is your budget, and do you have any contingency funds?
- Are there personal interests or hobbies that you can weave into your home renovation plans?
Tips to make your home more unique and distinctive:
- When you’re discussing your renovation plans with a designer, architect or construction worker, explain how your personal likes and interests are influencing the kind of space and interiors that you want in your home.
- To your hand at upcycling furniture – it’s not only satisfying and often cost-saving, it’s also a fantastic way of crafting pieces that stand out and stand the test of time.
The perfect location
This is a pretty hard aspect of your home to change once you’ve signed on the dotted line so it’s worth your while doing your research, as well as getting a feel for the area before you make any commitments. Some important things to check before you buy a property are whether it’s in a Conservation Area or an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – because these places are protected, it means that the construction and building work you are allowed to carry out is limited. It’s also vital to consider how your home life may interact with your work life and whether you’ll need space to work or, on the flip side, be able to commute. Other considerations include local amenities, views and proximity to main roads.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Is it important to be close to a school, college or hospital for any member of my household?
- Are you able to work from home regularly and, if not, how much time and money will it cost to go in?
Tips for choosing the right location:
- When you go to view houses with the hope of finding your forever home, take stock of the views from the property. Findings from our recent survey found that people’s overall home satisfaction was influenced by whether or not they liked the view from their homes.
- Make a list of must-have amenities that you want within walking distance of your property, a list of ‘would likes’ and a list of things you’re willing to sacrifice. Take this along with you to house viewings and use it as a checklist so you don’t get swept up in the moment.
If you’re looking for inspiration for how to elevate your property into a ‘forever home’ explore our portfolio and see how real-life Resi client’s have had their spaces come to life.
Book a free advice call with us to chat through any ideas.
