Design tips & trends
Designing Your Home
Capturing the essence of what makes a house a home comes down to striking a balance between who you are right now and who you want to be in the years ahead. Taking that first step towards creating a home begins and ends with the design.
Words Jac Taylor
Interview with Geoffrey Baughan, Product Development Manager, Rawson Homes
Whether it’s walking through the door and already feeling comfortable or getting that unbeatable buzz from seeing all of your design choices come together, those are the moments you know you’ve chosen the house that fits.
So how do you find your way to that moment? Where does the process start so that you end up with a home that suits you so seamlessly?
According to Geoffrey Baughan, Product Development Manager for Rawson Homes, it starts squarely at the design stage. “Our homes are designed with the future owners in mind,” he says, “to give them a home that suits their lifestyle, provides them the spaces they need to accommodate their family, fits their budget and, of course, a home they can be very proud of.” That means each of his team’s designs offers the flexibility of different-sized floor plans and a variety of layout options. This translates to a true plethora of possibilities to accommodate not only the size of the land, but the future residents and their budget.
“We also offer a range of architectural façade designs that are traditional, modern and contemporary to suit the floor plans, catering to differing budgets and aspirations,” adds Geoffrey. “The plan and the façade work together to provide a pleasing and exciting home for all tastes.”
Just like that magical new-home walk-in moment, the Rawson Homes design journey starts at the entry of the house. Geoffrey explains, “Each entry is defined and has some interest point provided by light, openness, staircases, lounges, studies or – with narrow homes – a planted area through large windows.
Entry hallways need to have interest, be as short as possible and feel like a journey.”
Along the hallway walk, homebuyers can opt for standout features such as living areas with large windows looking out to landscaping, or well-lit stairs; large families can choose to add extra bedrooms for children or guest accommodation for hosting visitors. No matter the additions, an uninterrupted view right through to the garden gives this hallway journey a sense of spaciousness and light.
“We then like to arrive at the main living areas at the rear, which open up to provide vistas all around to external views of rear and side gardens through large glazed windows or doors,” continues Geoffrey.
“Our living areas flow from a well-thought-out kitchen with great storage areas to spacious dining and family areas, which are practical, usable and relaxed, and then from there tucked away access to other living areas or bedroom zones. Care is always taken to plan room positions so that multiple TV areas aren’t together or adjacent to quieter areas such as lounge or bedrooms.”
In two-story designs, staircases often lead to a light-filled lounge or media zone, to give families an added relaxation destination away from the main family areas downstairs. “And to capture the whole feel of this warm and inviting genre, we have extended the Hampton lifestyle decoration to the interiors of our display homes also.” Perhaps it’s time to look inside one of the houses to see if that new-home walk-in moment speaks to you. Check out our display homes to see more modern home design styles.
FIND YOUR STYLE
Making any of the Rawson Homes designs your own can be as simple as adding resort-style bathroom inclusions. “We wanted to capture the timeless elegance of the East Coast of America,” says Geoffrey, “but give it an Australian feel using local products and materials.” Soft pastel palettes, chunky weatherboarding and well-proportioned Federation-style bar-windows and ornate lantern lighting feature in this new look and provide the perfect base for your final styling touches.
