Resisting the Ballooning House Design Effect
Designing your new home can feel like a blend of self-expression, and sacrifice. Each step requires you to make decisions; to choose one thing over another. At times the harshness of constraints results in a ballooning home design. “Maybe we do need another bathroom.” “But what if the in-laws visit? That extra room would come in handy…” The reality is that even though the trend is gradually reversing, Aussies build the largest homes in the world with the average house size over 180 square meters in 2023.
Although size isn’t the only constraint when designing your home, being intentional about the footprint can affect your budget, timeframe, liveability and environmental impact of your home. So why resist the sprawl?
Money
Size is a key factor in the cost of your build. Consider using the budget saved on that extra space on intentionally designed features that make the home uniquely suited to your lifestyle and daily rhythms. A well designed home with carefully selected materials and features may do more for your wellbeing than that extra room you will rarely use. And don’t forget to factor in future maintenance costs.
Energy
Consider not only the energy needed to light, heat and cool a larger home, but also the energy used to produce the materials and transport to site. Good design should result in an energy efficient and comfortable home.
Environment
Often there are outsourced costs when producing construction material which don’t show up on your balance sheet. For example, the environmental damage from mining operations, or the end-of-life costs to dispose of or recycle materials. Although industry is working to increase efficiencies and address the complete life-cycle impact, designing a right-size home can alleviate pressure from the environment today and into the future.
Bigger is not always better. A well-designed home that responds creatively to the site constraints and exists in equanimity with its environment is better for your budget, your wellbeing, and the planet. At Lexar, we build with this in mind, collaborating with architects and designers that have a holistic vision for good home design.
“Good design can make small houses feel bigger”
Sheri Koones
