House drawings #5 - study nook

This is one of my favourite parts of the house design. The kids have this study nook in the hallway outside their bedrooms. It's 3 metres long so has ample space for them all to spread out. As for the grown-ups? Well, he gets a separate studio, she gets a bit of the kitchen bench.

House drawings #4 - Downstairs bedrooms

Three bedrooms downstairs = one for the boy, one for the girls and one for the tree-planting guests.

House drawings #3 - Bathroom

Heading down the hallway we have windows to the left and a separate toilet with carefully selected loo, next to family bathroom on the right. There is also a laundry before the bathroom but I skipped that.

House drawings #2 - entry & living areas

Welcome, do come in... First up is the entry which includes stairs up to the master bed. On the other side of the entry wall is the lounge followed by play/family with a small wall and large sliding door between, then there will bebuilt-in cupboards and bookshelves on the far wall. The steps down to the meals are from the family room section. There are large windows all the way along the North wall, looking down the block (loads of natural light!). I think I'd like to move in right now!

House drawings #1 - kitchen

Given tthe fun I had doing my garden drawings last week plus the fact there is nothing actually happening at the block this week, I thought I might take you on a walk through the house. Plus it makes me feel a bit like I'm producing a Grand Designs episode!

Today, kitchen & meals:

That's kitchen down the far end and meals up this end. Come...eat...enjoy!

Calling in a professional

Zen architects came to our rescue. Big fans of a number of their homes seen in various publications -loads of natural light! contemporary style! modest, efficient spaces! But also knowing a full architect service was out of our reach (and scope considering there's a draftsperson and builder in the house) we made the call anyway and discovered they offered a sketch design service - hooray! A meeting at the block followed, some thinking time, growing excitement and then first sketches delivered...

...Success! We love it - loads of natural light! contemporary style! efficient spaces! Just needed a bit more storage so we could store, you know, sheets, towels, toys, games and stuff.

Putting pen to paper

We've read the magazines...we've bought Your Home technical manual...we know what we want...we can sit down and sketch out our own design...


...it turns out there is a reason why architects have gone to university for a sizeable number of years...all those pesky odd corners...It was hard. Especially when all those cleverly designed sustainable homes are gazing smugly up at us from the glossy mags.

Sometimes a blank canvas is just too much to work with.