Luke and Jasmin share with us their must have features to include in your new home
1. Mudroom
This little room is highly popular in the US and it’s picking up popularity here in Australia in recent years. So what is a mudroom? It is small, dedicated room that is designed to contain dirt, mud and wet weather items in one easy-to-clean space. It provides a place to hang your coats, keep dirty work clothes, store hats, umbrellas, shoes and school bags. Mudrooms help children form good organisational habits as it’s often the first place they enter the house and the last place they are, as they leave the house. No more school bags dumped in the middle of the hallway passage!
We think the best position for a mudroom is between the garage and the main home, but if that’s not possible, near the laundry or front door are good alternative locations. The mudroom doesn’t have to be big, it just needs some dedicated storage compartments, a bench, and you might want to consider a mirror for final outfit checks on your way out the door.
Apart from being a very practical space, mudrooms can be fun to design. Tiles or hybrid flooring are great choices because of the dirty footprints and wet soggy items that are left in there.
– Luke and Jasmin
2. Scullery
A scullery is similar to a butlers pantry. It is a small kitchen or room just off the main kitchen. It’s part pantry, part prep kitchen and part place to chuck the mess!
A scullery means a dedicated place to keep all your pots and pans, large kitchen bench appliances and pantry items out of sight. Which allows your main kitchen to look uncluttered and clean …. All the time!
It’s also an extension of the kitchen, meaning a second space to do food prep and chuck all the mess out of sight.
If you are an entertainer it’s a must-have feature. It allows the mess to be contained in the scullery and your guests free to gather around in the kitchen.
“When planning your scullery include a second sink, lots of power points, and additional open shelving and/or cabinetry. If budget allows a second dishwasher and pull out bin cupboard are practical to have in there.”
– Luke and Jasmin
3. A Dedicated Workspace
With so many people working from home these days, a dedicated study nook or home office is a must inclusion in your new home. Or at very least a flexible space in the house that can be converted into a home office if the need arises.
When planning your home office, ensure it’s going to be a quiet place to work, away from distractions (so not near the playroom or fridge!) Make sure you have included lots of windows so that the room natural light and good airflow will allow your productivity to flourish.
4. High Ceilings
High ceilings create the perception of space in the most ordinary of rooms, adding a real sense of luxury. We suggest raising your ceilings to 30c. We went to a building seminar and we were told that even number courses are the most cost effective way of having high ceilings in brick homes.
5. Extra Storage Space Hacks
As Shayna would say… you can never have too much storage!
Here are 3 ways to increase storage in your new build –
- Look at widening your garage by 0.5m and putting in some simple shelving in the extra space. Make sure the garage door swings open into the hallway rather than the garage so you get extra storage in the garage as well.
- Get an extra length/s of shelving and hanging rail added in your walk robe to maximize wall space all the way around, no need for empty walls in the WIR.
- If you have decided on high ceilings make sure you put in an additional shelf in your linen closest.
Keep up to date with Luke and Jasmin by following @lukeandjasmin on instagram.
