Five Ways to Create More Space in Your Home: Tips From an Architectural Design Company

If you’re looking to create more living space in your home and are also looking to modify your house, there are multiple ways you can kill two birds with one stone. Here at Spatial Design Architects, our architectural services include contemporary house designs that create more living space, whether it’s via kitchen extensions, a new loft conversion or finding more effective uses for your garage or basement. Find out about more ways to create more space in your home!

1. Loft Conversions

The great thing about loft conversions is that, unless you’re visibly altering the exterior of your home, you likely won’t need planning permission to go ahead with this house extension. If they haven’t already had it converted, most people simply use their loft to store things they don’t use very often. So why not utilise that space more effectively?

For example, the loft could have skylights added to create a bright, open second living room. Or the walls could be shelved to create a home office, seeing as society is shifting more toward working from home. Alternatively, a pool table and darts board could be added to create a games room, depending on how much space is available. There are endless opportunities with converted lofts. You could even set up a music room or the art studio you’ve always dreamed of!

Best of all is that there are multiple contemporary house designs to choose from. You may wish to opt for a roof light loft conversion that requires minimal construction or a dormer conversion with extra floor and headspace that sticks out more from the roof. Or there’s a hip to gable design which is useful for properties with sloping roofs, or an L-shaped design for oddly shaped roofs. There’s also the mansard design which alters the shape of the whole roof, making the wall almost vertical.

2. Kitchen Extensions

A brilliant way to change the layout of your home if you’re looking for more space is to opt for a kitchen house extension. Kitchens are one of the most useful and frequently used spaces in the house. Especially as families grow, as does the demand for more kitchen space. If you get a kitchen extension then you could install an island worktop with stools, overhead storage options, a pantry, and an electric or induction hob, all of which will save you more space which is why they’re common in many contemporary house designs!

Kitchen extensions are also a great idea because you can now rethink how you’d like your kitchen to function and what appliances you’d like. Quite often, people are stuck with the kitchens they have and rarely refit the whole space, instead opting to change specific appliances and worktops or cupboards one at a time. Well with our architectural services, now is your opportunity to think from the ground up!

Top Tip: If your kitchen is by a garden or a patio, consider adding some french doors or bifold doors. Not only will this brighten up your interior space but you’ll be able to eat outside in the warm weather and it’ll create a really inviting space for BBQs!

3. Open plan Living Spaces

Little else feels more open and spacious than an open plan living space which is why they’re particularly popular in contemporary house designs! This allows you to connect different areas of the home to allow for increased interaction with other family members. They’re particularly good for gatherings as well, as they allow for people to move through the house with more ease and comfort.

One of the most common examples of an open plan living space is to integrate the dining space with the kitchen. Whether it’s all in the same space or if the wall between the two rooms is removed, combining the two areas will create a much more sociable space. It allows for whoever is cooking to socialise with anybody at the table and vice versa, rather than having these people separated by a wall. Plus, a kitchen/dining open plan area will make moving between the cooking area and the dining area much easier and more efficient.

Another great idea is to combine the hallway with your living room. Again, this creates a more sociable area in the home. You could then go one step further and connect the living space with the dining and kitchen area. The endless possibilities is what makes open plan living spaces such brilliant ideas if you’re looking to alter the design of your home to increase your overall living space and you don’t want to opt for house extensions.

4. Integrated Living and Garden Spaces

A brilliant idea in terms of creating a more open living space is to integrate your living room with your garden area. Whether it’s a patio or a garden, having access to this area from living spaces will be really useful in summer when it’s a bit warmer and for when you have guests around, perhaps to host a BBQ. Not only this, but you’ll be able to get outside quicker and easier which is useful for those who have pets and toddlers, or who like to air dry their washing, for example.

Think carefully about where the sun rises and sets, though. The last thing you want is to go to all the effort to design and create an integrated living and garden space, only to find that you can’t even make the most use out of the sun. You’ll also want to carefully think about what types of doors you opt for with these house extensions. Bifold doors will create a much larger opening and let in more light whereas french doors are more conventional and are better if you have restricted space or are concerned about energy efficiency.

5. Basements and Garages

Another thing you should consider is how you can optimise your living space by installing or upgrading an existing basement or garage. More common than not, garages become clutter zones where everything and anything that isn’t frequently used gets dumped, as well as gardening equipment and materials. When you choose to have a new garage built as a house extension, ensure the design uses smart storage space solutions, like overhead racks. This will provide you with more space to add a workbench, a darts board, a bike storage rack, and other useful things that will save space.

Basements are a great idea if you’re pushed for space. For example, you could add another bedroom to your home or it could be used as a storage space, a home office, or even a gym or games room. Whilst they can be costly upfront investments, they’ll add significantly to the value of your home, making it a smart long term investment.

Other Ideas

Have you ever wondered why gyms have so many mirrors? It’s less to admire yourself and more to create a spacious atmosphere. Especially when you have a lot of windows, adding large mirrors around the house will make rooms feel larger than they actually are.

If you’re either designing a house from scratch or are in the market to buy a house and you’re concerned about living space, tall ceilings are a great way to accomplish this. Tall walls and high ceilings create the illusion that the room is bigger and more spacious than it is, even though it has the same floor space as a room with half the height!

Another thing you should do is to carefully consider the furniture you currently have in your home and whether it’s appropriate for the type of space you want to live in. For example, people often have too much furniture in their homes. Find some areas to create walk-in storage like a pantry and get rid of that old sideboard or book shelf that takes up too much space!

Here at Spatial Design Architects, we’re proud to be a RIBA chartered practice with broad architectural services including various house extensions like loft conversions and kitchen extensions. Our contemporary house designs are perfect for anybody looking to increase their living space. If you’re looking for an architectural design company then you’ve come to the right place - just get in touch with us by calling 01277 222510 today to discuss your specific requirements and needs!

Project image: North Tye in Swanley