In this episode, I’ll be helping you answer the last question, which is “What do you, and your family, actually need from your home – now and into the future?”
This may seem like a repeat of the first question from Episode 1, but stay with me here …
Australia has the largest average home size in the world. Yes, that’s right. Bigger than our USA counterparts. And it’s climbed quickly.
In 1984, the average size of an Australian home was 162.2m2. In 2012-2013 ABS figures, this had jumped to 241.1m2. And our families haven’t got any bigger – in actual fact they’ve got much smaller.
We all want more. The world of home ownership is littered with images to seduce us into wanting more and more from our homes. It’s also human condition to strive to improve and achieve. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
However, when you really determine what you need to create a home that works for you, chances are you’ll find it’s actually pretty simple. And this is what I know, from the countless homeowners I speak to and work with, most homeowners want from their home …
- Space to be together.
- Space to be apart.
- Lots of natural light.
- Heat and warmth when you need it, and cooling breezes when you need those.
- Flexibility, functionality and durability.
- Comfort
- Somewhere to be proud of, to show all your hard work
- And a home that supports you living your best life – because it doesn’t tax you, stress you, or get in the way of you being awesome.
This isn’t about having less – it’s about simplifying.
Keeping this front and centre as you move along your journey will help you navigate the noise and distractions. It will lead you to the home that is perfect for you.
Head to the podcast now to get this question answered for your home.
Recommended links
https://undercoverarchitect.com/how-to-design-a-family-home/
With over 30 years industry experience, Amelia Lee founded Undercover Architect in 2014 as an award-winning online resource to help and teach you how to get it right when designing, building or renovating your home. You are the key to unlocking what’s possible for your home. Undercover Architect is your secret ally
Hi there, you have mentioned in this podcast (and others) that average house sizes have increased substantially over the years in Australia using data from 2012. Here’s a more up-to-date resource that provides information that suggests that house sizes haven’t really increased over the years in Australia:
” The average floor area of new houses in Australia has remained largely unchanged over the past 15 years (2004-05 to 2018-19), ranging between 229m² and 245m², with an average annual change of -0.2%. ”
https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/characteristics-new-residential-dwellings-15-year-summary
Hi Adriana,
Thanks for sharing that resource. Yes, this podcast episode was recorded in October of 2016, so it’s great to see updated information. We’re still building some of the largest homes in the world with that average though. Good to see it’s remained static (or even declined) but hopefully we can stop building the largest sometime soon!
– Amelia, UA