Modern Marvels: Exploring the Latest Trends in New House Design
Architectural design constantly evolves to reflect global trends while adapting to local needs and preferences. In 2024, several trends have emerged as innovative ways to create contemporary homes that are beautiful, functional, and comfortable.
Here at Chaplin Crooks Architects, we strive to continuously improve our work while using the latest technologies and ideas to our advantage. We pay close attention to the best ways to create beautiful NZ homes, and in this article, we’ll go over a few of the best trends in new house design.
The Most Advantageous New House Design Trends In 2024
When planning a new build project in Aotearoa, consider the following trends to maximise the potential of your new structure:
High-Quality Materials For Reduced Maintenance. One of the most significant shifts in modern house design is the inventive use of quality materials that require minimal maintenance while offering enhanced durability. These materials will last a long time without needing consistent, time-consuming and expensive maintenance.
Homeowners are increasingly choosing cladding solutions such as folded metal sheets and rigid aluminium panels. These contemporary materials are available in natural finishes that can develop a patina over time, which is a thin layer of coating that can protect the material’s surface from further corrosion. They’re also available in durable, powder-coated finishes in various plain or metallic colours.
Traditional materials like concrete, stone and brick remain popular as visually pleasing and practical choices for NZ homes. These materials are well known for their longevity and minimal maintenance requirements. Brick in particular are available in an increasing range of colours and sizes, allowing home designers to get creative with modern yet timeless designs.
Timber Cladding Trends. Timber cladding has alward been a popular choice due to its natural beauty and robust strength. Western Red Cedar has typically used for stained finishes, or pine for a painted finish. However, there are new trends worth noting if you are interested in using timber for your new build home.
Thermally modified pine and other modified timbers offer improved durability and stability, making them excellent sustainable choices for exterior use. These timbers can be stained or painted, making them ideal for any kind of aesthetic preference. Thermal treatment of timber can give it a deeper colour, making it ideal for those who prefer natural finishes but don’t like the lighter colour of pine.
Recycled hardwoods are another eco-friendly option, and these timbers are reclaimed from various hardwood species that have been used for telephone poles and structural beams in Australia. These are particularly suitable for exposed sites where softer timber, like Western Red Cedar, can be more susceptible to damage from hail or wind-driven rain.
Further still, there are plenty of timber options on the market that can be used if you’re wishing for a particular kind of look. Options like European larch, with its pale colour and knotty appearance, can achieve a rustic look both inside and out.
Dedicated Media And Listening Rooms. With the rise of streamed home entertainment, dedicated media rooms and listening spaces are becoming more common. These rooms are great places to enjoy privacy, entertain guests and enjoy a higher quality of entertainment, and having a dedicated space for media may also help you sleep and work better.
These rooms can be designed with acoustic considerations such as by using acoustic wall lining systems and soundproof door seals. These are both to ensure excellent sound quality within the room, and to minimise disturbance to others in the house who may not share your passion for action movies. Room size and layout should also be considered in comparison to the speakers that will be used to achieve the best performance possible.
To maintain a clean look, equipment can be hidden away or automated. Speakers can be located in-wall or on the ceiling, amplifiers and other components can be placed in a central hub, projectors and screens can be drop-down and lights can be automated to create an uncluttered and sophisticated space. Take care when selecting fittings and lighting to ensure you don’t need to cut holes through sound-rated wall and ceiling linings, otherwise all your hard work in sound-proofing the room will be undone.
Level Entry Access For Aesthetic And Practical Benefits. Level entry access is gaining popularity not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for its functional advantages. This design feature is particularly valuable for homeowners who plan to age in place. Balconies or decks can use pedestal systems to match internal floor levels, creating a seamless, easy transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.
In bathrooms, level entry showers with partial screening will eliminate the need for doors or upstands. This can create a sleek and accessible design. Careful planning ensures that floors slope appropriately towards the shower to prevent ponding of water.
Enhancing Performance With Energy Efficiency. Energy efficiency is at the forefront of contemporary house design, driven by changes to building codes and a growing awareness of sustainability in New Zealand and the world. High-performance homes are built with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind to promote better practices and a higher quality of life.
Very high levels of roof insulation arenecessary to meet higher energy efficiency requirements. This has resulted in roof structures becoming deeper in recent years to procide space for thicker insulation products. Alternatively, the use of external insulation systems, such as warm roofs, minimise thermal bridging to provide a more consistent level of insulation across the roof with a thinner product.
High-performance windows are also very beneficial. The increased use of uPVC and timber frames, along with the mandatory inclusion of Low-e double glazing in most areas, can contribute to reduced heat loss and improve the energy efficiency of a home.
Designing And Building Your New Modern Home In New Zealand
To get the new home design process started, all you need to do is call our team at Chaplin Crooks Architects. You can call us on 03 384 9602, or you can use our convenient contact page.
Together, we can discover the best new home design for your lifestyle.
