Creating the dream home – the must-haves

Whether you’re building your dream house from the ground up, extending an existing build or carrying out simple interior renovations, a wish list for your dream home is likely your starting point. Smaller budgets will of course mean simpler designs and efforts to maximise space – it’s complexity and fine detail that add to the cost, after all. Your vision will be dictated by your lifestyle, the way you use your living space and your budget. But, if money were no object, what would your dream home look like?

Here, we take a look at some key features of a dream build to give you inspiration for your next project.

Open-plan living is an interiors movement that isn’t in any hurry to fade. Over the years, the way we use our homes has changed dramatically. It’s all thanks to the ever-rising trend for vast entertaining space, multi-purpose and fluid rooms and light-filled areas that blend indoor and outdoor living. The beauty of efforts to bring down walls and install floor-to-ceiling-height doors, as well as focus more on unique architectural features, is that we’re now living in a way that’s encouraging us to interact more – however each of us might be using the space. Creating ‘zones’ and spaces that simply flow from one area to the next can work well in every type of home.

Interactive spaces that meet our needs and add to the ambience are a must-have. The kitchen has transformed from a once purely-functional space into one that now has to fulfil a number of roles. It’s used for entertaining, it’s a hub for the family coming together and plays host to our informal lifestyles. Open-plan kitchen and dining areas can also be a great way to let natural light flood the space.

Long gone are the days when a door was simply a functional item and nothing more. With so many bespoke options for internal doors, they can be designed to be the standout feature of any room. The addition of glass to your internal door design will certainly spark a conversation or you might have a small space like a pantry or walk-in wardrobe that would benefit from the space-saving benefits of a pivot door. Alternatively, pocket doors are a striking way to close off open-plan spaces depending on how you want to use the rooms at the time. They slide into a cavity in the wall and disappear almost completely out of view when open. Spaces that can adapt to cater for different occasions and ways of living are on trend at the minute and pocket doors beautifully facilitate this.

This is more than simply ‘comfortable’ living. Creating the ultimate entertainment room is the dream for many people. It’s a great way to express personality in your decor but in a climate when we’re spending more time at home, it’s also a valuable move toward quality family time and relaxation. Comfortable lounging areas and atmospheric lighting all add to the feel of the dream entertainment room.

Your front door serves a number of roles. It’s designed to offer security against intruders but it’s also the first interaction visitors have with your property and it should hint at what lies behind the threshold. It plays a crucial role in your home’s kerb appeal and done right, creates a great first (and lasting) impression. From material choice to size and configuration, a bespoke front door ensures you’re left with so much more than simply an entranceway.

Take a look at our top tips for external door design for more inspiration.

Think carefully about unique features that could take centre stage in your home. Dream projects like this provide the opportunity to create truly individual features – statement style that’s completely out of the ordinary. This magnificent staircase was the focal point of our client’s stunning home. View the result of Deuren’s brief, which was to provide internal doors to match the beauty and quality of the expansive staircase linking the upper and lower floors. On a smaller scale and budget, statement features may appear in clever lighting or floor-to-ceiling-height doors, for example.  

Need more inspiration? Get expert advice and design tips for your self-build project or renovations by contacting the team today.