We often get the question, “What is your style?”
Or, you know, “How do your houses look?”
And I must say we don’t have a certain style as such, because I think no matter if you are after a Hampton-style home, ultra-modern, EcoShack, or even a French provincial, every house can be highly energy-efficient.
For us, it’s more a matter of having a smart design.
And by that, I mean, less is more, so quality over quantity. And coming up with smart design solutions, rather than just having everything huge.
Reduce unnecessary corridors and circulation space, try to come up with smart solutions, multi-functional spaces, having the windows in the right locations, maybe higher ceilings or highlight windows and things like that.
You CAN create phenomenal spaces without going huge.
It’s really a matter of being smart with your selections. Not everything in the house can be a feature.
And by that, I mean a lot of the build money goes to custom-made items.
Custom-made joinery, custom-made claddings, curved walls, corner windows. And yes, if you want to build a highly energy-efficient home, the windows do cost more. And even some of the other elements will come at a marginally higher price.
However, I think that if you can afford a custom designed home, you can actually afford a Passive House or a highly energy-efficient home.
It might just be a matter of shifting priorities. Rather than having the natural stone benchtop, maybe you go for something a little bit more cost-effective.