Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

Here is a new blog post from a guest author contributing to Lang’s Kitchen & Bath’s website.  We hope you find this topic helpful!

Designing and building a home is a private and personal project all homeowners need to do on their own. Of course, they should always consult a team of experts – architects, designers, builders and contractors – but the final decision should come directly from them. However, this decision is always under the influence of popular design and building trends, so it’s only natural that future homeowners look up to already existing buildings and models as a source of inspiration. And since this inspiration is quite different in different places, here’s what you need to know about constructing homes in two of the most popular markets in the world – Australia and the USA.

Australia’s Sustainable Design

People from Down Under are interested in sustainable and eco-friendly design now more than ever, which is why lots of them are introducing certain changes into their homes that are subtle yet quite efficient. Knowing how endangered Mother Earth is, these people are willing to make a difference in their lives in order to preserve our planet for the next generation, which is quite amazing and helpful in the long run.

From LED lighting and interior insulation to double-glazed windows and low-VOC paint, people in Australia are really trying to make a difference in the world and introduce a positive change into their surroundings. That’s why you’ll easily find a number of sustainable homes all over Australia, and these are the places that feature innovative design and construction trends, such as U-factor windows, green walls, recycled building materials and rooftops entirely covered in solar panels.

Tiny House Movement in the USA

Americans are famous for a lot of things, and their desire to have a cozy life is one of them. That’s why a huge number of them are living in enormous houses with lots of rooms, and this choice may be comfortable, but it’s as far from sustainable as possible. Therefore, a new movement is spreading through the USA as we speak, and it’s the tiny house movement.

This means that people are leaving their huge houses and moving into spaces that are between 400 and 1000 square feet big, trying to cut down their monthly expenses and downsize as much as they can. These houses are often eco-friendly as well, which makes them appealing to a whole new generation of homeowners, and it seems that this trend is only going to get more and more popular in the years to come.

Aussies Know What They Want

Before building their homes, people in Australia like to know what they’re going to get, and they don’t get into a project until they’re absolutely sure what their future home is going to look like. That’s why Australian architects and designers have a ton of work to do before the builders can do their share, but there’s another way to look into the future and learn a thing or two about your new home.

Display homes are an amazing innovation that’s quite high in demand in Australia, and it’s all about looking at homes that are nearly finished but are still adaptable to changes. Therefore, lots of people are talking to qualified builders from Sydney and seeking inspiration from their display homes – not only can they envision their future living space this way, but they can also introduce a couple of changes and make it 100% personal and special.

Off the map in America

Having a home in a popular location and being close to supermarkets, schools, malls and subway stations is amazing, but you’d be surprised how many people are running as far away from this idea as they can. And this means literally far away – they’re exploring alternative locations and often building houses in remote areas, away from city life and right in the heart of the wilderness.

There are at least two major benefits of living in such a home: you don’t have anyone bothering you and disturbing your peace, and the cost of building a home in the wild is much lower than doing it anywhere else. Moreover, you can create a place that’s completely up to your standards and suitable to every member of your family, and it’s also more eco-friendly and sustainable than any home you could have in the city. So, talk to your family, make sure you’re ready to live off the grid and enjoy the nature like never before.

The cooking experience in Australia and the USA

Everyone loves good food and the process of preparing food is very similar in Australia and the USA, and that’s why the kitchen layout and design are similar. Aussies and folks in the US love open spaces and lots of kitchen appliances, so their cooking space is full of new fridges, ovens and ranges. They also invest quite a lot of time and money into cabinets and countertops, making sure these are made from natural materials and allowing them the best cooking space possible.

There are lots of differences between the process of construction and building a home in Australia and the USA, but there are a few similarities as well: people from both countries are looking for ways to build safe places for their family, embrace the benefits of prefabrication and modular construction, lower the cost of living as much as possible, become sustainable and energy-efficient, but also create cozy and comfy homes that will make their lives easier, nicer and more enjoyable.