There has been a building frenzy happening around Vancouver and laneway house construction has reached record levels. Laneway homes are secondary structures that offer homeowners an alternative way to use the extra space on their property. Some laneway homes are built for their rental income potential while other homeowners use the added space to enable family members to live nearby but remain independent.
Laneway homes are tiny – which is part of their charm. They can fit just about anywhere. However, the key to small space living is using every square inch wisely. If you are thinking about adding a laneway home to your property, you need two things- an experienced laneway house contractor (more on this later) and the right design help.
Tips on How to Design a Laneway Home that Works
There is a growing trend towards small living; where larger homes were once all the rage, there has been a shift to more modest dwellings. Laneway house contractors and designers have become apt at using clever design to maximize the functionality of small spaces giving the impression these tiny homes are much larger than they are.
Let’s look at a few ways to exploit every square foot of livable space in your laneway home!
Make Strategic Storage Solutions a Priority
The average house has a surprising amount of dead space, but when square footage is at a premium like with laneway house construction, you need to maximize every inch. This is where having an experience laneway house contractor and designer can pay off. While you might look at a blueprint and see walls and rooms, they can envision creative places for hidden storage, building solutions to maximize wall space, and functional layouts that won’t cramp flow.
Keep it Light
When building a small space, natural light is your best friend. Keep your wall to window ratio high, allowing natural light to fill rooms and give the impression of a larger space. Similarly, working with your laneway home designer to maximize your lighting plan and sticking to light or white paint options will give the illusion of more space.
Create an Organized Kitchen Space
The hub of most homes is the kitchen which is especially true of tiny houses. Filling your kitchen with streamlined organizational solutions and ample storage space will help ensure everything has a place and help eliminate kitchen clutter.
Also Read: 10 Reasons To Add a Laneway Home to Your Property
Take advantage of ceiling height will tall cabinets and high shelving for those infrequently used items, double drawers, and pull-out shelving. Maximize your wall space and stay on-trend with functional open shelves, which act as a design element and help you keep your area tidy.
Use an Open Floorplan
Gone are the days when people needed dedicated rooms that served a single purpose. Even in larger home construction, there is a growing trend away from formal living and dining rooms. Instead, these spaces are being used as open-concept multi-purpose flex spaces. In laneway home construction, this type of open floor plan enables you to use limited square footage better. Instead of walls, clever design and furniture placement define separate areas.
Buy Full Size, Multi-Functional Furniture
It may seem counter-intuitive, but small furniture can make a space appear smaller. Instead of filling your home with small furnishings, choose regular-sized, multi-purpose, and modular pieces that can serve dual functions. Think under-bed storage, expandable tables, custom shelving with a hide-away work nook, and convertible living room furniture.
