While there are many home builders in the market, it’s important to consider whether they have a proven history of building quality double story houses.

There are many factors which are specific to double storey homes such as; particular building techniques, the type of materials required, and local regulations and licensing issues.

To successfully build this particular type of building project, a builder must be able to source the appropriate materials, have the required expertise and craftsmanship, and have sound knowledge of the local area. Anything less will result in a double story home that is not up to a high standard.

You may think things will stay the same for the foreseeable future, but it’s important to plan ahead and see how your needs might change in the future.

If you plan to live in a double storey home as you reach the later stages of your life, you need to consider how your health might affect your mobility up and down the stairs. A popular solution to pre-empt any of these concerns is to install a small lift in your home that can be used when the need arises. This practical addition will not only help with mobility issues but can also be used in everyday activities such as moving the laundry or other items from downstairs to upstairs.

Before even designing your double story home, you need to first examine the precise shape and surroundings of your block.

Start by assessing the orientation and the natural elements surrounding it, such as the position of the sun, wind and trees. This will help you determine the ideal placement of your home and how to best utilise natural elements to regulate and control temperature. You can then decide where the best access points will be and how to integrate access to your backyard. All these pieces of information will enable you to maximise your block and ensure your home is placed in the best possible position.

One of the biggest advantages of building a double storey home is the greater flexibility and options available when you’re thinking about your layout.

Think carefully about how you would like to use different functional spaces throughout the different levels of your home and how you can use them to your advantage.

A double storey home provides greater levels of privacy by having your living space completely separate from your bedrooms, which works very well for different family generational needs. By having a smaller footprint compared to a single story home, you can also maximise your outdoor space and emphasise your alfresco area.

Finally with a second floor, make sure you make the most of any views that are available. When designing your home, it’s important you factor in all these considerations into your layout.

Lighting can prove to be challenging in a two storey home, particularly if you’re surrounded by similar sized properties.

This is where assessing the orientation of your block is a must. To capitalise on natural light, living spaces should ideally have a northerly aspect, and make the best use of strategically-placed windows and glass doors.

On the interior, to have a brighter look and give the appearance of higher ceilings, you can paint the ceilings and the walls the same shade of white which helps to blur the boundary between the two.

Rather than having a number of separate rooms on the ground level of your double storey house, you can make use of open-plan living creating areas that are more functional and versatile.

Open-plan living provides a great space for entertaining and creates an environment that the whole family can enjoy together. As an example you can design to keep your kitchen, dining , and living room areas to be open, creating a much bigger ample space that can seamlessly flow onto a covered outdoor entertaining area.

Open plan living can help overcome any limitations of a smaller block by providing a sense of light and more open space.

Due to hot air rising, temperature control in a double storey home is a different proposition to a single storey home. If not designed well, your double storey house can attract huge power bills leading to a sustained financial commitment. Fortunately there’s a number of design options that can make your home much more energy efficient.

From the very beginning remember to utilise the orientation in your block and incorporate north facing windows for natural light. To reduce energy loss, you can also add insulation between the ground and first floor. To better regulate temperature and utilise natural resources, you can also install double glazed windows and solar panels.

As some of these options are difficult to install once a home is already built, it’s imperative that they are factored into during the early stages of planning.

If your two-storey house is on a narrow block, you can use colour to create a sense of space and incorporate natural light.

The key point here is to avoid dark colours and the over use of too many colours. A dark colour palette can make a space feel compact and smaller, similarly the overuse of colours can make a space feel quite busy and overcrowded.

It’s recommended to avoid using these colours and instead keep it simple and focus on a lighter more neutral colour palette. This lighter use of colours will create a seamless sense of space and enable natural light to bounce off walls and the surrounding environment.

When it comes to making the most of a narrow block in a two-storey house, a simple neutral colour palette works best.

With a double storey home, you got to make the most of that second level. What better way than to create your very own luxurious master suite offering a relaxing tranquil space away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

When designing your home, you can plan exactly where you would like to place your master suite to maximise any available views and fit any attractive additional extras. Just think about it, you could have a private spacious en suite bathroom designed for two, a walk -in closet, and a private balcony, all at your convenient disposal.

With a double storey house, having a staircase presents a great opportunity to create an impressive design feature and make a statement as soon as people enter your home.

When designing your feature staircase there’s a wide variety of materials and finishes available providing all types of looks and finishes. You could go for a more traditional wooden country look that complements a rustic style, or a contemporary industrial finish that embellishes your open plan modern home, the choice is totally up to you.

A well designed staircase will create a central focal point for your home that seamlessly ties in together your interior design and makes a real splash.

As the saying goes, the three most important aspects of a home are often judged to be location location location.

When undertaking the momentous decision of building a new double storey home, it’s important to take into account some key considerations namely; convenience, safety, lifestyle and affordability.

Convenience should be a central pillar of your decision and refers to how easy it is to access work, education, extended family and other important connections. For safety, it’s important to do your research and see what area you might be getting yourself into. Crime statistics are a great source to get an idea regarding the character of a neighbourhood.

Lifestyle refers to the type of scenery you’d like to surround yourself with, be it near the hustle and bustle of city life, a beach setting, or the greater tranquillity of a rural setting. Finally affordability refers to how well an area fits into your budget, there are some beautiful areas out there, but it’s important to be realistic in order to ensure you can meet any ongoing financial obligations.

You should carefully assess each factor and take a balanced approach to see which location can offer you the benefits you’re after. This is an area where going to an experienced home builder can make all the difference. These types of builders have years of experience in the industry behind them, and are well accustomed to working in highly attractive areas that offer a number of significant balanced benefits. 

Some of the most popular areas to build your home in Sydney and its surrounds can be found right here.

Vogue Homes – Sydney’s Leading Double Storey House Builder

A double storey home is an increasingly popular choice for growing Australian families. This type of home design contains a number of benefits and is a great way of making the most of a smaller sized block.

When building a double storey house there are a number of important factors to consider. From the very beginning remember to utilise the natural orientation of your block, incorporate any energy efficient considerations, and factor in your future needs when designing your floor plan. To make the most of the space available you can design open plan living, apply a more lighter neutral colour palette, and utilise natural light to your advantage. Finally you can personalise your home even further by creating your very own luxurious master suite and giving your staircase that wow factor.

Perhaps the most important factor in building a double storey home is that you engage the services of a builder who’s experienced in this type of home design. They have the access to proper quality materials, expertise and craftsmanship, and industry know-how, to make sure you have a smooth building journey.