Welcome to the future. Your home is made from flexible and recycled materials. Energy-efficient, smart appliances do the chores while you are working. As in most homes, the layout is open-plan, to maximise the shared living space for families to enjoy together, with every detail custom designed to suit the needs of your family.
We’re more or less already at this point, says Stuart Jeffs, general manager of Perth luxury custom building company, Webb & Brown-Neaves (WB), where about 90 per cent of their clients design their homes from the ground up.
“People want to tailor their homes to suit their lifestyles and everyday activities,” Jeffs says. “They are actively involved in designing every area of the home.”
The information age is inspiring people to consider bespoke options, Jeffs says. “Social media has a huge influence in the increase of custom-designed homes.
And thanks to technology, customers are not only inspired but empowered, says Jeffs.
“Our clients are more involved in the design process due to the availability of information on the internet,” Jeffs says.
“They’re spending much more time reading up on builders and their histories, but also material selection and specifications. There are more opportunities for our clients to get the information that they need.”
Our baby
Janine Clarke, a theatre nurse, and her husband Graeme, also in the medical profession, have lived in their three-bedroom Perth home, custom-designed and built by WB, for two years.
“We knew what we wanted and we didn’t change our minds,” Janine says. “We’re very decisive people.
“We designed it and we feel it’s our baby.”
The Clarkes wanted lots of light and space, as well as large rooms and open plan living.
However, changing demographics mean clients increasingly request not just open-plan shared areas but private zones too, Jeffs says.
“Big, open living areas are the trend,” he says. “But there’s also an increasing focus on privacy. With kids staying at home till they’re well into their adult lives, and sometimes grandparents coming to live with families, there’s a demand for intergenerational zoning areas. You want the family to be able to get together but also head off and get their own space.
“Outdoor entertaining areas are also important, and home offices are increasingly popular, with more people working from home.”
WB, which has been a custom home builder in Perth since 1978 and building more than 6,000 homes since that time, specialises in custom homes from $600,000 in value.
“Our clients enjoy a very personalised service, working closely with our in-house design team. They’ll either craft their unique home from the ground up, or they might come to us with their own design.”
“They also have direct access to their site manager from whom they receive a fortnightly phone call on the progress of their home – a lot of site managers build a close relationship with our clients throughout their building journey.”
Jeffs also says clients are realising it’s a great time to build with land becoming more competitively priced, the availability of tradespeople, and interest rates at all-time lows, but that choosing the right builder remains as important as ever.
“Webb & Brown-Neaves is the leading custom home builder in Perth that offers an individualised service, backed by the strength and financial stability of the ABN Group, which gives our clients great peace of mind.”
Material gains
Custom-designed houses are becoming more cost-effective and easier to build, thanks to technology, Jeffs says.
“In the past, house design was very limited in terms of the use of materials,” he says. “Today, new materials and technologies create design flexibility and ease of construction.
“Houses have cantilever elements, suspended slabs, curved walls and roofs and electronically operated windows and doors.
“Our designers take into account our clients’ lifestyle, location, home style and more, using materials in multiple ways and with almost no limitations to design beyond the norm.”
Modern building materials are also increasingly sustainable, Jeffs says, whether they are composite materials used in external cladding and landscaping, or recycled timber flooring or bricks.
“I think due to the scarcity of raw materials, the use of recycled materials, composite products and fibre cement boards will provide alternatives to the home building industry,” he says.
As for architecture styles, custom clients are taking their inspiration from far and wide. After all, the sky’s the limit.
“Manhattan warehouse, Melbourne’s Toorak, and Asian resorts are among the styles that inspire our clients, with the Hamptons style ever-popular too” Jeffs says.
“But most often, our clients are looking for timeless designs that they’ll love forever.”
