Whether you live in a joint family system or as a nuclear family, this may be the year you finally build your own home. The path to first-time homeownership is paved with many challenging decisions, from financing to interior design, so why not start with the basics?  Kick-off this new phase in your life by researching family-friendly house designs, both online as well as offline. The final layout will ultimately depend on the total number of occupants but do not limit yourself during the initial research phase. Take a leisurely stroll in a neighbourhood that inspires you; chances are you will see at least a couple of few design elements for the ‘mood board’. If you decide on building the new residence from the bottom-up, it is best to begin with a reputable team of builders who specialize in construction in Lahore. A joint-family system can include family members belonging to up to three different generations. That is why it is  very important that your home is designed in a way that it best accommodates every family member. We’ll take a closer look at how you can incorporate family-friendly modern house designs in Lahore.

A Room for Everyone

Room for Everyone

A practical floor plan requires the homeowner and their architectural design consultant to consider the following factors:

  • the total number of family members
  • the total number of teens, children, and infants and their requirements
  • the total number of elderly family members and their needs
  • the predominant lifestyle: school-going children, freelancing parents, or empty-nesters?

Once the number of bedrooms and bathrooms have been decided upon, the next step is designing a corresponding floor layout that works best for your household. If most of the children are under five years of age, an architect may suggest keeping the children’s bedrooms and the nursery on the same floor as your master suite. For the sake of privacy (and convenience), the guest rooms and a well-stocked kitchenette can be placed either in the basement or on the second floor of a double-story house.

Multi-Purpose Activity Areas

Activity Room

Like all things in life, one’s home must provide a balance between ‘work’ and ‘play’. If there is even one cinema buff in the family, ask your architectural team to design a custom-built home theatre room for the basement area. The projector-screen setup can also double as gaming room – just add in your favorite console! Incorporate sports-friendly activity areas into the new home, such as a makeshift basketball court in the driveway or a temporary badminton net in the garden. For an  indoor activity room, you can easily set up a table-tennis, pool, or an air-hockey table for everyone to enjoy.

The Great Outdoors

The Great Outdoor

There are many ways to go about designing your new garden. A standard landscape design consists of a lush lawn peppered with seasonal flowering trees and shrubs.  An experienced landscape designer can convert a pre-built gazebo into the perfect summer-time escape by adding in some fast-growing climbing plants like bougainvillea or Japanese honeysuckle.  Transform the lawn into an instant party or barbeque venue by adding in some comfortable patio chairs, a picnic table as well as a state-of-the-art barbeque grill. For those with a “green thumb”, a small garden  is all that it is required to grow your own organic fruits and vegetables. 

Safe and Functional Living Spaces for the Elderly

Living Space for Elderly

Functionality comes before superficial aesthetics, especially when one is  talking about the elderly. Make sure that the entrance to your home, from the driveway to the foyer, is wheelchair-accessible and slip-proof. Textured tiles are safer for those with limited mobility compared to slicker marble tiles. For example, instead of steps you can substitute in a ramp. For the house’s interior, make sure stairways and corridors are well-lit; this will benefit not only the elderly but any other inhabitant with vision impairment as well. Also, make sure that there are slip-proof stickers and handles in the bathrooms.

It’s essential that take the time to conduct some preliminary research before selecting a firm that has sufficient experience in designing modern living spaces for large families. This step will ensure clear communication from the very start of the residential project. While it is vital to select an experienced architectural firm, it is equally important to opt for a well-known construction company in Lahore as well.