Modern Home Designs for over 25 years
Are you a fan of modern homes but are not sure exactly what the style is all about? Are you designing a new home and want to add a little modern flair to your plans? Have you tried to learn a little more about modern house design but got lost in all the architectural terms? If so, this guide is for you.
As experienced custom builders, the team here at Carmel Homes is well versed in modern house design. However, unlike some other design professionals, we prefer to take a practical approach to understanding the style. This means we focus on the key features that make modern homes, well… modern.
Here we share our understanding of the history and current state of the modern house design style. As part of this, we will explore the key elements you should be looking for when reviewing modern house plans. We will also share our advice on what you need to think about when developing your own modern house design.
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At Carmel Homes, we believe that when it comes to your home, there should be no compromises. That's why what we call "standard" is what most others call their "premium" range. Come see why we are considered one of Melbourne's most respected builders.
Modern house designs are synonymous with clean lines, uncomplicated floor plans, and restrained colour and material palettes. But as anyone who has tried to plan a modern house will tell you, this simplicity is not simple to create.
The good news is there are a few simple tricks to perfecting your new modern house design before you knockdown your current home. Here we share our top tips for this, including the key features we recommend you focus on.
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An inimitable marriage of thoughtful, cutting-edge modern design and divine, modern finishes.
An inimitable marriage of thoughtful, cutting-edge design and divine, modern finishes, this brand-new town residence catapults our standards of contemporary luxury. Offering a rambling five-bedroom layout across three storeys, and totaling 58 squares, the home provides easy living with a private lift while promoting utter tranquility through a soaring light well with atrium greenery. Situated in leafy Balwyn, the home is central to elite schooling, shopping, cafés, transport, and parklands.
Seductively swathed in exquisite natural finishes, the home welcomes guests with opulence and elegance. Chevron patterned European Oak lies underfoot, while benchtops are draped in Calacatta Vagli Oro marble, and bathrooms are beautifully lined in Saturnia Light Travertine.
An array of living spaces nurtures both private relaxation and vibrant entertaining. A formal lounge room offers a refined fireside ambiance, while a family retreat offers a private space for kids’ play. The home’s heart, a vast open plan domain inspires sun-drenched indoor-outdoor enjoyment, spilling onto a wide alfresco balcony with barbecue kitchenette, overlooking an azure inground swimming pool. The kitchen hosts family and friends over a marble-wrapped breakfast bar, while effortlessly catering to the masses with abundant Miele appliances encased in two-pack and timber cabinetry, including a handy butler’s pantry.
The accommodation layout pampers residents in spacious sanctuary, providing luxurious bathrooms to every bedroom, including a flexible bedroom or home cinema on the basement level. A guest suite brings privacy to visitors on the ground floor, while upstairs, a lavish master bedroom indulges parents with a luxe ensuite including soaker-tub, plus extravagant walk-in robes to each of the secondary bedrooms. Completed with a four-car garage, the home assures modern comfort, cocooned in today’s favourite luxuries.
"The home assures modern comfort, cocooned in today’s favourite luxuries"
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Step into the future of home design in 2024, where the landscape is evolving to cater to dynamic needs and preferences. The spotlight is on health-conscious living, with an emphasis on natural daylight, air quality, and dedicated wellness spaces. The trend of bringing the outdoors in is a vibe, featuring glass doors, seamless indoor-outdoor spaces, and a nod to sustainability for tranquil, nature-inspired living. Maximizing storage space takes center stage, showcasing the ingenuity of custom builders in urban areas and on tricky sloping blocks.
The passion for handmade features and personalized elements grows, with homeowners craving unique, character-filled spaces. Quality furniture and purposeful cabinetry design are valued, aligning with the trend of investing in enduring, custom pieces. Lastly, Smart Homes usher in 2024 with cutting-edge technology, offering convenience and control. These trends collectively shape a future where design meets functionality, sustainability, and the ever-evolving needs of modern living.
A great kitchen has become a cornerstone of good modern home design. More than just a space to prepare meals, kitchens are now areas for friends and family to congregate. They are also increasingly used to make a style statement, setting the tone for the rest of the property.
Do you like the look of the modern style but want something that feels a little more timeless? Are you a fan of the sense of refined comfort but prefer cleaner lines and sleeker finishes? Or, do you simply want the best of both worlds – classic styling with contemporary touches?
Whatever your motivation, you are not alone. More and more people are looking to bring the French Provincial style into the 21st century. But it can be tough to bring such contrasting looks together.
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What are custom built homes?These are unique houses built around the specific layout and materials suggested by the client. A custom-built home reflects the architectural and functional preferences of the homeowner. For instance, if you need an extra cabinet built into the wall, you have the freedom to get it built. As opposed to pre-designed home, a made-to-order home lets you tweak the floor plan, external and interior design and many other aspects of homebuilding. These homes fully meet the needs of your family.
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I don't have any designs or plans in mind. What do I do?Every custom home is designed to meet the client's unique desires and needs. With that in mind, at Carmel Homes, we have a design and build process we like to follow. We specialise in custom home building, so we encourage you to be involved in the design of your new home – it is such a rewarding experience!
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Can I customize my interior layout?Every custom home project we do is unique. We encourage our clients to be actively involved in the design, inside and out. Bring photos of your inspirations or even better, use our inhouse interior design experience.
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Do we have to use your Architect/Designer or can we use ours?We have no objections to building your home from your plans and specifications. We can build anything as long as you own your design, as copyright applies.
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How do I keep track of the progress of my custom designed home?We keep you up to date with your construction schedule every step of the way with a detailed report which includes images of how things are progressing. You will also have regular contact with our Directors who will be project managing the build of your home to ensure you are receiving the best possible service.
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Is it Cheaper to Custom Build?A custom home builder will usually be cheaper if you are planning to knockdown and rebuild an existing home. While site remediation is an important part of the knockdown and rebuild process, most sites will still have some issues (easements, significant trees, etc.). Many volume builders will not accept jobs with these conditions or charge a premium for variations from their set design. Learn more about of whether it is it Cheaper to Custom Build?
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Will I see you on site after we sign the contract?You won't be able to keep us away. From the moment we have our first meeting our relationship will begin to flourish. We pride ourselves on quality; you cannot get quality unless you have proper supervision. Our name and reputation is on the line, when you put on other people to do your job, they just go home at night and their livelihood is not affected at all if they do not supervise properly. With years of on-site experience, and our background as a detail oriented quality builder, only we can say if a job is good enough or not. Too many builders have young unapproachable supervisors with their own ideas but not the experience, not us. From day one to final hand over, you will be dealing with one of the directors.
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Can I have access to the site during the construction of my home?We encourage you to come and see the progress for your self, it's an exciting process. Just make sure you contact us first so that you have someone from Carmel Homes showing you around. We adhere to a strict safety policy with all of our tradespeople, suppliers and visitors to site. It is imperative to maintain this policy throughout the course of construction.
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Where are your floor plans for your custom homes?Carmel Homes never starts with any base, stock or ‘cookie-cutter’ type of floor plans. We have found that our clients really appreciate having a truly one-of-a-kind custom home tailored for their specific block of land and around their unique lifestyle. Being able to start designing "from scartch" allows the architect/plan designer the artistic freedom to take advantage of the specific features of the block of land eg: surroundings such as views, streets, neighbors, etc. That said, feel free to contact us so we can show some other home designs custom house plans we are building for inspiration.
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Is site selection part of custom house building?Not all who dream of building their own house possess a piece of land. If you are one of them, we provide a Full Service Project Management service that helps you find the most ideal property. Decide on the location and what amenities you need nearby and our local builder’s knowledge shines through as we can give you valuable inputs site suitability.
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What happens if I want to make some changes after construction has begun?We have regular site meetings to ensure that your custom designed home is being built exactly the way you imagined. At any stage, you are welcome to make changes if time permits and the changes don’t affect the structural integrity of your home. We understand the need for flexibility during the construction phase to ensure the home of your dreams is being built the way you want it.
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What constitutes a difficult site?We love "difficult sites", this is where great custom designed homes show their true value most. A difficult site may be that the area in which construction is to take place is isolated or the land may be gently sloping, up to a cliff. The type of soil may mean there is specialist engineering for footings required, weather its highly reactive clay, sand or rock it may be difficult to build on. The design may require basement parking or large retaining walls, big excavations or large amounts of fill. All of these type of sites require specialist engineering and also these type of sites usually have unique quality’s making a truly magnificent architectural home stand out.
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Do you offer dual occupancy or duplex solutions?At Carmel Homes, we a custom design and build company and so we have the expertise on managing the entire dual occupancy process, from design, townplanning to construction. Feel free to contact us for a free consultation.
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My property already has a house on it, do you take care of the demolition?"We are a knockdown and rebuild specialist. Almost all the homes we build involve demolishing the old house, designing and building a new luxury custom home. Please contact us a free consultation.