9 Design Tips For The Perfect Granny Flat

A granny flat design can be the perfect way to care for relatives while maintaining their much-needed privacy and independence. They can also be a great way to utilise unused space on your property. These tiny properties accompany your main home and act as a safe space for your loved ones.

We recommend considering a few perfect granny flat design tips before constructing your granny flat.

These ideas will surely aid you in building a granny flat design from scratch or remodelling a building on your property. So, without further ado, let’s check out the ideas!

Design Tips For The Perfect Granny Flat

1. Open Up The Space

Well, granny flat designs are often known to be tiny spaces with a basic design. Most of them will have a couple of rooms with a bathroom, kitchen, and maybe a living room. But there are multiple ways to open up more space, and one of our favourite ideas involves building a home with high-lofted ceilings.

The house will instantly feel more spacious, and you can place clerestory windows, skylights, or slits along the top to bring in natural light.

Another way to maximise space is to decrease the number of corridors to create larger rooms. You can even merge certain rooms and build an open kitchen to make the house feel airy.

2. Use Glass Windows

One feature we detest in average granny flat designs is the use of small windows. Apart from limiting light entry, those tiny windows restrict views. So, you can opt for large glass windows for an uninterrupted view of the neighbourhood.

We think using glass windows works particularly well for older people with limited mobility. However, ensure to install appropriate drapes to block the sunlight during the hot summer days.

3. Add A Deck To The House

With more people wanting to have granny flat designs in their homes, the local councils have created regulations to limit their size. To add more room, build a deck or porch to let your loved ones enjoy the outdoor living space from time to time. It doesn’t need to be a huge space. Make sure there’s enough space to place a couple of chairs and a table to sit and relax.

4. Think About Maintaining Privacy

Even though you may love living close to your parents or grandparents, a certain amount of privacy is essential. While designing a granny flat, you must be careful about the placement of the windows, rooms and drapes to create a barrier. So, in houses with only a narrow space, try to place strategic landscaping pieces to limit the view.

5. Choose A Similar Design As Your Main Home

Building with a consistent look on your property ensures a better price if you consider putting them up for sale. Some local authorities even require you to build granny flats in a similar design to your main home. But even after keeping a similar architectural style, you can make minor tweaks to the decor for a more personalised look based on the choices of your loved ones.

6. Choose A Sustainable Design

Adding a modern granny flat design to your property means using more of the utilities. If you haven’t added sustainable designs to your home, consider including them while designing the modern granny flat.

The addition of large windows brings in natural light and fresh air, while spaces with high ceilings keep the home cool during summer. You can also consult a contractor to strategically place doors and windows that allow natural ventilation in the house.

Remember to add insulation throughout the home to prevent it from getting too hot or cold. It can even drastically reduce the need for air conditioners and heaters, leading to lower energy bills.

7. Ensure Accessibility

An accessible home is imperative when considering providing living space for your elderly family members. You should take into account any health issues they might have or other special requirements, so here are some accessibility features that you can include in granny flats:

• Wider doorways
• Secure entrance ramps
• Walk-in showers with railings
• Wheelchair and walker-friendly spaces
• Less obstructive walls
• Easy-to-reach cabinets in kitchens
• Lower beds
• Well-lit environments
• Slip-resistant floors

8. Select the Right Colours

White does look good in homes, allowing you to maintain a well-lit setting. But that doesn’t mean that a granny flat should only have dull neutral colours. Too much grey or brown can make the space monotonous, which is undesirable and may even affect one’s mood.

Alternatively, you can add pops of colour to the decor to create a comfortable and cosy space. Adding retro shades like burnt orange, yellow, or light teal is an excellent way to do this. Also, when planning on painting the walls white or cream, add bright-coloured drapes or rugs as highlights.

9. Include Enough Storage

Storage space is a big concern for most tiny homes, let alone a granny flat, where you need to have as much space as possible. That’s why it’s crucial to plan the storage spaces that will be accessible in different areas, such as the bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen.

The resident of the granny flat may also use tools like walkers, walking sticks or wheelchairs. While coming up with a floor plan, consider the special needs of your loved ones to make the granny flat beneficial for them.

For instance, think about adding a sloping roof to the house. Its loft can come in handy to store the additional stuff a person may bring.

Building The Perfect Granny Flat

That’s almost everything you need to know about designing a perfect granny flat to go with your home. It may take a lot of planning in the planning stage, but we are sure you’ll be able to create a loving and cosy place for your grandparents or parents.

One of the only things you need to keep in mind is the local guidelines regarding the designs of granny flats. If unsure, consult a builder with experience creating these spaces for the best results.

Get in touch with the FTCC team for assistance in building a granny flat in Sydney. With the help of our licensed and qualified builders, you can design and construct the perfect granny flat for your property.

We also recommend adding personal touches to the space to let your loved ones know you’re always with them. The trick is to create a space where they would enjoy living.

So, now, you’re all prepared to go and design your perfect granny flat!