If you’re planning your new home and looking for design ideas, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we highlight some of the house design ideas and features we’ve been loving recently, including exterior designs, layout ideas, and visual finishes.
We also include show-stopping homes for inspiration, showcasing how these ideas can transform your new house into your dream home.
Modern House Design Trends
Brutalist Homes
First developed in the 1950s, brutalist architecture emphasises simple forms and bare materials. Popular brutalist features include large geometric forms, simple lines, and modular elements. For example, our cubehaus façade is an example of brutalist design, featuring clean lines, flat ceilings, and a sculptural feel.
A number of our modular home projects showcase a cubehaus façade, perfectly capturing the essence of this trend.
Character Homes
For those who prefer a more traditional home, you’ll be pleased to know that features like gable roofs, verandahs, and weatherboards are always in style. Many homeowners are opting to build a new house that looks established, meaning their new home has all the modern conveniences but is still full of character and timeless style.
At Anchor Homes, our Gable and Dutch Gable façades are inspired by traditional rooflines, adding depth and definition to the home’s exterior. With pleasing angles and the option to incorporate a verandah or portico, it’s easy to achieve the classic aesthetic.
For instance, take our Patonga Beach project, which beautifully embodies traditional architecture with its gable facade, weatherboards, and iconic Australian verandah. We admire how it harmonises contemporary functionality with timeless charm.
Similarly, our Avoca design range presents a wonderful opportunity for those aiming to evoke the spirit of a traditional character home.
Natural Elements
People are always looking to incorporate nature into their homes, using timber, stone, and natural light. In 2024, we’re seeing an increase in dark wood-panelled walls, skylights, stone features, and wool textiles. These elements create warmth and cosiness and also contribute to a feeling of calm and well-being.
Organic Shapes
Modern design is often hyper-focused on straight lines and geometric angles so we’re excited to see a lot more curves and organic shapes. From lighting to furniture to doorways, you’d be surprised which elements of a home can be reimagined with a curve or arch design. When paired with right angles and flat surfaces, the organic nature of these shapes adds something eye-catching and achieves a more homely, welcoming atmosphere.
The Rye ProjectTip: If you intend to integrate larger round furnishings into your new home's decor, it's crucial to consider this decision during discussions about the house design to ensure sufficient space is available.
Bold Colours, Textures, and Patterns
Following the beige blowout of recent years, many designers and owners are incorporating bold colours, textures, and patterns into their homes. From coloured grout to fluted details to coloured ceilings, people are excited to experiment and mix and match. While past years have been all about minimalism, we’re excited to see the new era of maximalism taking over.
The Rye Project
Colour Drenching
Colour drenching is a popular trend in which you fill a room with one colour, achieving a bold, monochromatic look. This can apply to any element in the room, from walls and ceilings to furniture, textiles, lighting, and artwork. One of the main benefits of colour drenching is that it can make the room feel bigger, creating an illusion of height.
Eclecticism
Eclectic home design is all about creating a space that is uniquely yours, pulling together all the colours and design elements that you love. This style feels layered and personal, giving you the freedom to play around with each finish, fixture, and piece of furniture. After all, this is your home so it should reflect your lifestyle and tastes.
Statement Lighting
Lighting is a great way to transform your space so it’s no wonder that statement lighting is taking over interior design. There’s a wide variety of materials and textures to choose from, along with varying levels of light output. We’ve also noticed a lot of sculptural lamps and pendant lights, serving as a piece of art just as much as a functional light.
Custom Outdoor Living
The landscaping and outdoors are just as crucial as the house itself, expanding your living space and maximising your lifestyle. Increasingly, homeowners are opting for homes that complement the natural lay of the land, with effortless flow from inside to out. We’re also seeing more built-in outdoor dining spaces and kitchens, encouraging Australians to be outdoors enjoying their property all year round.
The Rye ProjectFor example, our Rye Project features a compact, modern outdoor living space that is complementary to its surroundings and the sloping block.
Quiet Luxury
Quiet luxury, also known as the ‘old money aesthetic’ is all about timelessness, classic pieces, quality materials, and subtlety. The trend took off in 2023, impacting both the fashion and architectural industries. As a result, we are seeing more textured fabrics, rich timbers, and softer patterns for large furniture.
In interior design, quiet luxury is often focused on the idea that your home is your sanctuary and should therefore encourage relaxation, calm, and comfort. To achieve this style, we recommend curating each item and fixture to suit the overall feel of the home, reducing clutter, and embracing a warm, gentle colour palette.
Butler’s Pantry
When it comes to modern living, it’s impossible to maintain a perfect home at all times, which is why so many homeowners install a scullery or butler’s pantry. These secondary spaces provide a designated area to prepare food, clean up, and use appliances, keeping the main kitchen for hosting and spending time with family and friends.
For example, our Cranbourne South Project and Croydon Project both feature a walk-in butler’s pantry that houses the fridge, and smaller appliances and also offers extensive storage. This thoughtful addition to both of these designs ensures the kitchen area remains clutter-free.
The Croydon Project
Smart Homes
As technology evolves, we are seeing more and more homes with smart devices and features built in. These features make your life easier, automating tasks and personalising the home to your preferences. For example, you can use smart technology to control lighting, heating, cooling, kitchen appliances, ventilation, security, and wi-fi.
At Anchor Homes we offer a variety of smart home products from Legrand that can be incorporated into your new home design. They help you to manage your home easily with a touch of a button, your voice or your smart device.
House Designs Australia
When building with Anchor Homes, you have complete control over how your home looks, feels, and functions. From our standard range to completely bespoke designs, you can create your dream home and make any adjustments to ensure it’s exactly how you imagine.
If you’re ready to get started, contact us today or download our full inspiration guide.
