How to design the perfect floorplan for your granny flat

They say good things come in small packages and there are plenty of tips and tricks you can use to ensure you create the perfect floorplan for your granny flat. Designing a granny flat that is going to suit your family’s needs now and in the future, is the ultimate goal.

And we’re here to make sure you have a cleverly designed granny flat customised exactly for you.

Here are our top tips and considerations when working with your consultant on your floorplan:

Living Areas

• Extend your living area to your outdoor space through glass doors. They can make the room seem larger by allowing your line of sight to extend through the window to the patio/garden space outside.
• Increase the ceiling height of your granny flat to create a greater sense of space, either with raked ceilings or increasing from the standard 30c to 32c.
• If you love cooking, you don’t have to go without the bench space needed for your culinary quests. A kitchen island is a great way to increase bench space and also serves as an additional storage space. Add a couple of stools and it’s a perfect spot to enjoy breakfast too.

A Summit granny flat in Attadale.

Bathroom and Laundry

• Combining the bathroom and laundry is a popular space-saver seen in homes of all sizes. This option also means you can throw your dirty clothes from the bathroom directly into the washing machine. You can also choose to conceal your washer/dryer behind a purpose-built compartment in the bathroom.
• Consider how often you would use a bath. Do you spend more time scrubbing the tub than actually bathing in it? A shower-only bathroom will maximise space.
• Consider installing cupboards wherever possible. A storage vanity combined with a mirror is a great solution.

Space saving tricks

• Your granny flat should embrace a range of space-saving tricks, such as sliding doors that disappear into wall cavities and built-in storage nooks that are so minimalistic they are hardly noticeable.
• The furniture you choose to bring into your granny flat should also optimise space – look for those items that serve a double function, such as ottomans that can hold books and magazines inside and beds that have drawers built-in underneath.
• The interior design of your granny flat can play a large part in how ‘roomy’ it feels. Interior design tips include installing feature mirrors, utilising consistent flooring in each room, installing wall hooks for hats and bags, hanging the TV and entertainment unit and opting for fewer but larger furniture pieces.
• Forgo the ‘standard’ coffee table in the living room and use side tables instead. Large coffee tables in front of lounges can cramp the space.

Accessibility

• An accessible granny flat is well proportioned and easy to move around in. Consider wide doorways and hallways to accommodate any current or future need for wheelchairs and walkers. Try to avoid tripping hazards by eliminating any exterior steps into the flat and those inside, including small steps around the shower recess.

Smart orientation

• A well-designed granny flat that makes the most of its natural resources by choosing an orientation that maximises the sun’s light and warmth. Summit’s design consultants can advise you on how to place your home on an east-west axis and with daytime living areas facing the north.

If you are looking for inspiration,watch the fly through of our Astaire display here. The Astaire is one of our most popular granny flat designs. Not only is it perfectly designed to maximise every inch of the 70sqm space, it’s versatile with its floorplan as it can easily accommodate a garage, alfresco, workshop, swimming pool and so much more!

You can come and see if for yourself at 242 Leach Highway, Myaree.
Book an Appointment.

 You also have the option of working with one of our consultants to customise your very own granny flat so you get exactly what you want.