"Hang about where's the verandah" – Re-inventing The Great Australian Homestead.

John McInerney | September 21 | 2019

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Over the years I have designed many homes along the line of the classic Australian homestead…usually a simple rectangular design surrounded by verandah's on all sides.

It could be said this is a timeless home design style particularly if done right with split pitch verandah's and other features such as corner quoining, sloping sills to windows and timber fret work to verandah posts and other detailing. It could also be argued that in some cases verandah's serve a practical purpose particularly during the long hot Australian summer. That said it has often occurred to me that this particular design expression has its limitations and is definitely wide open for a fresh interpretation to suit contemporary living.
The classic homestead style is an extension of early colonial architecture whereby particularly in areas north of the 26 parallel verandah's were added for practical reasons. The verandah served to shade and protect external walls from direct sun and thereby reduce heat load within the building itself. In addition, the verandah provided a practical extension of the main home and area to relax in the evening to escape the humidity and eventual build-up of residual heat within the main home over the day time period.
As this style crept into home designs further south the above benefits still served practical purposes during the long hot summers however definitely had limitations during the cold winters. Sure, the verandah kept the sun out during summer but made no allowance for the warm winter sun to penetrate the interior of the home during the cold winter months. This often resulted in homes needing several fireplaces to keep the occupants warm and in addition resulted in rooms which were often dark and musky.
Given that a large percentage of the Australian population live south of the 26th parallel it would therefore be fair to say that the use and position of verandah's need to be more carefully considered and that other aspects of design such as the width of eaves and how the home is orientated are possibly more relevant. In addition, as methods of building construction have evolved the use of various floor, wall & ceiling insulation and better glazing efficiency are also potentially of greater importance in creating an energy efficient home.
With modern high-density subdivision, the homestead style of home is obviously predominantly limited to more rural areas and lifestyle acreages which often surround the outer limits of our cities and beyond. With these areas in mind I have taken up the challenge to provide my re-interpretation of the classic Australian homestead with a contemporary twist and created a range of unique and flexible designs to fit the modern lifestyle. These designs are adaptable to the changing needs of any family and also perfect for luxury holiday homes or rural escapes.
I invite you to view these exciting new designs at Designer Country Homes and I would love to hear your feedback.


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