To celebrate the launch of our upgraded Selection Centre, we sat down with our pre-start consultant Caitlin. Find out what trends she’s seen with our clients, and what to expect to see throughout the year.
Colours
The number of clients choosing brushed nickel for their taps has grown throughout last year. It offers the silver look of polished chrome but the matte finish hides fingerprints and smudges (plus, it looks great!). As more products like robe hooks and toilet roll holders become available in brushed nickel, we’re expecting to see this colour in more homes in 2023.
Our most popular cabinetry colours were in darker shades. Deep Anthracite, Bodega Oak and Natale Walnut were frequently picked in the kitchens and bathrooms by our clients. It will be interesting to see whether dark colours continue their growth as new colours become available by Formica.
Surfmist has easily been our most popular roof colour for many years. But with the launch of Colorbond’s 4 new colours, we’re expecting Dover White to overtake top spot since home buyers and councils prefer lighter roof colours. Southerly will also get lots of attention, but Night Sky will continue its demise as more estates prohibit dark roofs.
Designs
More clients have requested a scullery since COVID-19 began and now many of our standard designs have one included. The common practice is to place your main sink, dishwasher and appliances in the scullery so your kitchen remains clean. We have seen some clients opt for an upgraded single bowl in their kitchen bench, with a matte black sink a popular choice.
Extra space in the garage has also become a priority. Our workshop designs have remained popular, with extra powerpoints frequently added for tools or to charge appliances. More smaller homes are including a storage area in their garage as well.
Accessibility is already an important consideration for many clients because of the practical benefits that also look stylish. Think extra wide hallways, hobless showers and wall ovens in the kitchen. The conversation about accessible design features will grow over the coming years as our population ages, which means even first home buyers will start thinking of the long term benefits now.
Enhancing natural light is gaining more attention, whether it’s for a narrow or wide home. It’s common to see windows installed behind the kitchen sink and a hi-lite window in the ensuite to let the sun in.
Upgrades
It’s important to adapt your home design to suit your furniture. Increasing your fridge recess and adding in a cold water tap are two of the most popular requests in the kitchen. An electrical socket in the Broom cupboard for a Dyson, or in the walk-in pantry for a microwave, are other requests we receive.
In the shower, wall recesses have become popular so shampoo bottles can be kept off the floor and tucked away. Clients can place the recess on the wall, although some have also installed a nib wall and placed it there.
Patterned internal doors have seen a resurgence over last year so we’ve increased our range to include more designs for our clients.
7 Star Energy Ratings
New homes will be required to meet 7 star energy ratings. While it’s not being introduced to Perth until 2025, we expect more clients to start considering what features they can include. This can be cosmetic, such as lighter roof colours, but also structural like window placements and the location of the living areas.
Style Guide
Get inspired with our
gallery of materials
Check out the carpets,
cabinetry and flooring
Because most of our clients come from referrals, our sales consultants go that extra mile. So if you want a team that stays with throughout your build, let us know what you’re looking for in your new home.
