Display Village Spotlight - Dennis Family Homes
March 2023 in Design Inspiration
WHAT’S NEW IN HOME DESIGN?
We talk to Dennis Family Homes’ Anik Kapoor to find out.
Building your own home is one of the most exciting journeys you’re ever likely to embark upon. And if you’ve decided to take the plunge, one of the first big decisions you’ll need to make is what to build.
Making time to visit a display village to clap eyes on built form and inclusions is definitely the best way to fine tune your vision before you commence construction of your own home. Most estates have a range of presentations from display suites, display villages and display homes to help you determine exactly what you’re after, and Westbrook Estate is no exception.
Located at Society Boulevard, Truganina, just a short stroll from Westbrook’s Sales Centre, the Westbrook Display Village showcases 10 stunning home designs from some of Victoria’s leading builders including Metricon, Dulger Homes, JG King, Arden Homes and Dennis Family Homes. So, it’s the ideal place for prospective homebuyers to explore a comprehensive range of house designs, all in one convenient location.
But if you’re looking for some extra inspiration, we’ve got you covered. Each month, for the next few months, we’ll talk to the experts from one or two of the builders represented at Westbrook and invite them to share their insights about the latest trends in home design, styling and innovation.
This month, we speak with Anik Kapoor from Dennis Family Homes.
What are the biggest home design and décor trends you’re seeing for 2022?
So far this year, we’re seeing really strong demand for medium to larger sized houses ranging between 29 – 44 squares.
Unsurprisingly, given almost 80% of buyers in the estate hail from the Indian sub-continent, double storey designs with a downstairs bedroom on the ground floor are also proving very popular as many families have at least one grandparent living with them. This has definitely driven demand for Dennis Family Homes’ Marsden 363 Double Storey design on display at the Westbrook Estate, and we’ve added a shower on the ground level as well which has attracted plenty of buyers. The design’s compact and efficient floor plan, with a width of 12.5M and 28M long, also makes it an attractive option for smaller blocks.
In terms of interior trends, we’re seeing an increasing number of clients looking for warmer and friendly colour schemes, although the appeal of more muted natural colour palettes in tones of bark brown, ocean, sky blues and cloudy white will remain timeless. On the other hand, demand for interiors in every shade of grey and really bright feature walls, which were incredibly popular just a few years ago, are definitely on the wane.
How, and to what extent, has the pandemic influenced home design in the past 2 years?
There is no doubt that COVID has forced us to reconsider the way we live and build going forwards. The most prevalent trend to emerge though the pandemic is the growing demand for dedicated home office and schooling space – indeed for many customers, a study room is now a ‘must’. So they’re appearing as standard inclusion in more and more of our home designs. Our Mortlake 293 single storey home on display at Westbrook provides a good example, incorporating a dedicated study space which is ideal for parents working from or kids studying on-line, as well as a generous open plan kitchen/family/meals areas bringing plenty of natural light into the house.
How much importance are prospective purchasers now placing on sustainable designs and ones that deliver a reduced environmental footprint?
This is an increasingly important consideration for our customers, especially younger and first home buyers. People are very conscious of wanting to reduce their environmental footprint and they are proactively looking for home designs that enable them to achieve this. Certainly we now prioritise sustainability and endeavour to embed this in all our designs. There’s definitely been a big shift towards installing things like energy efficient LED light bulbs and solar power.
What is the best time to visit the Westbrook Display Village?
Well, the Display Village is open from 11 am – 5 pm 7 days a week. But I always suggest that people avoid lunchtimes and early afternoons, especially on weekends, as this is when things tend to be at their busiest. If you really want to enjoy some uninterrupted quality time, aim to visit on a weekday morning.
What are the top 3 things a prospective purchaser should look out for when inspecting a display home?
I guess that depends on their specific needs and requirements, but I always tell people to really think about how they plan to live in their house and where they’re likely to spend the majority of their time. For most of us these tend to be the kitchen, family and meals areas. So make looking at these a priority when you’re inspecting a display. I also advise purchasers with families that plenty of storage space is key! And I also prefer designs with higher ceilings as they make any house look and feel more spacious.
What is the funniest/weirdest/most ridiculous question a prospective purchaser has asked you?
I have definitely fielded some weird and wonderful questions over the years. But there are a few which have seriously made me laugh. Someone once asked me if the car in the driveway (mine) was included in the house package! Another person wanted to know if all the windows in the house actually opened.