Display Village Spotlight - J G King Homes
June 2022 in Design Inspiration
WHAT’S NEW IN HOME DESIGN?
We talk to JG King Homes’ Catherine Scott and ask her what are the biggest design trends she’s seeing so far in 2022.
Once you’ve purchased your lot, the next big decision you’ll need to make is what to build.
Visiting a display village is the perfect place to find some inspiration, and Westbrook Estate’s Display Village is no exception, featuring a great range of homes designs to help you determine exactly what you’re after.
Located at Society Boulevard, Truganina, just a short stroll from Westbrook’s Sales Centre, the Westbrook Display Village showcases # stunning home designs from some of Victoria’s leading builders including JG King Homes, Metricon 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.
Plus, in the final instalment of our home design series, this month we speak with Catherine Scott from JG King Homes to provide you with some additional insights about all the latest trends in home design, styling and innovation.
What are the biggest home design trends you’re seeing for 2022?
So far this year, it’s all about embracing nature.
Warm, earthy colours – browns, natural shades, terracotta, mossy greens are all proving incredibly popular in terms of furniture, décor and furnishings. And it's a similar story when it comes to flooring and benchtops, with people favouring less polished, nature-inspired textured finishes like matte tiles and marble, as well as travertine and stoneware.
We’re also seeing a lot of organic shapes incorporated into home décor – think wavy mirrors and mushroom lamps, and a LOT more curves – both in terms of furnishings as well as home design, including archways, round profile cladding, curved couches and bed heads and even rounded walls!
Overall, people are opting for home interiors that offer more warmth, comfort and airiness – possibly because they’re now spending much more time in their homes than was previously the case, and also because there’s a greater emphasis on practical and sustainable design.
How, and to what extent, has the pandemic influenced home buyers and home design in the past 2 years?
The last two years have definitely had an impact on home design.
There’s a much greater focus on zoned living, with growing demand for dedicated zones to accommodate the differing needs of occupants. For example, purchasers are now looking for study rooms where more than one person can work or study, as averse to study nooks.
Likewise, people are also interested in home designs which offer more practical spaces, designed with purpose, like home gyms or media rooms. So, we’re offering these sorts of options in more of our home designs going forwards.
How much importance are prospective purchasers now placing on sustainable designs and ones that deliver a reduced environmental footprint?
Given the occurrence of so many significant climate events in Australia over the last few years, people are definitely way more concerned about ensuring their home is as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. Homebuyers are becoming much more conscious of wanting to reduce their environmental footprint and they’re looking for home designs that enable them to achieve this.
We estimate that least 30% of our buyers are interested in sustainable energy options for their homes., with requests for double glazed windows, higher grade internal and external wall insulation and greater solar capacity for energy way more commonplace.
We’re also proud of the fact that JG King Homes is at the forefront of sustainability and renewable material innovations, from our use of TRUECORE® streel frames to COLORBOND® steel roofs, and we know this is a major part of our appeal for many clients. Plus, we’ve recently partnered with RACV Solar to produce even more efficient and economical alternatives for customers which is already proving very popular.
What is the best time to visit the Westbrook Display Village?
Our display hours are from 11 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week. So, people can visit anytime. Most people tend to come on weekends, but if you can visit early on a weekday morning when there aren’t too many other people about, it’s well worth the effort.
What are the top 3 things a prospective purchaser should look out for when inspecting a display home?
Generally a client’s design and layout requirements will be driven largely by their specific personal needs. But we always encourage 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, and to focus on those areas when inspecting a display home.
Given how much more energy conscious we’re all becoming, it’s also worth looking at the solar orientation of your chosen home design. Where are spaces like the kitchen, meals, family/living and alfresco areas located? Ideally, you want a design that allows you to incorporate some or all of these spaces on the northern boundary of your lot where they will capture the most sunlight and warmth.
Last, but by no means least, experience and reputation counts. Look for display homes that are well constructed with quality materials, finishes and inclusions as these will better stand the test of time. A builder’s history and reputation is also a generally reliable guide in this respect.