Small house, big on design at Samford
This award-winning granny flat at Samford Valley blows any negative connotations of downsizing out of the water, proving there’s no need to sacrifice comfort and style.
Moreton Life
Don't miss out on the headlines from Moreton Life. Followed categories will be added to My News.
This award-winning granny flat at Samford Valley blows any negative connotations of downsizing out of the water, proving there’s no need to sacrifice comfort and style.
It’s the home of Toni and Neil Fitzpatrick, who bought the acreage property with their daughter and son-in-law about five years ago.
The extended family lived together in the main house for about a year and at that stage had plans to extend the home to accommodate the senior members of the household.
But after researching their options online, they came across small house designer BAAHouse + BAAStudio and decided to construct a stand-alone home for Toni and Neil.
The result is a stunning two-bedroom house, which has been designed to make the most of the sloping block and its picturesque views.
It has a floor area of 80sq m plus decking off the living area and main bedroom.
There are two bedrooms, one bathroom and toilet, walk-in-robe, laundry concealed off the hallway, study desk incorporated into the hallway, high ceilings and open-plan kitchen and living area.
Toni says BAAHouse director and architect Claus Ejlertsen asked the couple what they wanted and needed.
They asked for big sliding doors to make the most of the view, louvres to catch the breeze, a wide hallway and doors to enable wheelchair access, and polished floors.
The couple also needed plenty of storage and wanted to incorporate black and timber into the colour scheme.
Claus delivered and Toni couldn’t be happier, particularly loving the outlook and how the house has been positioned on the block.
“It was all about the angle of the light at certain times of the day,” she says.
The house has quality fixtures and finishes and cost $270,000 to build, including everything except the appliances.
So, what’s it like living next door to your daughter, son-in-law and two young grandsons?
Toni says living on the same block enables her to help with school drop-offs in the mornings and she enjoys the extra time she gets with her grandsons, aged five and seven.
This doesn’t mean they live in each other’s pockets. They eat together occasionally, but when the blinds are down that’s a signal that Toni doesn’t want to be disturbed.
“It’s a very good balance. It enables them to get on with it. My daughter would have stayed home longer (from work) had I not been here,” she says.
There’s also the financial benefit in sharing the cost of buying the property, which neither party would have been able to do on their own.
“I’d definitely recommend it, particularly with families it’s so hard to get a start,” Toni says.
An unexpected benefit has involved the sharing of hot and cold beverages.
Neil is the resident barista, making coffee for Toni and their daughter in the mornings, while their son-in-law is the barman organising drinks in the afternoons. It’s a pretty good arrangement, according to Toni.
Visit baahouse.com.au
BAAHOUSE DESIGNS
● All designs are approved by an engineer and certified by local certifiers
● There are one, two, three and four-bedroom options
● High ceilings in living and deck areas maximise light, space and airflow
● Sustainably-sourced timber used
● Options for eco materials and finishes to suit any budget
5000 bookings before $35m northside hot spot even opens
Flame-kissed steaks, a kids’ arcade, half-court basketball and wall-to-wall sport. The northside’s newest pub venue opens this week after a booking frenzy.
Young woman charged after man dies in two-car crash
A 22-year-old woman has been charged over a two-vehicle crash which claimed the life of a 59-year-old man. DETAILS