What Does It Mean To Have A Good Flow In Your New Build Home

With both the Auckland summer and the festive season upon us, you may be bracing for an influx of relatives and friends. It will be times such as this that have you dreaming of building a well-thought-out home with more flow – but what exactly is 'flow' in new home design, and is it worth it?

Here at Maddren Homes, we know from experience that when conceiving and building your new home, 'good flow' is essential not just for when you're entertaining but also for the sake of your peace and sanity. There's nothing worse than feeling closed in due to poor connections between various spaces.

Good flow in a new home enables occupants and guests to move through spaces and between rooms seamlessly, like a stream rolls, without having to re-arrange furniture when guests descend or sidestep obstacles on your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Essentially flow is about the location of your rooms and how they relate to each other, as well as the detailed layout of each room, including the location of doors, cupboards, windows, and furniture. To move easily from room to room is as important as the connection between your kitchen and the deck.

Tip 1: Consider the relationship between rooms

When planning your new home, think about the natural relationship between spaces and how your design can maximise the interconnectedness between these spaces. For example, the connection between the kitchen and the deck, the kitchen, and the dining room, and the living area to the garden.

Flow is not just about how rooms relate to each other. Consider the relationship between rooms and the furniture you bring into them. If a table is too big or too square for a space, you don't have a good flow.

Tip 2: Avoid corners

Corners are naturally awkward. As human beings, we're rather fond of 'cutting corners' so we can stay in the flow – corners are a potential chokepoint. At the very least, they require you to twist and turn or sidestep – remember, a river never naturally takes a 90-degree angle to the left. Neither should the spaces in your home.

The ideal is to be able to move between spaces without noticing it. If your guests have to stand aside so that others can 'squeeze' by or you can only open doors partway, you don't have a good flow. An idea may be to eliminate as far as possible the need for doors or replace traditional doors with cavity sliders (which slide to open).

Tip 3: Consider lifestyle

It would be a mistake to think of good flow in your newly built home as just about guests, entertainment, and the relationship between rooms. It is also about the relationship between you and your home – think about your lifestyle and your needs because you and your family are the ones who occupy the house full-time.

It's not just about 'play', but 'work' and 'leisure' too. For example, a home office close to the kitchen may be wrong for some (too noisy and easy access to tempting food) and a great idea for others who like the activity and convenience. Could having office access to your garden help productivity? Do you have a habit of getting up in the middle of the night and wandering around in the dark? Where does the family tend to hang out? Some are kitchen people, others are lounge people, and yet others are deck people. 

Good flow is more than the relationship between spaces and rooms; it is about the relationship between people and the broader space.

It may be the festive season that gets you thinking about flow, but the better the flow in your room, the greater your feeling of peace, positivity, and ease - all year round.