4 Design Tips To Save Space In Your Granny Flat

Let’s face it, the main reason a client comes to us wanting to add a granny flat to their property is either to get a rental income or to house teenagers or grandparents. As helpful as a granny flat can be it does take up a big part of your backyard so we have put together 4 tips to save space when designing your granny flat.

Firstly it is important to note that local council regulations cap all secondary dwellings at 60m2 (unfortunately). When designing granny flats, the most common question we get at Action Plans is about the size limit. So here are 4 space-saving strategies to curb your inner claustrophobia!

Kitchens & Dinning

Kitchens are always crowded with bulky appliances which take up a frustrating amount of room but removing them isn’t really an option; it wouldn’t be a kitchen without a fridge, cook-top, or storage cabinets. People make the mistake of thinking the kitchen needs to be the biggest space of the entire granny flat when it ends up encroaching on your living space and therefore making your granny flat feel smaller than it is.

Thankfully there are plenty of things you can do to save space in the kitchen.

You can also get creative with your storage spaces.

Overhead cabinets in your kitchen are a MUST in small spaces. These let you store bulky items where you’ll often need them most, without crowding your floor space.

Consider if you really need a standalone dining table as well. Creating an eat in kitchen by adding an island bench with stools. Dinning tables are usually preferred but consider your overall space and how often you really eat at the table. Our clients are often amazed at how much space they gain from incorporating an island bench with stools instead of a dining table.

Light

Light & large windows will definitely make your granny flat feel larger, while not actually increasing the size. Natural light help invite attention to key features of your home and illuminate crowded or neglected areas. This gives you a much larger sense of space, which is probably the most crucial consideration when designing your granny flat.

Achieving this can be a lot harder than it sounds though. You can’t just go incorporating as many windows as possible as you need to consider privacy from the primary home. The last thing you want is a clear view of the house while in your bedroom (or bathroom).

You need to consider the size, transparency, and tactical placement of your windows, as well as the exact location of your granny flat relative to the natural flow of sunlight.

Consolidate Your Entertainment Appliances

The TV unit is always the centre of the lounge room as, lets face it, we all watch TV now and then (if not too much). TV unit with all the different boxes can look verly cluttered and can make your space feel smaller.

First thing’s first; get a smart TV, like a Samsung Frame. If you really must hang any separate consoles (such as gaming devices or paid-TV receivers), then consider a wall-mount with hanging shelves.

It goes without saying that wall monting your TV saved a lot of space as Smart TV’s are made super-thin and come with wall-mounts included for this very purpose.

Resting them on a floor-bound cabinet or stand is a huge waste of space. This is probably the biggest mistake people make when designing a granny flat.

Use Hooks & Wall Mounts

Hooks and vertical wall-mounts are ideal for smart storage.

They can be installed almost anywhere but are most common at the entrance, in the kitchen, and even the shower.

But there’s no reason you can’t have them in your bedroom or anywhere else. They give you the same benefits as a traditional bookshelf or bench-top without taking up valuable floor space.

Don’t limit yourself in what you store on them though. Hooks and wall mounted shelves can be used to hang almost anything from cups, pots and pans, towels, condiments, toiletries, and even clothing. These are saving redeemers if you’re constantly losing your car keys or need quick, easy access to certain things.

Just The Beginning

There are so many other ways you can save space in your granny flat while staying within 60sqm.

A simple way to consider saving space is to find ways to free up the floor space and utilise any unused wall space instead. When you contact Action Plans we will have an array of ideas and possible floor plans to suit your land & needs.