Imagine having five children and trying to find the perfect home to accommodate you all, which also offers extra space for pursuing your own interests. Seems a little unlikely, doesn't it? That is unless you build a house that's totally bespoke! But what about budget constraints?
Well, we've found a truly inspiring build that was cleverly designed by an architect that totally understood the need to marry space with finances and practicality. The resulting family home is absolutely tremendous!
If you want to see how other people have tackled housing a large family, read on…
What a great touch to add a wooden terrace to this garden.
Clearly a fantastic size, this garden is undoubtedly going to get a lot of use, especially with young children running around, and is a pleasing location for the adults to enjoy their supervisory duties.
Offering 128 m² of internal space, this façade is a little misleading as it looks as though the inside is going to be gargantuan when, in fact, the house is wide and shallow. What a clever use of the plot of land!
The funky design has helped to make this more than just a standard build and the coloured render really perks things up, making it look as though this is a home filled with fun.
We didn't see that coming! Lift up the terrace platform and you find this charming little child-sized paddling pool.
A perfect way to keep the kids cool in the hot summer months (without blowing the budget on a full-size swimming pool) this clever addition is just one of this home's many innovative features.
We did tell you that the garden is generous enough for even a whole host of children and you can really see that here.
So many would have negated the garden to try and have a bigger home, but we're starting to see what drove the entire design here… the well-being of the children.
With so many children under one roof, exceptional organisation will be necessary so this cloakroom is the perfect addition.
Everyone has their own hook to put their coats on and a cubbyhole for shoes, thus making it simpler to get everyone ready to leave at the same time. We can only imagine what a godsend this space will become during school years!
Now we're inside, you can see that the house is narrow, but it doesn't feel too narrow, does it? Instead of feeling cramped, it simply takes on a funky and contemporary feel, with an open plan style scheme being enjoyed.
What a great way to ensure the adults can keep an eye on the kids even whilst they're in the living room and the parents are cooking.
The living room area here is gorgeous and we love that the central focus is the window and its view out.
Of course, this changes at the flick of a switch, when a projector screen drops down from the ceiling and transforms this space into a media room!
There's even enough seating for everyone, which is quite a feat with so many residents.
Not that being a full-time mum isn't reward enough, but all parents need to be able to explore their own interests now and then so we love the inclusion of this mum-only room.
A stunning craft room, organised to perfection, this space offers mum a chance to get away from it all for a while. Unless, of course, she's patching up the kids' clothes!
Naturally, any home that's on the compact side needs clever storage wherever possible. However, add a large number of children into the mix and this becomes ever more vital.
The bench seating/cubbyhole storage on the landing here is a great touch. And, hang on, is that a slide? The 'Parents Of The Year' award is in the post, guys!
What really strikes us is how sociable this home is and that it's so geared towards family solidarity and closeness.
Far from being solely dictated by budget, the design was guided by the family unit itself which is what is responsible for the wonderfully warm feel achieved throughout.
To explore another cleverly built family home, take a look at this Ideabook: The House with Timeless Character.