The Heart of the Australian Home is Just Outside the Back Door
There is something uniquely Australian about the way we live. While the four walls of our houses provide shelter and sanctuary, our true lifestyle often unfolds just beyond the sliding glass doors. Whether it is a Sunday afternoon barbecue, a quiet morning coffee listening to the kookaburras, or a milestone birthday celebration under the stars, the outdoor entertaining space is the pulse of the modern Australian home.
For those choosing the path of a kit home, the opportunity to design this space from the ground up is a significant advantage. You are not just buying a floor plan, you are crafting a lifestyle. Because you are often acting as the owner-builder, you have the creative freedom to ensure your indoor living areas transition seamlessly into an outdoor oasis that works for your specific climate and landscape.
Designing for the Great Outdoors: Layout and Flow
The secret to a successful outdoor area is integration. To make your kit home feel twice as large, you need to treat your deck or patio as an extra room rather than an afterthought. When browsing kit home designs, look for floor plans that feature wide openings. Large sliding or stacker doors are essential. They remove physical and visual barriers, allowing the eye to travel from the kitchen island straight out to the garden.
Consider the "Kitchen Triangle" but extend it outdoors. If you plan on having a built-in barbecue or an outdoor kitchen, try to keep it within easy reach of your main indoor kitchen. This makes transporting platters, drinks, and cutlery back and forth much easier. A popular design trend in Australian kit homes is the servery window, where a bifold window opens from the kitchen directly onto an outdoor counter, making entertaining a breeze.
Orienting Your Space for the Seasons
In Australia, the sun is both our best friend and our biggest challenge. Proper orientation is a crucial part of the design process. Generally, a north-facing outdoor area will capture the best light throughout the day, remaining warm in winter while being easier to shade in summer. If your block requires a west-facing deck, you will need to think about vertical screening or automated blinds to block the harsh afternoon sun.
The Strength Behind the Style: Why Steel Frames Matter
While we often focus on the cushions and the lighting, the structural integrity of your kit home plays a massive role in how your outdoor space performs over time. Using a steel frame, specifically high quality Australian BlueScope TRUECORE steel, provides a level of precision that is vital for expansive outdoor designs.
Because steel is dimensionally stable, it does not warp, twist, or shrink over time. This is particularly important for those large openings we mentioned earlier. When you have wide spans for stacker doors, you need a frame that stays perfectly true so those doors continue to glide easily for years to come. Furthermore, for those building in regional or coastal Australia, the termite-proof nature of steel frames provides incredible peace of mind. You can build your dream deck right up against the house without the constant worry of pests compromising your home's skeleton.
Owner-Builder Tips: Creating a Professional Finish
Taking on a kit home as an owner-builder is a rewarding journey, but the finishing touches on your outdoor space are where the real value is added. Here are a few practical tips for managing your outdoor project:
- Level Transitions: Aim for a flush transition between your indoor flooring and your outdoor decking. This requires careful planning during the slab pour or sub-floor installation phases, but the result is a sophisticated, high-end look that is also safer for guests walking back and forth.
- Integrated Lighting: Don't rely on a single floodlight. Plan for layered lighting, including recessed LED strips under seating, step lights for safety, and warm pendant lights over dining areas. Since you are managing the trades, get your electrician in early to wire these zones before the cladding goes on.
- Sustainable Drainage: Ensure your outdoor area has a slight fall away from the house to manage rainwater. As an owner-builder, you can coordinate your site works to include clever drainage solutions like slot drains that disappear into the aesthetic of your paving or decking.
Material Choices for the Australian Climate
Your choice of cladding and roofing in your kit home package will set the tone for your outdoor aesthetic. Many Australians are leaning toward a mix of textures. Corrugated steel roofing paired with timber accents or modern CFC (compressed fibre cement) cladding creates a contemporary look that feels right at home in both bush and coastal settings.
When selecting your kit, consider how the roofline can be extended. A skillion roof or an integrated porch provides permanent shade and protection from the rain, allowing you to use your outdoor space even when the weather isn't perfect. This "under roof" outdoor area is often more cost-effective to build as part of the initial kit construction rather than adding a separate pergola later.
Building Techniques: Maximizing Open Space
One of the technical benefits of modern steel frame construction is the ability to achieve wider spans without the need for numerous supporting pillars. This is a game-changer for outdoor entertaining. Fewer columns mean unobstructed views and more flexibility for your furniture layout. When you are reviewing your kit home plans, talk to your provider about how the roof trusses can be designed to maximize these open zones, creating a vast, airy feel that mimics the great Australian horizon.
Creating Ambience: The Finishing Touches
Once the frame is up, the cladding is on, and the deck is laid, it is time to inject some personality. The most successful outdoor spaces feel like an extension of the interior decor. Use a similar color palette and bring in indoor-style comforts. Outdoor-grade rugs, oversized potted plants, and even weather-resistant artworks can make the space feel cozy and lived-in.
Fire pits have also become a staple of Australian backyard design. Whether it is a dedicated paved circle in the yard or a modern gas fire table on the deck, having a focal point for the evening encourages guests to linger long after the sun goes down.
The Kit Home Advantage
Choosing a kit home doesn't mean compromising on luxury or design. In fact, it often means the opposite. Because you are at the helm of the project, you can prioritize the features that matter most to your lifestyle. You can choose to invest more in that expansive bifold door or the premium decking material because you are saving on the overall construction process.
By starting with a robust, precision-engineered steel frame and a well thought out floor plan, you are laying the foundation for a home that celebrates the Australian environment. Your outdoor entertaining space isn't just an addition to your home, it is the place where memories are made, and it deserves as much design attention as your kitchen or master bedroom.
Conclusion
Building a kit home in Australia is an incredible opportunity to create a dwelling that perfectly reflects how you want to live. By focusing on the flow between your indoor and outdoor zones, selecting durable materials like BlueScope steel, and taking a hands-on approach to the finishing details, you can create an entertaining space that is the envy of the neighborhood. So, as you start your planning journey, look beyond the walls and imagine the lifestyle that awaits you just outside.
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