The way we live together is changing.
Multigenerational Homes
WHAT IS MULTIGENERATIONAL LIVING? And why is it an attractive option?
Multigenerational living is exactly as the name suggests - multiple generations living together.
Multigenerational or Multi-Gen homes are becoming a popular option around Australia as life and financial pressures make sharing a home with family more and more attractive.
In today’s modern world where:
- young adults live at home longer or struggle to enter the housing market alone or;
- grandparents care for their young grandchildren while both parents work;
- where older parents want to travel but have a home base to come back to,
- elderly parents/grandparents wish stay in their own home longer but require support;
- a grown-up child living with an impairment wishes for some independence but needs to stay close to home or;
- you simply have that guest family member who won’t leave,
Multigenerational living can offer a solution for every family’s living situation.
what does MULTIGENERATIONAL living look like?
Family 310
THE DESIGN
Our Family 310 design boasts two separate ‘homes’ under the one roof, each with its own exclusive entry point, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen areas, living and patios, all connected by a shared, lockable laundry.
And includes private feature entry points to both living spaces, raised ceilings, wide doorways and halls, no-steps on entry and throughout the home, large step-free bathrooms and showers, separate alfresco areas, and a spacious and safe living open plan design.
The MLH 'Family 310' is designed to keep families together while also allowing them to ability to live independently and affording them the privacy to do that.
By using modern design concepts and building practices, it re-invents what is a long-held tradition of families living together longer in European cultures.
Multigenerational home design Works for Townsville Families
Don & Eva's Story
Martin Locke Homes clients Don and Eva Brunckhorst are a living example of how the multigenerational concept can work for Townsville families.
They were a step ahead of the Multi-Gen trend, their MLH home was completed in 2015 and was strategically designed to include two separate living zones to cater for their growing and changing family.
At the time of the build Don and Eva planned to live in the larger space while their adult son would utilise the smaller living space.
The shared laundry with the ability to lock-off the other side of the home, ensured both the parents and son could maintain their privacy and independence, while also interact and benefit from the shared living arrangement.
ORIGINAL DESIGN
Don & Eva's original new home design featured two separate living spaces - joined by a shared, lockable laundry.
The Main living space featured an open plan design with the signature MLH rebated alfresco sliding door, three bedrooms, large kitchen with pantry and two bathrooms including an ensuite with WIR.
The Multigenerational space included a single bedroom with ensuite, a kitchenette, exclusive entries and, situated on a corner block, the home boasted two separate driveways with closed garages.
Main Home Front Facade
Original Multigenerational Living Space
Main Living Space
renovations - 3 Generations Now Live in the Home
RENOVATION
As often happens in life, their family situation changed when their son married and decided to move out.
Don & Eva decided to downsize and move into the smaller multigenerational space.
They engaged MLH to undertake some modifications - removing the original carport to enlarge their living area.
“Don is working towards transitioning to retirement and we’re hoping to do some travelling, so now Don & I live in the smaller living space and our daughter, her husband and our grandson are now living in the larger home area," Eva said.
“Because of the thought put into our original design we’ve been able to use the home to its full potential and it’s adapted with our family along the way. Both for financial and lifestyle reasons, for us, multigenerational living has been fantastic.”
Don & Eva's renovated multigenerational living space
The renovation from garage to covered carport
Three generations now live in the home
PETE & LEANNE'S MULTIGENERATIONAL HOME
WHEN GOOD DESIGN BRINGS PEACE-OF-MIND
Peter and Leanne had been living on a property out of town which they shared with Leanne's parents - each couple living in a separate home.
But when illness struck and the property became difficult to manage they all decided to downsize and move closer to town.
They say finding an adequate existing property was almost impossible and the renovation costs to upgrade to the home they needed were going to be too great.
Then they walked in to the Martin Locke Homes Family 310 and found the Multigenerational concept perfect for their situation.
GET A CUSTOM QUOTE
To start your personalised custom quote process and organise a meeting with MLH Managing Director and Builder Martin, the following information is required.