part 1 of 3 Space Utilisation & Schematic Design

Site Visit & Basic Ideas

“We had a pretty good idea about what we wanted to do with our place. But we needed to know what was possible.”

“After our first meeting with Kelly, we got a whole lot of ideas that we never would have thought of ourselves.”

It usually starts with a site visit. Key Designs & Developments meet with each client on site. We listen to what you like – and don’t like – about your property. How you live, entertain, work, rest and play. What is important to you. We walk through and get a feel for the existing space – its potential and any limitations. We take measurements, some ‘before’ pictures.

Then we make suggestions to improve your property – both in terms of its value and the quality of life of its occupants and visitors. How to make the best use of the available space. How to maximise the orientation to the sun. How to catch a fresh breeze. How to open the indoors to a garden or a view. How to change the feel of a space with a new colour scheme. How to source that special piece of furniture or artwork to bring the whole place alive. Everything is connected.

It is always an exciting time to reveal the possibilities and to assess the challenges of a new project.

Space Utilisation

This is essentially the floor plan. Defining a space for a particular function. Relating adjoining spaces together. Creating flexible and multi-functional spaces.

Some clients need a whole new floor plan to be designed. Others just need some help to move things around within their existing space.

It may be a new home for a growing family. It may be an office layout for an expanding business. It may be a beach house that is flexible enough to accommodate 2 people or 20. It may be space utilisation for a kitchen, bathroom or home office.

“I like to open up spaces as much as possible. Open plan living, dining and kitchen areas are a great example of the way we live today and our departure from a separate – and seldom used – formal dining room. I have designed children’s bedrooms that open with a wall of sliding doors to an adjoining play area. Open plan, with flexibility to create private areas for rest and retreat.

“The two storey beach house I recently designed has a void right through the centre, to connect the upper and lower levels. The void also acts to physically divide the living and dining areas, while not disrupting any views to the sand hills or the marina and golf course.

“I also enjoy designing the space utilisation within a room. The placement of a bath in the centre of a spacious bathroom. Or concealing a laundry in a purpose built cupboard within a neat kitchen.”

It starts with a clever floor plan. Key Designs can help refine your floor plan so it contains everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Schematic Design

This is all about making the most of a defined space. Giving it a particular look and feel – giving your place a soul. After all, the way we create our spaces is an extension and a reflection of ourselves.

Shapes, textures, materials & finishes, colour and styles work together to create the look and feel of a space. The schematic design starts with that end in mind. How do you want your place to look and feel?

Schematic designs can be used to create stunning external features – for the façade of a building or an outdoor garden and living area. They can also be used to create special interiors – either co-ordinated throughout a building or individually room by room.

“We wanted our restaurant to be stimulating and arty, a warm and inviting place to eat, drink and be merry with friends. Key Designs helped us choose a madras orange and deep red colour scheme, with some pale aqua accents to break it up a bit. The new colours work well with our existing look – we are doing the restaurant in stages – and we can’t wait to have the final make-over completed!”

“We needed our office environment to be a bit more lively but, at the same time, a happy and stress-free place to be. We needed dark, serviceable floor coverings but wanted the walls to be lighter and brighter. Our new colour scheme has a fresh neutral back drop with feature walls in watery blues and greens that harmonise really well together.”

“We want the exterior of our new home to be strong and to look modern, a bit unique, with a square influence. We love the idea of a rendered portico, painted a deep shade of rich purple, to match the flowers of magnolia trees that we will plant down the side of the house. It will stand out against the sandstone walls and compliment the slate grey roof and trimmings.”

“The beach house will be a serene and calm place. Its finishes will be simple and durable, the bare minimum. Its colour scheme will not compete with the beauty of its natural surroundings.”

Detailed floor plans, key elevation sketches, colour notes and suggested materials & finishes help you see what you can achieve.

Want to know more? Contact us.

Back to Features