It's Time to Grow and Choose Your Next Family Home

As you begin to plan for your family's next addition, it may be time to consider a new
family home. Here's what Knight Frank recommends you do when it's time to grow into a
new space, and into a new adventure.

Reassess your needs
Deciding to add another member to your family is an exciting moment. With a new addition
on the horizon, it's prudent to reassess your needs in terms of your home. Your family home
has, of course, been the background for so many wonderful memories. When, however, a
new adventure beckons and new life begins, it may be time to find a new home. There are
three key areas of your family home that you need to assess to see if they will continue to fit
your growing family's needs.

Space for growth
If your current family home has a guest or spare bedroom, you may have all the space you
need. Consider converting your guest bedroom into a nursery if you would like. Alternatively,
if you don't have a spare bedroom, you'll need to start to consider searching for your next
family home.

Multifunctional makes it possible
When you're looking for your next family home, look for properties that have multifunctional
rooms. Being able to switch dining and living areas around can be useful, especially when
your new little one will only eat when entertained by the television. Give yourself as many
options as possible to cater for an amended lifestyle, by prioritising multifunctional spaces.

Storage for the necessities
More people means more possessions. You'll need multi-functional storage solutions and
space to keep those essential items. When you're looking for your next family home, look for
homes that have unique storage solutions, or space to install them. Built-in closets, cabinets,
and inset shelves are a must. Shelving systems work especially well in high-traffic areas,
and will be all-important when you need to store precious items out of the reach of small
hands. If you're adding a storage system to your current home, consider benches with built-
in drawers or ottomans with storage compartments.

Go big with bathrooms
There is no escaping it - your growing family will need more bathrooms. When looking at
potential new homes, make sure to go big with bathrooms. Ideally, you need at least two
bathrooms, with one situated near the bedrooms. If your family comprises four members or
more, however, we'd recommend even more bathrooms. This will become even more
apparent as your children grow up. Nobody likes waiting for their siblings to finish their
morning ablutions. More bathrooms will mean more peace in your family home.

Keep it open
Open-plan and easy-flowing living areas are essential for a growing family. These can easily
be adapted to align with your children's stages of growth. Open-plan living areas make it
simple to stay adaptable. You will spend the early years chasing after a toddler and need
easy flowing space to do so. A few years later, however, you can use the same space to
create a quiet study room for your teenager.

Expansion and addition
Consider that you may need to expand even more in a few years' time. Is the garden big
enough to accommodate the addition of a small teen pad or granny flat? That may become a
requirement as your children grow up, and your parents age. Of course, it's essential to
check on the zoning regulations that apply to your next family home too.

A new adventure awaits for your family, and we can't wait to help you start it. At Knight
Frank, we love helping families find their perfect home. Let's begin the adventure together!

Photo by cottonbro studio