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Garages/Workshops Design Dilemma Renovating

Do you value privacy or views? need plenty of opinions.

Anastasia marie

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Hi all,

What's everyone's opinion on a master bedroom at the front of a house with a giant window? What sells better down the track privacy or open views? We're renovating and need advice.

CAVEAT - Can't move master. Views are average but all blocks around us a large so there's over 20 m between us and the neighbour directly opposite, we sit about 10m higher as well.

Personally we never have our curtains open because of privacy even though barely anyone can see in, but my mum who hates small blocks loves being able to look out on the street.

Considering adding a detached garage in front of the master as shown below but leave a few meters to create a nice garden and then convert the current garage to 1 car bay and the other half we'll integrate into the living room.

Featured Answer

bigreader

5 years ago

I like the your plans. You can keep the large front window, although you might think of creating a court yard garden between the master and the garage. You could then replace the window with doors. To answer your question - for a master I’d prefer privacy but ensuring preservation of the light rather than a view of ordinary surburbia.

Comments (12)

julie herbert
5 years ago
Love bigreader ‘s idea of creating a courtyard, depending on how you design it you could have privacy and still have a view and have a fabulous extra living area.
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KK1000
5 years ago
If you build garage in front of master than you loose the view and achieve privacy. For extra privacy in the bedroom I would install
Double roller blind, sunscreen and blockout fabric.
MC Hamilton
5 years ago
We have just recently renovated and moved our master to the front of the house, with full height windows. We have ornamental trees on either edge of the windows and low shrubs in front as we didn't want to block the window as is north facing. I have shutters that I open on an angle so lots of light comes in put no one can see in. Window tinting can do the same during the day as well
Anastasia marie
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks everyone for your advice keep it coming I should add the master and front of house faces south east. So mostly bright light in the morning.

We’ve installed plenty of skylights in the house to brighten it up.

I think I’m most concerned about street appeal and if it will sell okay down the track. The suburb I live in is a blue chip area and I want to ensure I make a decision that the majority would like rather than dislike.

I shou
swich5
5 years ago
That’s what I would have asked - what direction are you facing there. You seem to have the space in front yard - could you stagger the position of the new garage off centre a little and closer to the driveway?. Then you’d ensure max light flow in in the mornings from the E/SE(depending where you are). And I also love the previous ideas of enough of a gap for a small courtyard. With a slightly more forward placement of your garage & depending on your design, perhaps you could even even incorporate a little gate or access point in the far eastern front corner of your yard to the back of the garage, side access yard or street from your courtyard for a quick early morning stroll getaway - no need to go through the house.
You’d have to balance this with maintaining street frontage, as you’ve already flagged, for street appeal. You could always consider rendering the brick to streamline the visual aesthetic of the potentially two different built parts out front and create a more cohesive modern look closer to sale. But my own designer has reminded me that resale value cannot be pinned down in advance. You can know what today’s selling factors are but really, there’s a buyer out there for every combination of priorities and you can’t cater to each of them. Sure, don’t bugger it up by removing an en-suite or down sizing a kitchen, but unless you’re selling within the year, you should cater to your needs primarily as you’ll be the ones living in it and have spent your hard earned money. If only the next person 5 years down the track is enjoying your investment, then what a waste of your time and money!
Good luck! I’d have a ball planning the garden in between moreso than the garage, ha ha!! Enjoy!
swich5
5 years ago
Another quick suggestion: had you thought about the option of the best of both worlds? Putting the garage in single or double form (whatever fits) behind your existing carport? Fence in and privatise with shrubs etc a portion of that beautiful spacious area out front if you wanted to claw back some yard lost from out back and thus maintain a ‘softer’ street appeal? Just a thought... a flat, elevated surface like that would be gold for entertaining if there’s a close internal access point just around the corner from your master..., or even just a lovely master courtyard/garden (there’s your views).
julie herbert
5 years ago
Hi Anastasia,
I think by adding a beautiful courtyard area off your master bedroom it will add so much more value to your property, and use it to its full potential, everyone would love to have that extra living space to enjoy and relax in, could look fabulous.
Anastasia marie
Original Author
5 years ago
Hi all! Thanks again for the additional advice. We have 1470m2 and it’s all quite steep - we can’t put the garage behind the current carport because it’s the outdoor entertaining area directly outside the kitchen and lounge.

I guess what I’m tossing up and converting existing car port to a closed garage or create privacy in front of the bedroom with a garage and convert car port to internal house space, render it all and modernise it.
Anastasia marie
Original Author
5 years ago
Just an FYI if we do go garage route I really like the idea of a little courtyard for the master.
Iscandar
5 years ago
We have main bedroom and bathroom with full length window that face the road, which is down side of hill.
We have full height brick wall and atrium in the space. Garden with shrub type plantings. Same as the suggestion of courtyard. It was one thing that drew us to the house.
We love it, from the bedroom we can have doors of bedroom open and see the birds on other side of the wall, as well and enjoy the atrium garden from bedroom and bathroom.
You won’t regret it. We are also In a blue chip market area. This type of “ different” is popular.
PRO
Style Precinct Interior Design & Decoration
5 years ago
Hi Anastasia marie

I like the idea suggested above for adding a courtyard with some screening and planting to make a private retreat for the master. You would need to change the window into a door set for access. This would also amp up the street presentation appeal. I would not go to the expensive of adding a garage unless it's something you need/want and then make sure it doesn't compromise the light and the view from the master bedroom.

Another idea for creating some privacy without having the curtain drawn in the daytime- is to add a sheer curtain. Some many nice modern fabrics for sheers now. You will still be able to look out and will give you privacy in daylight hours. A couple of sheer curtain examples below.

Best wishes

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