Introduction: What is a narrow house?
Narrow houses are a type of home that is designed to be narrow. They are typically built on a narrow lot, and they have a small footprint. The design of these homes is often characterised by the use of high ceilings and large windows.
Narrow houses are becoming more popular in urban areas because they take up less space than traditional homes. They also provide more privacy for their occupants because they have smaller footprints and there is less chance that the neighbours will be able to see into them.
How wide is a narrow house?
Narrow houses typically fit on blocks that are 8-15 metres wide or even as narrow as 7m wide.
Narrow houses have been around for centuries. In the Netherlands, narrow houses have existed since the early 17th century. The homes are typically about 5 metres wide and look like an elongated house with a staircase on one side and an exterior door on the other. These tiny homes are also called "narrow alley-ways" or "narrow streets."
What are the benefits and drawbacks of living in a narrow house?
Living in a narrow house has its benefits. It will take less time to clean, it will be cheaper to heat, and you'll likely have less clutter as you have less space to spare.
The downside of living in a narrow house is that it can be difficult to find storage space, especially when you have a lot of things (like clothes and toys). One key to solving this solution is to talk to your home builder about utlising the roof space with a custom attic for additional storage.
How to choose the best narrow house design for you
Narrow homes are becoming more popular as people try to make the most out of the space they have. They are also a great choice for those who want to save money on their monthly mortgage payments as typically a narrow lot will be less expensive than a wider, more traditional block in the same location.
There are many factors that contribute to what makes a design best for a narrow home. If you're looking for some inspiration, here are some of our top designs that you might want to consider:
Zenith One - Built to suit a 12.5m wide block, and based on our display home in Jolimont, this upside down home demonstrates how you can successfully achieve a large house design on a small block. The Zenith One offers everything you love about the original, at a more affordable price.
Vario Element - With magnificently high ceilings, spacious room sizes and streams of natural light from all angles, this 9m wide home design is testament to the level of expertise within the Novus design team.
Indigo - For a narrow 10 metre wide home to offer not only 4 spacious bedrooms but also a separate study, dedicated home theatre, upstairs sitting room as well as the open plan living area with modern kitchen and walk in pantry / scullery is something truly special.
Semai - One of our newest narrow lot homes, the Semai is designed for blocks from 10 metres wide. This home is ultra flexible, suiting younger couples, downsizers looking for a more manageable home, or even growing families who want the flexibility to convert the home theatre to a bedroom in the years to come.