E160 – Why Function Must Come Before Form

If your home doesn’t work, it won’t matter how beautiful it looks. In this episode, Frances dives into why function must come first when designing your forever home. She shares what functionality really means, how to futureproof your spaces, and why open-plan retreats and missing doors might be costing you more than you realise. Practical, passionate, and packed with insights.

Why Function Must Come First in Home Design

• Functional design means creating a home that works for your lifestyle.

• It’s not just about pretty tiles or paint colours – it’s how the spaces are used.

• Focus first on how a space needs to work: who’s using it, what for, and how often.

• You can make anything look beautiful after the functionality is sorted – not the other way around.

Designing for Flexibility & Life Stage Changes

• Don’t just design for your current life stage – toddlers don’t stay toddlers forever.

• Think long-term: design for now, 5 years from now, and 15 years from now.

• Questions to ask yourself or your designer:

  • Will your family structure change?

  • Will you age in this home?

  • Could spaces adapt as kids grow up or move out?

• Don’t let your design be trapped in the now – your home should grow with you.

---

Designing Spaces Around How You Actually Live

• Reflect on your current lifestyle – even if it’s compromised.

• Identify what doesn’t work in your current home so you can avoid repeating it.

• Examples:

  • Want to entertain often? Design for flow and gathering.

  • Love cooking together? Your kitchen layout needs to support multiple cooks.

  • Want indoor-outdoor flow? Make it seamless.

Working With the Right Designers

• A good designer will ask you lots of questions – and they should.

• They need to understand:

  • How you live

  • How you entertain

  • How you move through your home

  • What your daily routines look like

• Without this deep understanding, they can’t design a home that truly fits you.

Avoid Locking Rooms Into One Purpose

• Build flexibility into each room by limiting built-in cabinetry where possible.

• Freestanding furniture gives you the ability to adapt a room as your needs change.

• Example: A freestanding desk allows a room to be:

  • A home office during the week

  • A spare room for guests

  • A retreat or playroom

• Be strategic with joinery – make sure it doesn’t box you in.

Multifunctional Rooms – A Must for Futureproofing

• Create spaces that serve more than one purpose.

• Examples:

  • Guest room + office (add a sofa bed and a desk)

  • Kids’ playroom that becomes a study later

  • A second lounge that can evolve with needs

• Use furniture and layout to support dual functions.

Why Doors Are the Most Underrated Design Feature

• Doors offer flexibility, zoning, and noise control.

• They give rooms:

  • Privacy

  • Purpose

  • Quiet zones vs active zones

  • Temperature control (zoned heating/cooling)

• Solid core doors provide superior noise mitigation over hollow core options.

• In project homes, doors are often left out to cut costs – but it limits how rooms function.

The Problem with Open Plan Retreats

• Open upstairs retreats often look good on a floor plan but rarely function well in real life.

• Issues:

  • No privacy

  • No ability to close off noise

  • Can’t use for quiet work or study if others are using it

  • Can’t function as a guest room or retreat space

• Alternative: create enclosed rooms with doors to offer true flexibility.

Noise Mitigation: Design It In Early

• Noise is often overlooked but has a major impact on comfort.

• Think about:

  • Timber stairs (noisy if not carpeted)

  • Open voids that echo

  • Bedroom location in relation to noisy zones

  • Soundproofing between floors and rooms

• Doors are your best friend here.

Functionality is the Puzzle That Needs Solving First

• Functional design is the heavy lifting part of the design process.

• A floor plan is not just about rooms – it’s about flow, flexibility, interaction, and zoning.

• Don’t skip this stage or rush into materials before the layout works.

• “You can have the most beautiful home in the world – but if it doesn’t work, you won’t stay.”

Your Forever Home™ Checklist – Key Reminders

• Prioritise function first, then add the pretty.

• Work with a designer who asks lots of questions.

• Design for your future lifestyle, not just your current one.

• Avoid open rooms with fixed uses – make flexibility your goal.

• Include doors to maximise use, privacy, and energy efficiency.

• Ask yourself how each space needs to function – not just how it looks.