Corner Block Home Designs – 5 Things To Consider

1. CORNER HOMES HAVE TWO FAÇADES INSTEAD OF ONE

Choosing the façade of your new home is an important decision, and when you choose house designs for corner blocks you have TWO street frontages to think about.

Typically there will one street frontage that will be the ‘primary’ façade of your property, which is important to help orient visitors and ensure good kerb appeal (and in turn, good resale value).

Which street frontage you choose to be the primary façade is something you should decide in conjunction with your builder, as it needs to take into account any other constraints such as the slope of your block, vehicle and foot traffic, the location of services and utilities, driveway, street trees and street lighting.

Our Easy Living Designs each come with a choice of façade to enable you to tailor the look of your home to your particular taste. Read more in this super helpful guide to Choosing Your Home Façade Design.

For even more flexibility, a corner block house plan could be an opportunity to create a custom-built home that will become a landmark in your neighbourhood. A custom home design for a corner block can take its unique position and situation into account, maximising space, privacy, creative design or prestige, according to what’s most important to you.

Learn more about our Custom Home Designs.

2. POSITIONING OF HOUSES ON CORNER BLOCKS

Whilst a corner block home design will feel larger and more spacious, it is important that your home builder is aware of your council area’s regulations regarding your positioning on a corner block.

Some councils have specific regulations for corner blocks requiring a larger building setback along one of your street-facing boundaries, which of course can reduce the allowable footprint of your new home.

Some residential estates may also have regulations about setbacks, to help maintain consistency or character.

These regulations, combined with the size, shape and slope of your block, will be the primary factors that need to be considered at the earliest possible stage. When you build with Mincove Homes, this is part of Stage 1: Pre-Construction to ensure that the right position is chosen from the get-go and any Council approvals taken care of. If you need to find your local Council, you can use this search tool from the Office of Local Government.

3. ACCESS TO CORNER BLOCK HOMES

​Once you and your builder have decided on the correct position for your new corner block house plans, you can consider access to the property in more detail.

• Where will the driveway and garage entry be?
• Where will the front door and pathway be?
• Will there be pedestrian gate access too?
• Will there be access points on the second street frontage?
• What will our fencing solutions be?

You will need to consider all of these questions as they will influence corner block home designs and may guide the decision on which design or floor plan will work for your block.

Also from a building perspective, having two street frontages certainly makes access easier during the build itself! It is easier for our team, any vehicles and large machinery to get on and off the site and the typically larger block size makes material storage more convenient too.

4. VIEWS ON CORNER BLOCKS

One of the biggest benefits of a corner block home design is their aspect – more open, more natural light, and better views.

Whilst you can enjoy this benefit with a single storey home, with one less neighbouring house alongside a double storey home, it delivers EVEN more in the way of expansive views. With upper storey bedrooms looking out over your locale and flooded with natural light (once you decide to open the blinds that is!), you will love the start of your day.

5. LANDSCAPING AROUND CORNER BLOCK HOMES

More spacious corner blocks come with greater landscaping considerations than regular blocks. Not only do you have double the streetscape to look after, you also have to plan how to make the most of your front yard area, taking into account your privacy and security needs. You may have more things you wish to screen from view, such as street lights, parked vehicles, and both pedestrian and foot traffic. You may also have more street trees that can be part of your ‘borrowed landscape’.

Fencing on both street frontages is also your sole responsibility – which is a greater cost for you but also gives you greater control over the look and quality. Consider the security of your property when you put in fencing and access points.

Whilst your front yard may be more spacious, house plans for corner blocks may have a smaller backyard, so it’s important your landscaping maximises every square metre you have. Check out these great Alfresco Design Ideas to help you plan out your space.

Whilst a corner block does give you more to plan and maintain from a landscaping perspective, it is well worth any extra time and cost you put in – both for your own satisfaction with your new home and the increased street appeal and resale value this yields.

For some excellent advice, see our article about Landscaping Around Your New Home.

CORNER HOME DESIGNS – EXAMPLES

Most Mincove Home designs work very well on corner blocks, but here are two designs in particular that take advantage of the unique aspect a corner block affords. 

Headland Split-Level Design

If your corner block is sloping, the Headland design should be on your shortlist. The design incorporates multiple skillion roof lines, creating greater visual interest from both street frontages. The façade also lends itself to the use of multiple materials such as exposed brick, timber cladding, render and paint, which can be continued on the sides and back of the house, enhancing your home’s character and giving it greater kerb appeal from all angles. Not to mention the gorgeous upper storey balcony to take advantage of your corner block aspect and enjoy a sundowner!

See the Headland Design.

Curramore Double Storey Design

The Curramore is ideal for a corner block, with five bedrooms, a double garage, and an upper storey to take advantage of the greater space, light and more open aspect that typically come with a corner position. The choice of façade can also give you a clear look to guide the greater landscaping considerations that come with a corner block. 

The Sanctuary Façade of the Curramore design combines Weathertex cladding, and the addition of a custom hardwood garage door and entry pergola, creating a look that could nestle beautifully in a tropical-inspired garden with architectural planting to create your own private sanctuary.  

Alternatively the Hamptons Façade could guide your corner block home’s landscaping towards either a more formal garden design with crisp and strong hedging lines, or a romantic cottage garden style. Both would work well with white picket fencing along one or both street frontages, combined with hedging for privacy and screening.

See the Curramore Design.

OAKWOOD DISPLAY HOME IN CALDERWOOD VALLEY

This in Calderwood Valley is a great example of a contemporary corner home design. Our Oakwood design is positioned on a flat 30m x 15m corner block, and can also be modified to suit sloping sites.

The contemporary Rustic Façade combines exposed brick, hardwood, Weathertex cladding and rendered finishes, making it a standout for a prominent corner block position.

See our Oakwood Display Home.

Learn more about our range of Display Homes in South Nowra, Calderwood Valley and Shell Cove – why not come and visit this weekend? It’s a great way to get a feel for the home designs, facades, materials and finishes you like and chat with our onsite experts about your new home.

Get in touch with our friendly and experienced New Homes Consultants about your corner block home design by calling (02) 4256 0222 or send us a message online.