At Home with Joe.
Each episode, architect Joe Snell sits down with a notable guest in their own home to discuss what "home" truly means to them - and to all of us.
Episode 1 kicks off with the wonderful Guy Sebastian.
Guy Sebastian.
Episode 1: At Home with Joe.
5 Keys to Home.
These are the Keys that Joe uses in all the homes that he designs, whether for renovations or new builds, apartments or residences. Captured in his 2017 publication ‘Your Best Home’, the 5 Keys to Home are a step-by-step plan to create your best home for you and your loved ones.
KEY 1: SPACE.
This concept refers to the space that is all around you and includes both horizontal and vertical space, and the flow of a building. “People only think about space as a horizontal floor plan, but it’s vertical, too, such as a void in your architecture. If you can make both horizontal and vertical space work for your home it’ll provide a three-dimensional space with more design opportunities than you realise,” says Joe. “Flow is also a massive influence over space. How you flow through a building is how you use the space – you don’t want big blockages in your house. An example of this is zoning a dining area in an open-plan kitchen, dining and living layout by dropping a pendant light over the dining table.”
KEY 2: LIGHT.
There are two types of light to consider in a home, natural and artificial. However, artificial light can be broken up into three categories: ambient, accent and task lighting. Ambient lighting for setting a mood, accent lighting such as wall sconces, recessed or track lighting, and task lighting for workspaces.
“I don’t care how good the floor plan, materials and design are, if you don’t have good light you’ve got nothing,” says Joe. “Good lighting is key to a healthy and functional home; not enough natural sunlight negatively affects your mental wellbeing, poor task lighting in a kitchen may result in you hurting yourself while cooking, and a lack of ambient lighting may make it difficult to relax.”
KEY 3: AIR.
Air refers to the ventilation and airflow in a home, says Joe. “Airflow is very important in the Australian climate because it’s great for passive cooling, and making sure a house isn’t stuffy. You can create cross ventilation by positioning windows opposite one another to create a breeze, or an ‘air chimney’ by installing a skylight at the top of a room and a window or door at the bottom which allows the rising heat to disperse above, while drawing in cooler air from below."
KEY 4: VIEW.
While the term ‘view’ may immediately bring to mind homes with idyllic ocean or rural outlooks, Joe says this concept actually refers to the sightlines both inside and outside your home. “View can refer to a great outlook over an ocean – if you’re lucky – but you can create your own view by using a window to frame something like a church spire in the distance, or a plant, tree or sculpture within your garden,” says Joe. “It also includes the views inside your home from places such as your dining table. You want to position your dining table so it has the longest view over your interior space as possible. It’s important to extend your view, to qualify and quantify your view – there’s no point celebrating a view that isn’t uplifting or attractive.”
KEY 5: SOUND.
The way an interior carries and manages sound influences how the space feels, explains Joe. “Clip-clopping around a house that sounds hollow or echoes isn’t a relaxing or sophisticated experience. You can rectify this with acoustic products, but a rug, carpet or soft furnishings can also help,” says Joe. “The difference between a furnished and unfurnished room, in regards to sound, is massive.”
‘YOUR BEST HOME’
AUTHOR: JOE SNELL
PUBLISHER: MURDOCH BOOKS
Joe Snell • ISBN: 9781743369159 • Murdoch Books • Paperback • Page Extent: 256 pp • Embargo: 27 Sept 2017 • RRP $39.99
How getting the design fundamentals of your home right can lead to a more fulfilling, happy and healthy life, from former House Rules judge Joe Snell.
Your Best Home: 5 Spaces x 5 Design Steps = A Better Life can be applied to any home. It doesn’t need to be a mansion, flash apartment or chocolate-box country cottage.
Whether you’re renovating, building or just want a quick-fix, good home design can lead to a better life for you, your family and your neighbourhood.
Joe’s five design steps are SPACE, LIGHT, AIR, SOUND and VIEW and he shows how to apply these to your Entry, Living Room, Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom.
The specially commissioned photography includes homes that Joe has designed himself as well as houses from other leading Australian architects like Hannah Tribe and Daniel Boddam.
“It doesn’t matter how big or small your home,” says Joe, “if its basic design elements are right it will be a wonderful place to live and grow.”
Joe Snell.
Joe Snell is a prominent Australian architect, TV personality, and author, recognized for his work in residential and commercial design. He is the director of Studio Snell Architects, an architectural firm with offices in Sydney and the Gold Coast.
Snell is a familiar face on Australian television, serving as a judge and host for renovation and design programs such as House Rules (Seven Network), Dream Homes Revealed (Nine Network), Australia’s Best House (Nine Network).
Joe has established a significant media presence with the goal of making architectural principles more accessible and understood to the general public. His contributions span books, television, digital guides, and regular expert commentary in major lifestyle publication. Joe has developed a design philosophy using five core design principles which are the focus of his book, Your Best Home published by Murdoch Books, demonstrating how to optimize home living environments regardless of size or budget.