One of the things Brisbane homeowners have traditionally loved is space.
Space around the house. A backyard. Windows that can be opened to catch a breeze. A deck looking over the garden. A pool where the family can spend a summer afternoon.
But Brisbane is changing.
As the city grows, planning is increasingly focused on providing more homes within established areas, particularly around major centres, public transport and existing infrastructure.
For Brisbane’s western suburbs, Indooroopilly is an obvious example. Brisbane City Council is currently progressing planning changes intended to allow more residential development around the centre, including increased building heights in selected locations.
Across Brisbane more broadly, Council has also been reviewing low-medium density residential areas, with proposals designed to allow additional townhouses, apartments and other housing types in appropriately located areas.
More housing is an important part of accommodating a growing city.
For people renovating an existing home, however, it creates another consideration:
How do you create a home that feels open, bright and connected to the outdoors without sacrificing your privacy?
Privacy Doesn’t Mean Closing the House Off
The easiest way to create privacy would be to build high fences, close the curtains and minimise windows.
It would also defeat many of the things that make a well-designed Brisbane home enjoyable.
Our subtropical climate encourages a very different approach.
We want natural light.
We want ventilation.
We want kitchens and living areas that connect with decks, patios and gardens.
We want to open the house when the weather allows it.
The challenge is achieving those things without creating direct sightlines between your living spaces and neighbouring properties.
Good renovation design therefore isn’t simply about creating privacy.
It’s about controlling what can be seen, from where, while preserving the light, breeze and openness you want.
Start by Looking Beyond Your Own Walls
When considering a renovation, it is easy to concentrate entirely on what is happening inside the existing house.
Where should the new kitchen go?
Which wall could be removed?
Where could we put larger doors?
Could we add another bedroom?
Those questions matter, but good design should also look outward.
Where are the neighbouring homes positioned?
Which windows overlook your property?
Are neighbouring houses above or below you?
Where are their decks and outdoor entertaining areas?
What can be seen from the street?
And importantly, what could reasonably happen around the property in the future?
This becomes particularly interesting throughout Brisbane’s west because the topography can change dramatically from one property to the next.
A neighbouring house that appears relatively distant on a plan may actually sit well above your backyard. Conversely, an elevated home may overlook several surrounding properties.
Privacy therefore isn’t simply determined by the distance between two buildings.
Levels, orientation, windows and sightlines all matter.
Window Placement Can Matter More Than Window Size
Large windows are often associated with good contemporary design, but simply adding more glass doesn’t necessarily create a better home.
A beautifully positioned window can introduce natural light, frame a view and allow air through the room without exposing the interior.
A badly positioned window can make homeowners feel as though they need to keep the blinds closed permanently.
That is why we think about what the window is actually trying to achieve.
If the objective is natural light, does the glass need to begin at floor level?
If the objective is ventilation, could a smaller operable window achieve it?
If a neighbouring property sits close to the boundary, could a higher window bring light into the room while maintaining privacy?
Sometimes the answer is larger glazing.
Sometimes it is a completely different position.
And sometimes the most effective solution is a high-level or clerestory-style window that introduces light from above the normal line of sight.
Think About Sightlines Before Opening the Kitchen to the Backyard
Creating a stronger connection between the kitchen, living areas and backyard is one of the most common objectives we see in Brisbane renovations.
And for good reason.
It can completely change the way a family uses the home.
But before installing a large bank of sliding or stacking doors, it is worth considering what happens when those doors are open.
What can you see?
More importantly, what can everyone else see?
A slightly different door position, altered wall, landscaped area, screen or change in the location of the outdoor entertaining space can sometimes preserve the same sense of openness while dramatically improving privacy.
These decisions are much easier to make during the design process than after the renovation has been completed.
Your Outdoor Entertaining Area Doesn’t Have to Sit Against the Back Door
Another assumption worth questioning is that an outdoor living area must automatically sit immediately behind the main living room.
Sometimes that is exactly where it belongs.
On other properties, moving the outdoor area slightly can make much better use of shade, breeze, views and privacy.
This is particularly relevant when designing around pools.
A pool may look spectacular from inside the home, but you also need to think about where people will actually sit around it, where neighbouring properties are positioned and whether the entertaining area feels exposed.
The best location is usually the result of several factors working together rather than simply choosing the largest empty part of the backyard.
Privacy Screens Should Be Part of the Architecture
Privacy screens have a practical job, but they don’t need to look like an afterthought.
Timber battens, masonry, landscaping, architectural screening and carefully designed walls can become part of the visual language of the renovation.
They can also do more than one job.
A screen might limit a neighbouring sightline while reducing harsh afternoon sun.
Landscaping can provide privacy while softening the view from inside.
An architectural wall may define an outdoor room while shielding it from the street.
When privacy is considered early enough, these elements can enhance the design rather than being something added later to fix a problem.
Don’t Forget the Second Storey
Second-storey additions introduce another layer to the privacy conversation.
Going up can be an excellent way to create additional floor area without consuming more of the backyard, particularly on established Brisbane blocks.
But a higher level naturally creates different sightlines.
Bedroom windows, balconies and living areas can potentially overlook neighbouring properties, just as neighbouring upper levels may overlook yours.
Window orientation, sill heights, screening and room placement therefore become important parts of the design.
For example, a bedroom requiring morning light may not need an unrestricted floor-to-ceiling view towards the neighbour.
A stairwell can often accept high-level glazing.
A bathroom can receive excellent natural light without sacrificing privacy at all.
The objective is to decide what each room needs rather than applying the same window treatment throughout the house.
Landscape Design Can Do More Than Hide the Fence
Plants are one of the most effective privacy tools available, but landscaping works best when it is considered alongside the building design.
A tree positioned in exactly the right location may interrupt a sightline from a neighbouring balcony while still allowing breezes underneath.
Layered planting can soften the boundary without creating the feeling of a solid wall.
Courtyards can use planting to create private outlooks even on tighter blocks.
And because greenery becomes part of the view from inside the home, the privacy solution can actually improve the experience of the room.
There Is Also Acoustic Privacy
Privacy isn’t purely visual.
As homes sit closer together and more people live within established areas, noise becomes another consideration.
An outdoor entertaining area positioned directly beside a neighbour’s bedroom may work perfectly visually but create another problem entirely.
Likewise, placing your own bedroom beside a neighbouring entertaining area may become frustrating later.
Room positioning, solid construction, insulation, glazing and landscaping can all contribute to a greater sense of separation between neighbouring homes.
Again, it is far easier to think about these relationships while planning a renovation than trying to correct them afterwards.
Renovate for the Property You Have, But Consider the City Around It
No one can predict exactly what will be built around a particular home in the future.
Planning rules also vary significantly between properties depending on zoning, overlays, neighbourhood plans and other requirements.
But Brisbane is growing, and the direction of planning is clearly towards accommodating more people within established parts of the city.
That does not mean every suburban street is about to become filled with apartments.
It does mean that privacy deserves to be treated as a genuine design consideration when undertaking a substantial renovation.
A well-designed home should not depend entirely on the neighbouring property remaining exactly as it is today.
Good Privacy Design Is Something You Barely Notice
Perhaps the best privacy solutions are the ones homeowners eventually stop thinking about.
You walk through the house and it feels bright.
You open the doors and catch the breeze.
You can see the garden from the kitchen.
The outdoor entertaining area feels connected to the house.
The bedrooms feel peaceful.
And you don’t feel the need to close everything whenever the neighbours are outside.
That isn’t achieved by making the home more enclosed.
It comes from understanding orientation, levels, neighbouring properties, movement, light and sightlines before the renovation is built.
Planning a Renovation in Brisbane’s West?
At Briswest Renovations, we believe a renovation should respond to the individual property rather than simply applying a standard floor plan or the latest design trend.
That means considering how the home relates to the sun, the breeze, the landscape, neighbouring properties and the way your family actually wants to live.
If you’re considering renovating a home in Brisbane’s western suburbs, talk to Briswest about what could be possible.