Brilliant bungalow designs that might surprise you

Hacienda Chaká, Arturo Campos Arquitectos Arturo Campos Arquitectos Colonial windows & doors
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Two-storey houses have been linked to luxury for a long time, perhaps because they have the potential to be very showy, but there is a style of home that is fast overtaking two-storey properties in the lusted-after stakes. One-story houses are enjoying something of a popularity surge, thanks to the often underrated styling and inherent practicality that they offer.

No longer only favoured by elderly residents, bungalows are becoming an incredibly sought after style of home and architects are frequently being given free reign to create something extraordinary and spectacular. Don't be fooled into believing that a lack of stairs or top floor automatically equates to a boring design; one-story homes can be eminently more creative than any others, but don't just take our word for it. 

Take a look at these examples of forward thinking bungalow designs and see if you could be tempted to turn your back on stairs for good!

Small spaces, big ideas

Though the interior footprint of this beautiful and modern home may not be enormous, what the architects have done is extremely clever.

By extending out to create a fabulous porch area, an extra room has effectively been created, while the width of the house is used to its full advantage, to create a long and lean build that speaks of high end finishes and spectacular stair-free living! This really is a triumph by the team at R79 and we can't take our eyes off that unique wooden entrance!

Minimalist marvel

Within the design of a one floor house, the minimalist trend is often the smartest way to go, especially to get the best use out of all the available space.

We love this design, which uses only two colors and a few materials to create a modern and welcoming space. The open plan living arrangement is utterly beautiful and effectively showcases just what can be achieved in a one-storey abode when effective lighting, warm wood and high ceilings are allowed to work together so harmoniously.

Modern divide

Modern designs are not unique to large buildings and you can add artistic elements and materials, even to a one-story house. You can create sculptures or walls that complement your home and express your more eccentric style, such as this incredibly eye-catching installation, which helps to define the outside space without adding bulky or unsightly fences.

Giving a fresh, stylish and contemporary edge to an otherwise relatively plain home, we love how this wall effectively echoes the combination of colours and materials already being used.

Garden retreat

A fantastic advantage of single-storey houses is that they give us the possibility of extending out into the garden as much as we want, or even more, to incorporate it into the design of the house.

More than just an incredible shape that is almost rhomboid, thanks to the dramatic slant, this bungalow also features a living roof, which helps to effortlessly blend the property as a whole into the garden and almost camouflage it. One-storey living never looked so good or so green!

Adaptable additions

One-story houses can easily adapt to their environment, whether it is rural or urban and unlike homes of several levels, they don't have any elements that break the balance of the landscape.

For example, if you had an amazing plot with a mountain view, you wouldn't want to obscure the natural beauty with a two or three-storey building, would you? Bungalows offer the ultimate in surroundings sensitivity and this one really is the perfect example of just how complimentary rather than contrasting a new build can be!

Grand entrance

Unlike the houses of two or more floors, bungalows can be spread wide, giving more room and scope for entrance decoration. To give elegance and distinction you can choose to turn your decorating hand to the outside of your home, either in the form of adventurous architecture or gorgeous garden landscaping.

Take a look at this incredible façade, complete with glamorous arches and Mediterranean styling. You would be forgiven for thinking that this was a small palace and yet it is merely a wonderful example of what is possible with a little imagination.

Creative colour

The façade and door are both extremely important parts of our homes, especially as they are responsible for greeting other people and helping them to form their initial reactions.

It is necessary that the exterior of a house reflects the essence of the interior and the personalities of the residents and we love the use of a bright, vibrant and rich coloured render as a form of expression! This deep orange makes us sure that the interior is filled with similarly opulent hues and stylish furniture.

Cosy and camouflaged

One-storey houses typically have a far more homely and cosy feel and though this image may show a simple property, look a little closer and you will see that lots of detail has been added to really set it apart.

This bungalow is the perfect example of how you can transform your home, even in an urban location, into a comfortable cabin, simply by adding tall trees in your garden, as a form of camouflage, while also helping to accentuate the single-storey design.

Discreet design

Establishing the foundations for a two-story house can be time consuming and difficult, because it obviously needs a structure that supports more weight, but one-story houses, while still needing strong foundations, can take advantage of needing a simpler design and are therefore faster to build.

No matter if the surface is uneven, sloping or unstable, you can build your bungalow home in less time than it would take you to develop the structure of a multi-level home and when the end result can look as amazing as this example, why wouldn't you opt for it? 

Wide open

By expanding the width of your bungalow design, you can easily create an elegant atmosphere and give distinct personality to each room. By separating areas out within a one-storey property, you can enjoy the traditional feel of a multi-level home, without the need for stairs and what's more, you won't encroach into the landscape as much. Though grand in scale, this property remains considerate of the horizon by remaining low and lovely.

For more bungalow inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: Outside The Box Bungalow Designs.

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