Queensland Designer Homes

27/08/2026

There was a great view here the whole time. The house just wasn't set up to use it.

Single storey, small usable footprint, and an outlook it did nothing with. The owners of this Holland Park home had no intention of moving. They wanted the place they already owned to finally work.

So we went up instead of out. New upper level over the existing footprint, garage untouched, ground floor living untouched.

Slide 3 is the concept design. Slide 4 is the finished build. Have a good look at those two images.

Some of what went into it:
There's a floor skylight cut through the new deck that drops light the whole way down to the entry below.
The ensuite opens two ways so it doubles as the powder room for the upstairs living zone, which saved building a second bathroom up there.
And the stairs got their spot early, because when that goes wrong you lose a bedroom and you notice it every day you live there.

All of that was worked out in the drawings, months before anyone was on site.

Thinking about going up instead of moving out? Book a free design consultation at qdhomes.com.au/contact
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brisbanebuilder

20/08/2026

Brisbane house prices have almost doubled since 2020, and the cost of buying back into the market has risen with them.

So if your current location still works, but the house no longer does, moving may NOT be the smartest first move.

Sometimes the better option is to keep the location, keep the equity, and redesign the home around the way your family lives now.

Not sure whether to renovate, move or build new?

Take our free Stay, Go or Build New? quiz at the link in the last slide.

14/08/2026

Looking Back.

This one has been a long time coming.

We’ve condensed 11 years of concept design walkthroughs into just 46 seconds.

Since starting Queensland Designer Homes in 2015, I’ve had the privilege of custom designing hundreds of homes, each one shaped around a different family, site, story and way of living.

I’ve put a lot of myself into this work over the years. Every project has mattered, and seeing so many of them together like this brings back a lot of memories.

If you’re one of our past clients and spot your home design in here, please leave a comment. I’d genuinely love to hear from you.

- Sam

06/08/2026

One of the first questions people ask about high-performance homes is whether they cost more to build.

The honest answer is that some elements do. A better-performing home can require additional materials, more careful detailing and greater attention to how those materials are installed.

But not every improvement comes from spending more.

Decisions such as orientation and early planning can significantly improve how a home performs without necessarily increasing the construction cost. The key is to invest in the areas that will make the greatest difference, while making more economical choices elsewhere to keep the overall budget balanced.

For Luna Casa, this is a long-term family home. The investment is not being considered only in terms of the initial building cost, but also the comfort, efficiency and living environment it will provide over many years.

In this episode, we discuss the cost of building a high-performance home and why better performance is not simply about adding every possible upgrade.

It is about planning early, prioritising carefully and spending money where it matters most.

Designer: Queensland Designer Homes
Builder: RedKem Constructions
Follow the build: CasaLuna - New Build in Brisbane

30/07/2026

Most homes overheat for the same basic reason: too much direct sun reaches the glazing, particularly from the west, without enough thought given to orientation and shading.

In Jared’s existing home, large western-facing windows allow harsh afternoon sun into the upper level, while the high internal roof space holds that heat inside. The result is an upstairs area that becomes extremely uncomfortable during summer.

At Luna Casa, those lessons shaped the design from the beginning.

Northern glazing allows welcome sunlight into the home during winter, while carefully designed projections shade those same windows during the warmer months. The home can benefit from natural light and warmth when they are needed, without being overwhelmed by summer heat.

In this episode, we explore why so many homes overheat and how thoughtful design can help prevent it.

Orientation, window placement and shading are not finishing touches. They are fundamental decisions that influence how comfortable a home will be every day.

Good home performance starts with design.

Designer: Queensland Designer Homes
Builder: RedKem Constructions
Follow the build: CasaLuna - New Build in Brisbane

23/07/2026

Most people assume that if they are building a new home, it will automatically be comfortable, healthy and efficient.

But those outcomes do not happen by accident. They need to be shaped by decisions made during design, long before finishes are selected or construction begins.

Luna Casa is a high-performance, Greensmart certified family home designed by Queensland Designer Homes and being built by Redkem Constructions. As both the builder and homeowner, Jared wanted to build one for his own family, live in it and genuinely experience the difference before recommending this approach to others.

In this first episode, we introduce the project and why it was important to go beyond average building standards.

Across this series, we will explore the design and construction decisions behind Luna Casa, including orientation, natural light, indoor air quality, material choices, moisture management, windows, shading and the way the home responds to Brisbane’s climate.

For anyone thinking about designing and building a new home, our goal is simple: to help you understand the decisions that will determine how your home actually feels to live in.

Designer: Queensland Designer Homes
Builder: RedKem Constructions
Follow the build: lunacasa_

17/07/2026

A difficult site doesn’t have to result in a compromised home. We were invited back to see this beautifully finished home, almost completed.

This battle-axe property was crossed by 6 separate easements, leaving an unusually shaped area in which to fit a substantial 400m2 family home and 4 covered car spaces.

The solution was a completely custom L-shaped design, combining Wright-inspired glazing extending towards the eaves, warm textured brickwork, smooth vertical cladding and dark contrasting trims.

Just before moving in, our clients wrote:
“We are moving into our new house and could not be happier with the result.”

This is only a first look. We will return for the full photography once the family is settled and the home is properly ready to be captured.

If you've got a challenging site, we've got the design answers.

05/06/2026

28/05/2026

What actually adds value in a renovation?

Most people think it’s the finishes, the fancy kitchen, the plunge pool or the luxury extras.

But in reality, the biggest value driver is often something much simpler the number of bedrooms.

Taking a property from 3 bedrooms to 4 bedrooms can instantly shift the price bracket of the home and add anywhere from $50k to $200k depending on the suburb.

Buyers shop by bedroom count first. the finishes help sell the emotion, but the layout and functionality are what drive the value before spending big on cosmetic upgrades, make sure you’re maximising the fundamentals first.

15/05/2026

Some renovation decisions feel easy to change during the planning stage… until construction starts.

That’s when “small changes” can suddenly mean demolition, engineering updates, builder variations, delays, and expensive rework.

Over the years, we’ve seen the same costly changes happen again and again usually after clients realise how the space will actually feel once construction is underway.

The good news? Most of these issues are completely avoidable with better planning early on.

👉 Swipe through to see 4 renovation decisions that become brutally expensive to change later.

If your project is still in the design stage, this is exactly where good planning can save you thousands later.