Surprisingly it seems as if the colour pallet of the modern day home has gone backwards, with the use of natural, black colours more and more popular; and simplicity at its highest. The term commonly used by Architects and Interior Designers worldwide is "less is more".
Due to the rapid expansions of cities and their infrastructure the notion of vertical living was developed, where a smaller-sized area of land is purchased and is developed on by using various levels to create more space. This idea was taken from the use of apartment blocks and big city towers from the US, especially New York City. However unlike many towers and apartment blocks which are tall rectangular monuments, the inner-city oasis' use offset squares and rectangles to both frame house areas but more importantly define the building as a home and not a workplace. Most inner-city homes do not consist of a back-yard and instead comply of a roof-top garden which houses plants (edible and non-edible) and usually comprises of a view of the city itself or the horizon/built-up areas surrounding the city.
The living areas are that of a living-room, dining area and integrated kitchen which in turn usually lead off to an outdoor living space. The open-plan living spaces allow a family to remain in close connection to one another and plenty of space for guests and entertaining. Simple wooden furniture and leather couches/chairs are basically all that is used, in order to keep the areas looking clean and to create a simple ambiance on life.
A small entry foyer quickly leads into a large sitting room and then into an open-plan Kitchen, Dining and Living-room with doors leading out into the back garden framed inside via large floor to ceiling windows. Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms, all with built in robes and the largest bedroom (Master Bedroom) consists of its own personal ensuite with an adjacent Walk-In-Robe. A second study upstairs provides a second working space with the largest home-office downstairs. This particular design is common in Melbourne and provides space for a family of 4/5 people living on a longer narrow block.