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Australian property designs have been influenced by the diversity of global trends, but what makes our homes uniquely 'Aussie' is how we use distinct design and style to make the most of where and how we live.

"With Australian blocks and backyards getting smaller, the style of modern homes is now focused on form and function," says architect and James Hardie ambassador Joe Snell.

"The best home design ideas are inspired by your vision and how you want to use the space as well as being a reflection of how it makes you feel."

Homeowners planning their dream renovation or new build scour social media and magazines for inspiration, and to help form their vision and brief for their designer or builder.

However, familiarising themselves with the correct terminology to describe their 'look' and the hallmarks that define it are crucial during those early conversations and throughout the build.

Here, Snell shares the main elements to consider to define your home style and achieve the look you want.

The shape of your home can give it kerb appeal and make it stand out. What is the impression it makes? Does it have character and reflect the suburb? What will it look like in a couple of decades?

The modern box-style house style is a distinct look, and uses multiple box shapes and cantilevered upper storeys to create interest and facade articulation.

Keeping elements of the home sharp and square gives the illusion of more space and a truly modernist feel with design flexibility.

An alternative modern style with equally bold street presence is the Scandi barn look, with its diagrammatic house shape achieved with a steeply pitched gable roof.

Cladding helps to create square and rectangular geometric patterns that complement or contrast the shape of the building.

Textures can add depth, individuality and interest to the home aesthetic.

A trend that has become increasingly popular is to mix cladding styles on the home facade to create an architectural feel.

This mixed cladding look offers clean lines and a contemporary finish, and can easily be achieved by combining any number of fibre cement exterior products.

Hardie Fine Texture Cladding provides a modern render and minimalist look thanks to its embedded texture.

Choose a low-sheen paint that works with the texture to give your choice of colour a contemporary matte look.

When combined with Linea weatherboards for its deep shadow lines, the cladding creates an interesting facade and streetscape.

Colour palettes add personality to your home style and can really help define it. Bold, monochrome colours accentuate facades and create a strong contemporary feel, which is perfect for the clean lines of the mid-century modern look.

Light plays a crucial role in your home's atmosphere. The orientation of your home is essential for maximising natural light. Consider gabled roof lines and high ceilings for rooms which allow for bursts of light.

Incorporate skylights or extensions to increase the amount of open space and natural light in the home. This can affect mood or alter the perceived size of a room.

Modern design embraces open plan living that bridges the divide between the surrounds and the home.

It focuses on a more outdoor lifestyle by creating an extended, cohesive space and a seamless transition between the interior and exterior.

When designing this space, take note of the prevailing winds and where there are opportunities for shade.

With Australians spending so much time outdoors, the home is the backdrop to many life memories, so the exterior is important.

By using durable fibre cement exterior products, the design possibilities are endless and you can enjoy your home for many years to come.

The Valley Series is about innovation and builds on everything we've learned about building tailored homes for Hunter families over the last 50 years.

Valley Homes is a family owned, local building company that has been helping clients design and build their dream home since foundation in 1971.

Over that time Valley Homes has constructed hundreds of residential homes, duplexes and multi-unit developments in the Maitland, Newcastle and Port Stephens areas.

The team pride themselves on building quality product for the right price in a reasonably short time frame.

"We work with clients at whatever stage of the journey they're at and make modifications to personalise their designs," company owner Craig Baumann said. "Our approach is if it can be drawn, it can be built."

"We're also happy to work with customers' own architectural designs and collaborate to get approvals and quality construction underway."

The team at Valley Homes understand building a home is a big investment for a client and are also conscious of not only delivering on the dream design and build, but also managing any client anxiety around construction.

"It gives us great satisfaction that many of our clients are building with us second and third time round," Craig said.

Valley Homes makes it even easier for you to design your new home with its Valley Series of exclusive modular floor plans and facades.

Not everyone comes to the party with inbuilt knowledge and awareness around designing and building their dream home.

By selecting your chosen floor plan with any of the front and rear facade options that the Valley Series offers, you can have a stunning, architecturally inspired home at an affordable price

"The Valley Series makes it easy to create a unique home design to match your lifestyle," Valley Homes general manager Rich Harold said.

"We get many different types of clients with varying needs as well as previous experiences building.

"Sometimes it's not straightforward taking what you have in theory and seeing that in practice.

"The Valley Series enables you to narrow things down efficiently and get to that perfect design you had in mind utilising the latest in passive design principles that promote energy efficiency, light flow, cross ventilation etc."

"Primarily the Valley Series is about innovation and builds on everything we've learned about building tailored homes for Hunter families over the last 50 years."

As Rich likes to point out, building and design are about relationships between the builder and client.

"It's important to have a builder you can trust," Rich said. "The Valley Series is a great tool for reinforcing that trust and illustrating what we're trying to communicate in terms of design and helping our clients move forward to build their dream home.

"Whatever you choose, you're in expert hands throughout the entire building process with Valley Homes."