How Homes in Australia Have Changed Over Time

If you walk down a few streets in Thornleigh, you can almost see the story of Australian homes just by looking around.

There’s the older cottage with smaller windows and separate rooms. A solid 70s brick home a few doors down. Then a newer place with open spaces and big glass doors out to the backyard.

They all feel different — because they were built for completely different ways of living.

Back when homes were simple

If you go back to the 1920s through to the 1950s, homes were much simpler than what we’re used to now.

They were smaller, and every room had a clear purpose. You didn’t walk into a big open living space. You moved from one room to another — kitchen, dining, lounge — all separate.

The kitchen, especially, was very different. It was usually tucked away at the back of the house. It wasn’t somewhere people gathered. It was just where meals were made.

Homes back then weren’t about lifestyle or entertaining. They were built to be practical — somewhere to sleep, eat, and get on with daily life.

The classic brick home era

By the 1960s and 70s, things started to change.

Suburbs like Thornleigh were growing, and a new type of home became common — the classic Aussie brick house.

You still see plenty of these in Thornleigh today. Solid homes on good-sized blocks, often with simple, boxy layouts. Rooms were still separate, but homes felt a bit more spacious than before.

A lot of these homes are still standing exactly as they were, while others have slowly been updated over time.

Homes started opening up

By the 80s and 90s, homes became more about comfort.

People wanted more space, and houses got bigger. You’d often see multiple living areas, bigger kitchens, and more room for families to spread out.

It wasn’t fully open plan yet, but homes started to feel less formal. People were spending more time at home — not just coming back to it at the end of the day.

When open plan took over

The early 2000s brought one of the biggest changes.

Walls came down, and homes opened up. Kitchens, dining, and living areas became one large space. The kitchen moved right into the centre of the home.

And that changed how people lived.

Cooking became part of everyday life, not something hidden away. Homes felt more social, more connected. It suited the Australian lifestyle, especially with indoor–outdoor living becoming more popular.

For a long time, this became the standard.

Bigger, newer, more polished

Through the 2010s, homes became even more refined.

You started to see large kitchen islands, walk-in pantries, outdoor entertaining areas, and that clean, modern look with lots of white and grey.

These homes looked great and felt modern, but they were also built around a certain idea of what a “perfect” home should be.

What’s changing now

More recently, there’s been another shift — but it’s a quieter one.

Instead of just wanting bigger or more open, people are starting to think about how a home actually works day to day.

We’re seeing more buyers look for a bit of separation again. Maybe a second living space, a quiet room, or somewhere to work from home. Natural light matters more. Storage matters more. Layout matters more than just having extra rooms.

And across Thornleigh, you can really see this happening.

Many of those older homes — especially the 70s brick ones — are being updated. Not knocked down, but adapted. Walls opened up, kitchens modernised, and layouts adjusted to suit modern living.

The bigger picture

If you step back, the biggest change isn’t just how homes look — it’s why they’re designed the way they are.

Homes were once designed mainly around practicality. Today, they’re designed around connection, comfort and lifestyle.

And as the way we live continues to evolve, our homes evolve with us.