My wife and I are having something of a housing problem. We currently have a small, one bedroom apartment, and we really need a two bedroom apartment, for medical reasons.
That's not what this post is about.
I want to discuss architecture.
I am something of an amateur draftsman. Over the years, I've laid out the floor plans of a number of houses. Every sort of house from small log homes to larger farm houses. It's been something of a hobby. A creative outlet of sorts.
We were out for a drive a few days ago. There are a lot of new homes going up out east of us. All of them seem to be these monster dream homes. At a guess, I'd say the smallest would be well over 2000 square feet. What is the deal with these huge places? Is all of that space really necessary? I don't see the point of heating rooms that will never be used.
When I design a house, I work from the lifestyle of the people who will occupy the space. How many kids do they have? Do they host dinner parties, or do they eat in front of the TV most nights? Does someone in the family love to cook, or is meal prep all about the microwave? It seems the best way to come up with a design the is attractive, affordable, and that the owner can really live with.
All of this in mind, I got to thinking about how much space Sandra and I really need. What it boils down to is 1000 square feet. Laid out properly, that would provide enough room for the two of us, our cats and what company we ever have. It takes in my desire for a good kitchen that I can create in. It allows room for the cats to run around and have fun playing with balls of yarn.
Personally, I would get lost in a house much larger than 2500 square feet. Don't even get me started on the chore of cleaning it. Just consider the heating and cooling bills.
Something I have never understood is how designers can come up with plans that don't provide space for a television or a place to put up Christmas tree. Do they even consider the people that are supposed to live there? Model homes just don't live up to the live-in test.
What is the one thing you would most need in your dream home?
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1 comment:
My dream home ummmm..... well it would be more than 1500 square feet (sorry hun). It would be a long cabin with two stories but be accessible with a chair life or an elevator. There would be 2 guest bedroom upstairs with a bath. The laundry room would be next to the kitchen. The kitchen would have everything in it to make my husband happy since he is the cook in the family. The door ways would be able to accommodate a wheelchair. The master bath would also be able to do so with a hugh whirlpool bath and a corner shower unit. There would be two fireplaces one in the living room and the other in the master bedroom. The porch would be screened so our cats could go out and the bugs not come in. The garage would connect to the house and would be a leeway to the kitchen for groceries and such. And if money was no object a grandmother suite near or attached to the house for my mom.
Thats my dream house.
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