Many believe the home design process starts with style selection. Unfortunately, this only places focus on what your home will look like. Rather than starting with style, focus on yourself and your site.
Yourself - By "yourself" we mean to start with your wants and needs. Evaluate what would make your home perfect for you. Think about both your function and your experience. We call this evaluation a program.
Your Function - Every home functions differently because every family has different dynamics. Brainstorm the functionality of the spaces. Apart from how many bedrooms and baths, how will they work together? Take a laundry room for example. How is the laundry cleaned? Is it located in the master closet to prevent the clothes from leaving one area? How about a laundry room near the bedrooms for close proximity to where the kids drop their clothes? Perhaps a mud/laundry really is best. Think of how you will be using the home and the spaces within. Think of how those spaces connect and work together to contribute to everyday living.
Your Experience - Function and experience are equally important. Function is to house as experience is to home. Ask yourself, how does the home feel? Light colors and lots of natural light make a small space feel large and open. Darker, warm colors, and natural materials tend to make spaces feel more cozy. Can you see the sunrise from the breakfast nook? What do your guest see when they walk through the front door? Experience gives the home feeling and creates uniqueness.
Your Site - is the other focus when starting your custom home. Try not to think of your home as an object that sits on your site but rather a place that enhances the site. Your home is a place for you and life to happen. Where it is located should always be the inspiration for its design. Whether you are taking advantage of a view or interested in sustainability, the home's site is where your life will be lived. Perhaps you want to create a strong connection to a lake. Perhaps your site is near a busy road and you want to create more privacy. Your site and your experience are connected and will offer you inspiration. There are countless examples of contextual thinking. Check out our portfolio for some great examples. Our "Dock House" design, creates an experience of walking to and visualizing the adjacent lake. From the home's entry, to the bedrooms, its all about being connected to the water. https://www.cwarch.design/thedockhouse
Once you have begun to evaluate yourself and your site, its time to reach out to your architect to give form to the design. From survey and zoning evaluation to construction, our team walks you through the entire process.
We walk our clients through these considerations and countless others everyday. Want to brainstorm some ideas, or need help determining your program? Feel free to reach out.
© 2020 Clements Wimsatt Architects PLLC
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