I thought I would share a bit of what I think is architectural perfection.
Several years ago I came across a floor plan that I really liked. Really, really liked. I liked it so much that I saved a copy of it on my computer and labeled it "dream house".
The original wasn't perfect, so I started making changes. Just minor things, like adding a wall so that the kitchen isn't soooo huge (which magically added a laundry room at the same time). So here it is:
Here is a list of things I think are good about it:
1. The garage is not visible from the front of the house, but it is located close to the kitchen (good for hauling in groceries).
2. The bedrooms are closely grouped (which means I wouldn’t have to walk through the entire house to comfort a crying child in the dead of night).
3. The entryway doubles as an art gallery, and doesn’t open directly into living spaces.
4. I like the internal courtyard.
5. The house is symmetrical, which appeals to my sense of design and proportion.
6. It is a single story house, which means that I could grow old in it—no stairs to negotiate.
7. It is not too big for me to keep clean on my own. (Well maybe it is too big. I don't know about that anymore.)
8. There are enough bedrooms for all the kids I could ever hope to have, and plenty of room for grandkids or otherwise guests.
9. I really like the large porch area all around the front and sides. It seems perfect for a summer evening.
The mid-westerner in me really would like to see a basement added to this house, and that can be done fairly easily, I think, just by adding a staircase somewhere, from the garage perhaps.
There are a few, more fundamental problems with my dream though. Like the fact that I prefer to live in cities where a home like this would be prohibitively expensive, that I detest the "have to drive everywhere" culture of the US that a house like this would impose on me, or that I am too security minded to actually have a home with so many doors to the outside.
So the question is, is this house actually perfect? Is it only perfect if it can be put into practice?
4 comments:
I like it.
Do you detest driving or the infrastructure that requires people to drive or just the American culture of cars?
In answer to the question I think that in cities that would not require the daily use of a car it seems that Matt being a very smart resourceful man might be able to afford the house to be perfect for you.
I actually dislike the infrastructure. It simply isn't a good idea for everyone to have a house and a yard. Poor resource management.
You're right about Matthew's smarts. But "prohibitively expensive" is more a statement of my ethics than Matthew's earning potential. Some things are too expensive no matter how much you've got.
i'm surprised that more people haven't given what they think would be an improvement on your dream house. my suggestion is... ready? hot tub in the courtyard!
I like it too... No wonder you are drawn to this layout. Our house lacked privacey, and this one offers plenty of it.
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