09.06.08

Why is home style important?

Posted in architecture at 2:03 pm by Administrator

A few years ago my wife and I set out to remodel our entry and living room, the first stage in our overall home remodel project. It can take a great deal of time considering all the possible combinations of materials to use. It can be overwhelming and frustrating at times. How do you choose “the one” that works with the “other ones” you will love and care for, and will in return inspire, bring value and joy.

While looking at furniture in a local gallery, we saw a tabletop figurine that we both adored and it in turn solved our décor dilemmas. This symbol pulled together our lifestyle and inward feelings. We are the parents of six children and have an informal home. We wanted a nice room but inviting. The figurine said “French country”, and it fit our lifestyle perfectly. It made the furniture selection and all the other selections involved in our remodel easy. With this theme setter the choices were narrowed to a manageable size and it defined a direction and end result. It was truly a defining moment for us. It made our project pleasant. It also helped us achieve a degree of design integrity, a thread that pulled the elements of our home together with a recognizable pattern. As a bonus, we found that our defined style complemented pieces of art and other elements in our home that we valued but had not recognized before.

Design integrity is a quality that gives value to something over time. Three homes on a local street provide a fine example of this. The first home stands out, an international style home. This may be a risky example as some may argue that it does not fit the rest of the street. However, it has a style that is recognizable and has place and value, it means something. This style was developed by notable European architects like Walter Gropius, Meis Van der Rohe and Le Corbusier. They were looking to celebrate new technologies and not draw from traditional architecture. This new modern architecture became known as the International Style, and was defined by the expression of volume rather than mass, balance rather than preconceived symmetry and the expulsion of applied ornament. Smooth wall surfaces and huge curtain walls of glass became some of the visible characteristics. This defined the emerging era of modern architectural style in the 1930’s. It means something today and is valued.

The second home has a simple, light but recognizable Tuscan flair. The American adaptation of Tuscan has been very popular, and it has been adapted so much that its pure definition has become a “cauldron of ideas“. But, it’s popularity centers around the warmth and charm of sun-drenched vineyards and wrought-iron balconies, a feeling created by the warmth of materials used. A generous outdoor arched colonnaded porch with iron scrolled railings, and a heavy tiled roof are some of the characteristics that help this home connect and have value.

The third home is a square stucco box with no recognizable style. It is a home that would have cost a similar amount as the Tuscan style home, the materials are similar but miss the threads that tie it to an archetype, a style that inspires or gives meaning. This is an example of generic development that over time will likely have less value. The occupants will have to look elsewhere for meaning and inspiration.

Architectural principles help provide a style of design that can be recognized. It helps provide visual meaning and connection to a place we call home. It also makes the process of building or remodeling a home easier and more enjoyable. Architectural Design and Cabinet asks its clients to identify something that has meaning, a place, a photo, art…something that inspires. The goal is to use this insight in creating residential space, kitchen and baths that have meaning and value. Take the time to define a style for your home. Wood-mode has a wonderful portfolio that introduces kitchen and bath design style in some detail.

Permalink