Agent Will

You probably see a lot of homes.  You probably have formed a pretty strong opinion on what you want and what you don’t.  I’m going to ask you now, and again at the end, for your input on one of my design ideas here.

You see, I see a lot of homes… a lot of homes.  I see good ones and bad ones.  Always when looking with clients I also learn more about what appeals to me and what I would want.  I see a lot of designs that are victims of developers forcing architects to work from the outside, in constraining the living spaces to bizarre shapes and wasted corners so that they can sell the dream exterior vision which in no way helps those who ultimately live there.  I see strange kinks and funny corners, rounded glass walls and bedrooms that have the adjacent bedroom’s closet cutting into their space.  I see too many full bathrooms and doors that open in or out.  I see too many bi-fold closet doors cutting into hallway or bedroom space and not really granting full access to the closet itself.

I recently took some flack on one of the forums when I suggested that we could have three bedrooms within 1000 Sq.ft. and to do so efficiently we would have to give up our narcissistic tendency of having two full baths.  That was not appreciated.  Apparently we often take two baths at the same time… or our guests need a whole bath to themselves.

The design below is my idea of what a decent 1000Sq.ft. three bedroom could be laid out as.  It borrows a lot from the masters of living in small places, the Japanese.  The main bathroom is really two rooms.  The toilet and sink act as a water closet with a sealing swing door into a true wash “room”.  The shower is next to a bath with the idea borrowed from Japan that you wash yourself and then get into a nice hot bath.  This could be a jetted tub or one that recirculates hot water to maintain the desired temperature and maximize relaxation.  All the while, someone could use the toilet.  You will notice that the clothes washer/dryer combo is also accessed through the bathroom.  To bow to North American ideals I have included a private ensuite in the master bedroom.

Another feature taken from the Japanese is the extensive use of pocket doors.  Sliding doors take up much less space and provide easy entry.  Why we still use hinged doors is beyond me.  When was the last time you saw any sci-fi film with hinged doors?  Could you imagine Captain Kirk entering the bridge of the USS Enterprise through a hinged door?  (Sorry, nerdy Star Trek reference there… ).  Futurists have envisioned the use of sliding doors almost exclusively for a very long time (no idea how many decades) yet we still cling to our space wasting hinged doors.

Same goes for closets here.  Sliding panels only.  In fact, the only traditional hinged doors you will find are the entry doors to the unit and the living/dining/kitchen area.  And that was another design cue borrowed; the separation of living quarters from sleeping quarters.  The door there will not take up any livable space yet provide a barrier to noise and potential cooking smells.

One more thing to note is the windows. Note that the entire living area is facing a wall of windows looking out on the world.  When you are awake you want light, you want view, you want to feel a part of the world.  This is provided.  The bedrooms have no windows as this was designed as an inside unit.  As an end unit you could add windows along the exterior wall.  All the same, in your bedroom, which here is designed for sleeping and studying, do you realllllly need a window?  Don’t most people just close there blinds/curtains when they go to sleep anyways?  A window from your room is nice, though, and as an end unit would be easy to add.

So what do you think?  Do you like it?  Do you not?  What has been your experience with looking at plans and homes in finding your perfect place?  What features MUST you have?  Would anything in the design below be a deal breaker?

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