For years we had a type of house in mind that reflects the simplicity of rural design; a house that is easy to maintain while also having clean lines and bright open spaces. We are fortunate to have lived in apartments and houses with open family rooms and kitchen areas, and plenty of natural light mixed with wood tones, and want to continue to be surrounded by these features, that add warmth and character, in our future home.
However, we also have learned through the years what we don’t want and what we want to prevent; and as we take these plusses and minuses into consideration, we also have to think hard on what kind of design would be appropriate for our lives in our silver years.
From here we made a list of what we both wanted, what was important, where we would not compromise, and finally, what is practical and low maintenance for years after the house is complete. And as we continue to mull through this transitional list, it brings to mind a quote in a book I Bought A Mountain by Thomas Firbank; the author described his house in Wales as “well, here I am, take me or leave me, I have no frills, but I know my job”. I mentioned this to my wife and she balked as the quote brought descriptions of utilitarian and stark to her mind; but in my mind, the statement brought a dream of a house planted and confident in its surroundings, less about adornment and more about purpose.
Considerations:
Single floor plan
Separation of the primary bedroom
Open plan centered on view
Accessibility in bathrooms
Entry and mudroom
Outdoor entertainment
Storage and closets
Laundry room
Light filled retreat
Versatile for all seasons
By continually discussing together and drawing out multiple floor plans with pencil (and a lot of erasers), we worked and reworked through what was important to us before we contacted professionals. We also spent a lot of time looking at home designs online and openly sharing pros and cons on what we were researching. These steps will hopefully save time, energy and money for us, and whoever we involve, as well as help us know what we would not compromise on during the actual design stage. We know that not everything will be possible to achieve, but we felt better prepared to talk with potential home builders after this exercise. Our only hope is that someone could translate sketches on a notepad into a reality…
Tenir Bon House 