Most architectural magazines talk about product, the furniture, the light fittings, the artwork, and so on, which is totally understandable as they keep the magazine alive with advertising revenue, but it’s not architectural design.
What makes the house or space feel good?
The answer to that question is hard to pin down as it’s dependant on many factors, including expectation, personal taste, and experience. But also orientation, proportion, scale, connection, and appropriate size.
While product is important, and we love it, they only dress the space and stamp it with the owner’s personality. When the owner sells and takes the product, the empty space remains. So, the space must stand on its own.
I walk through a house at frame up stage to feel the space, the ease of walking through it, the views out, the sun and light coming in, the privacy. The house or space should feel good empty and unfinished.
Products tend to be fashion. Everchanging. They skip a generation and grandma’s chair is reimaged, slicker with a different colour hue. So modern. Currently arches are in, greys are out, patterned stone is in, steel joinery still in, I know because I looked through the latest Australian Belle magazine.
A good space only needs a refresh to reflect today’s living needs and the owner’s personality, not a rebuild. Buying an older house designed by an architect will often give you good space with rooms in the right location and orientation, and a refresh is all that’s needed.
