We all admire a beautifully designed and decorated home. The first things that capture our attention are the homes architecture features and the character of the space. With most people it is a feeling that comes over them when you enter the home. This feeling is difficult to describe in words, but is commonly referred to as a the wow factor. There is a warmth in the welcoming of a extraordinary space that makes us immediately crave it as a living quarters. This is the result of a well orchestrated collaboration of design, decorating, quality products and quality workmanship. This alliance articulately defines the art of fine homebuilding. We will examine a closer look at each of these disciplines contributions to the finished product.
Home Design
It all begins with a clear canvas and a well appointed pallet of color. The home design is a product of the owners collective ideas interpreted through the eyes and imagination of the home designer. The designer commences with carefully understanding the owners needs and lifestyle while translating them into a functional form that service its purpose. The modular sized shapes eventually blend together to create a working floor plan.
The interior volume and exterior envelope take on the characteristics demanded by the theme of the home design. In traditional based theme design, the design lines and shapes are complex with ornamental details, while modern design themes are typically clean and very geometric by nature. The windows are also a very defining architectural feature of any home design. Modern design feature floor to ceiling windows where as traditional design typically are much smaller as a proportion to the total wall space.
The designer will then blend the working floor plan with an elevation that fits the owners criteria. This process can be constrained by deed restrictions and height restrictions imposed by the building department. The homes elevation should be consistent with the design theme of the home. The roof becomes a design feature that ties the elevation with the floor plan and completes the conceptual design theme for the home design.
Interior Design
If the home design is the canvas, interior design is the color pallet. There are many definitions of interior design but most include some aspect of an artistic interpretation. With that said, interior design can best be described by the use of the common words like, beauty, comfort, efficiency, pleasing surroundings and functionality. Good interior design should complement the space and surroundings of the home and emphasize the key architectural features.
The interior design process begins with a furniture space plan view within the defined parameters of the room. These pieces are sized and positioned for a careful proportion of the living space. It requires a careful balance of not over furnishing or under furnishing the defined area. Once the preliminary plan is approved your designer will broadly define shape and style of each piece of furniture.
Interior design is a collective process that occurs piece by piece. It is a process of gathering fabrics, color chips and introducing patterns with furniture pieces to obtain a complete statement. It is the proper proportions and positioning of these collective works that introduces the excitement of wanting to engage with the space.
Craftsmanship
Craftsmanship is to fine homebuilding like the brush strokes are to the artist’s portrait. As with any artistic expression, craftsmanship can be a discretionary standard and very subjective. The products selected have a great deal to do with the perceived quality of the home construction. The home can have the best home design and a stellar interior design, but if the products are not comparable in quality the home will not reflect the importance of fine homebuilding.
The more subjective aspect of craftsmanship is the quality of the labor. Construction labor is in every step of the fine homebuilding process. As the home is constructed errors in craftsmanship will continue to compound. That is to say if you have an out of square foundation or out of level framing structure, all other trades work that follow will be directly affected. The same can be said for inferior interior carpentry, where the painter is required to fill gaps and reset nails.
The true test of quality craftsmanship is the test of time. Poor workmanship will cause premature product failure and allow flaws to surface in the homes appearance earlier than would be expected. One of the trade disciplines may often compensate for a weakness or failure of another, but fine homebuilding is ultimately a result of all the essential trade disciplines being successfully orchestrated to the optimum expression.
