It's not how much space - it's how you use it
Let's face it, the real estate downturn is not all that bad.
After all, it is helping at least keep prices in check here in overinflated Greater Boston.,
But as potential buyers decide to stay put and make do with what they have, is this also spurring some badly needed creativity in home design?
So says Connecticut-based architect and author Duo Dickinson, in this piece just out in U.S. News & World Report on home design. I guess still do more than just the college rankings.
Dickinson, whose book "Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want," just came out, sees a shift away from concept of the house as a commodity that dominated the bubble years. Instead, he sees a return to the old idea of home as a place you plan tp live in long-term and reshape to your tastes, without being a slave to resale value down the line.
Anyway, here are some of Dickinson's tips, which I have lifted directly from the U.S. News article.
- Expand without adding on; entire walls don't always have to be removed to "open up" a space.
- Think about how interior space relates to the outdoors; big views should have big openings
- Sometimes, walls are a good thing - and hide lots of clever storage.
- Style is not a religion.
- Color is cheap.
- Empty nesters can often re-nest in the same spot.
- Homeowners should ask: Will I really use the square footage devoted to a "master suite"?
- Projects from $500 up without a plan are a risky roll of the dice.
- Don't forget hallways and landings.
- Design front porches that are actually usable.
Have a great weekend and see you again in this space early Monday morning.
