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Eric ReinholdtHouzz Contributor, Residential Architect, Founder 30X40 Design Workshop... More 2

very architect’s design process is extremely personal and nuanced. For example, I have

certain tools that I reach for ritually when I start a new project. One is a favorite lead

pencil with a lightweight, medium-size barrel and a thinly ridged grip, loaded with a medium-

weight HB lead that’s not too soft and not too hard. It has a broken clip at the top and a small

blue button near my thumb to advance the lead.

It’s with this pencil in hand that I begin each design, visiting the project site, writing, taking

notes and sketching in a pocket-size gridded sketchbook. I take with me a small corded

bundle of Prismacolor pencils — light cream, sky blue, May green, French gray, yellow ocher

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and oxide red — to fill in the line work of my sketches and suggest order. It has to be this way

for me, and I know that when I’m armed with these tools, the ideas will flow easily.

While each architect’s habits are individual and idiosyncratic, the broader architectural habits

we share lay the foundations for good design. Here are eight (of the many) habits that help

guide successful architects during the design process.

1. They tell a good story. Our memories of places are inherently linked to stories. A home that

tells the story of a specific client, in a specific place, at a specific time enriches the experience

and gives it a reason for being.

Architects are taught very early in design school to conceptualize projects by inventing a

narrative, which is traditionally referred to as a parti.

A parti is like a rulebook, in a way, and a good one allows us to refer back to it when we’re

stuck wondering what to do next. It organizes our thoughts and guides us in how to best relate

the story through our design.

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chadbourne + doss architects

The narrative can flow from something specific — say, a beloved tree to preserve — or

something more general, such as, “All rooms must have natural light.” It can emerge from a

client’s specific request: “Nothing white, please.” Or the shape of a building lot. It can apply

to every level of design problems, even down to small renovation or decorating tasks.

Finding the bigger, guiding idea and creating a story around it imbues every design

decision with meaning. People found the photos in this ideabook aftersearching for:

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Find architects near you and browse their recent work

2. They take risks. Taking risks to do something out of the ordinary is part of any creative

field. Rethink, reimagine, retool and invent new ways of doing the same old thing — while

the laws of physics still apply, even gravity can be challenged. This isn’t to say that

everything requires innovation or bold action, but looking at a problem through a different

lens often reveals interesting solutions that don’t rely on standard practice.

Here’s one of my favorite designer hacks for being bold: the 8-foot door. Standard doors are 6

feet, 8 inches tall and 3 feet wide, and roughly correlate to the human form. We’re used to

seeing doors this size. Substitute an 8-foot slab, and the difference is instantly recognizable.

kitchen design · hall · pools · front doors · steelframe · traditional stairs

View over a million photos:

bathroom designs · closet designs · deck designs ·exterior designs · home gym designs · home theaterdesigns · kids designs · kitchen designs · living roomdesigns · patio designs · pool designs · porch designs ·staircase designs · sunroom designs and more.

2Drawing Dept

Just the act of opening this

door forces you to sense its

weight and its height.

Sure, 8-foot doors are more

expensive, but the effect

elevates a standard design

element from mundane and

accepted to exceptional. Taller

doors can let in more light

when glazed, and their

proportions can completely

reorient smaller, narrow

spaces, like this hallway,

making them seem larger. I

use them often in spaces with

8-foot ceilings where when the

door is open, it’s as if the

entire wall has dissolved.

2Ike Kligerman Barkley

3. They sweat the details. At its heart architecture seeks to solve problems, but it’s the way

we’re able to solve those problems — the poetry we bring to the solution — that separates

the good from the bad.

It’s possible to solve the problem of a stair guard in many different ways, but here the

designer has chosen a minimalist, outwardly effortless expression. The gray of the thin

stainless steel cables matches that of the concrete stair run, and their attachment is

deliberate and considered.

Details matter because they’re often the things we’re most engaged with on a daily basis.

2Sam Crawford Architects

The means by which all of the components come together in a structure are the details.

16 Architectural Details That Sing

Creating what architects call “a family of details” unifies a project. The horizontal patterning

of the wood-clad wall here references the board-formed concrete wall to the left. While

they’re different materials, they speak the same language. The same can apply to the

hardware used on project — all the doors have bar pulls in stainless steel, for example, or

all the plumbing fixtures are angular and in brushed nickel.

2Daniel Marshall Architect

4. They simplify. “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the

necessary may speak,” said painter Hans Hofmann. Too often we let complexity act as a proxy

for interest. Architects are schooled in editing down to the essential components. If it doesn’t

have a function, its necessity should be questioned.

Here are just a few areas where simplifying can make the design stronger:

Simple shapes: They usually cost less, are easier to build and look beautiful unadorned.

2WA design

A simple material palette:two or three materials at most.Devise rules for how each willbe used. By varying onematerial’s finish — from smoothto rough — you can achievevariety without complexity.

Simple trim (or none)

Simple windows: Choosetwo window sizes — one forlarge openings, one for smallones.

Leave connections betweenmaterials exposed andexpressive. Concealed jointsare usually costly and timeintensive to execute.

5. They establish order. Designers prefer applying ordering principles to everything, at every

level.

2Daniel Marshall Architect

Naturally, the need for order

requires hierarchy — which

basically means you have to

decide what’s the most

important thing and let the

other things defer to it.

When beginning a new design

project, I usually evaluate three

main things: the building site

(existing or new), the client and

the budget. The overarching

concept is derived from the

one that asserts the strongest

pull, and I begin crafting a

narrative around that force.

That’s where the ordering

begins.

Regardless of the strongest

pull, it always circles back to

the site, where I determine

which dominant site features

(view, topography, other

structures) are most important.

Before deciding what a building will look like (the form), we have to think about and order the

2Daniel Marshall Architect

spaces on the site, from most

public to most private, and

decide how we’ll arrive and

the sequence of how the

spaces will unfold.

For renovations the ordering

principles are often set by

what the existing structure is

lacking — natural light, space,

connection to the outdoors

etc. For some projects I’ve

even gone so far as to develop

a rulebook to establish specific

modules, the grid, materials

and a guide for adding

modules to the structure in the

future.

The wonderfully illustrated

compendium Architecture:

Form, Space and Order, by

Francis Ching, is required

reading for every first-year

architecture student, and it’s

one that I still personally find

inspiring, especially with respect to order.

2ONE 10 STUDIO

6. They repeat, repeat, repeat. Repetition is a good thing in architecture. Common thematic

elements repeated again and again help to reinforce our previous habit of establishing order.

Windows, doors, columns, beams, materials … these are all part of the natural order of

buildings.

Repetition doesn’t equate to boring; rather it unifies a design. Repeating patterns, materials,

grids and proportions are the underpinnings of order. The cardinal rule of repetition is that it

2Bruns Architecture

takes a minimum of three of

anything to see the benefits. If

two is good, three is better.

Repetition not only makes

sense from an economical

standpoint, but it provides a

reference point and

background against which to

highlight the things that we

think are really important,

laying the groundwork for our

next habit.

2Laidlaw Schultz architects

7. They break the rules. The prerequisite to this is the previous habit. Once we have an

established repeating pattern, we can decide where to break the rules. Imagine a series of

windows aligned on an orderly grid. The one window that breaks this set of rules must do

so for a very important and specific reason, like a view to a tree canopy or a distant view.

With a repetitive order as the background, calculated rule breaking is assured to have

special meaning. It also balances the repetition to keep it from being staid and

monotonous.

This stair illustrates the power of breaking rules. Look at the restraint exercised in the

surrounding space.

2splyce design

Traditionally, stairs are

composed of stringers at the

edges, boxed risers and some

combination of a handrail and

guardrail.

The designer of this stair

reconsidered every one of

those assumptions, breaking

the rules and turning it into a

sculptural object. The stair

hangs from the upper story,

forcing one to observe the

process of moving upward by

springing from a heavy

concrete plinth to a much

lighter stair object.

The risers are open, allowing

light and views through, and

the plywood “stringers” double

as stair support and guard.

8. They engage the senses. While the stunning visuals of the architecture we consume online

appeal to our sense of sight, our experience of architecture is actually quite different. We’re

taught as architects to think about all of our senses when designing.

2Sam Crawford Architects

Opening a home to a view is

as important as shielding it

from unwanted noise or the

smell from the ocean or a

nearby cedar tree.

Architects consider the

difference in feel of cool

concrete versus warm wood

on one’s feet and the sound

rain makes on a metal roof.

How to contact a home pro

and get your project going

2SALA Architects

To think about design from an experiential level often reveals architectural opportunities

that make life in a home or a place much more pleasing. Good architects and designers

think about light and shadow, where the sun moves throughout the day, where the wind

comes from or the sounds of an urban neighborhood — and how they can play along.

More: Find architects near you and see their projects

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mfwolfeI do not for a moment regret the money I spent having my new house designed by anarchitect. I am not a 1%-er and choosing to have an architect did cause us to have asmaller house than we could have had if we would have gone with a simpler design.But my husband and I love our new house and part of the reason is the little things thatan architect does. For example, the wood storage cubby outside the front door flowsinto the hall closet right inside the front door which flows into the books shelves thatline the wall of the living room and that flows into the kitchen where the windows framea wonderful view. There are so many of these little details that make our house "ours."

69 Likes September 8, 2014 at 8:49AM

AmaSiy

I am currently building. I stop working with the first architect cause he just took too longwith everything. However his design elements he put in the house are turning out to begreat eg. the high ceilings, the flow from the garage to the house, the overall look andfeel.

I then hired another architect to oversee the project. He had to copy the drawings over.However he added a lot of nibs and unnecessary brick work. He also added otherthings which I did not pick up early but are causing variation orders, such as more extraplug and light points, master bedroom tv points in the passage. My greatestdisappointment is that he did not find solution to a loft I wanted installed even thoughwe have high ceilings.

3 Likes September 8, 2014 at 9:47AM

PRO

Jay Sifford Garden DesignEric, this is a terrific and beautiful article. I can only say that, if I build another house, I'mcalling you!

18 Likes September 8, 2014 at 9:50AM

midmodfanReading through this ideabook I inevitably thought about all the builders' spec homesthat neglect most, if not all, of these principles. Ornamental fronts and boxlike backs, amultitude of window shapes, styles and sizes, tacky features without any structuralnecessity, random placement on lots, disregarding views, the path of the sun, or themain wind direction.

There may be architects with oversized egos who build structures no one understands,but many people would enjoy their lives more if they lived in homes that were built forthem by considerate architects who followed these eight rules.

65 Likes September 8, 2014 at 9:57AM

222uI feel lucky to be finding such high-quality articles on a popular site.

22 Likes September 8, 2014 at 11:12AM

PROLynn Gaffney Architect, PLLCGreat article, Eric.

7 Likes September 8, 2014 at 11:31AM

PRO

G and S Installation USA, LLC.Great write up! Very informative and to the point!

As a designer and installation specialist, I can confirm all of these points. The biggest isthe professionals ability to solve problems and simplify complex designs into realisticand stylish spaces that conform to the needs of the client. All to many times I findarchitects getting way to over there head and promising the customer things theysimply do not have the ability to follow through with. We can all agree that problemsolving is part of the job and a fun one at that, but so is staying honest and one with ourword!

The next important topic, which is nicely touched upon in this article, is attention todetail. So many talented builders, architects and designers complete 90% of a projectbut forget, or take for granted, the finishing details and accents that really pull thewhole build together. Its such a shame!

Moral is, when choosing your professional, choose one who will follow through withtheir word and go above and beyond the scope of work for the sake of the project.

Cheers, G&S

9 Likes September 8, 2014 at 11:54AM

scarbowcowReading this made me feel like I've just heard the introductory lecture to theArchitecture 101 course that I've always wanted to take - nothing too 'professional' orarcane or theoretical, just something that helps me look at a house or other buildingand articulate why it works - if it works. I've read A Pattern Language and some of itstruck me as true (and some struck me as Berkeley '60s zeitgeist blather - somethingI'm familiar with first-hand, though not first generation :-). So now I do recognize some ofthe 'whys' when I look at a building that strikes me as 'working.'

But this article gives me more tools for looking at buildings analytically. I love the factthat now I can walk down the street looking at buildings and asking, 'Hey, what's thebig idea here?'

16 Likes September 8, 2014 at 12:15PM

thebruersOur architect & builder took it upon themselves to add 8 foot doors to the design planon the first floor of our new home during the drawing phase. I honestly didn't think anything of it. I knew that sounded tall, but I thought, "they're thepros, just trust them."And they were right! What an excellent feature! We have 10 foot ceilings on our firstfloor. I'm sure standard doors would have been fine, but the 8 foot doors is a detail thatenhances the look of the house. Many people comment on our lovely tall doors. I guess I'm too plain Jane on my own to have thought of them, but that's why I'mgrateful we had such thoughtful, detailed people working with us to build our home.

16 Likes September 8, 2014 at 1:18PM

PRO

Marie Hebson's interiorsBYDESIGN Inc.Love this, thank you! You know a lot of this I was doing intuitively, and it makes me feelmuch more confident to hear that it is normal practice for professional architects aswell! Thanks again, great article...

5 Likes September 8, 2014 at 1:20PM

PROEDG PLAN COLLECTIONFantastic article Eric!

I would only add one more thing to the list and that is... 9. Listening.

"Listening is a greater gift than creativity"

A very simple philosophy but serves as the basis of our approach. After all, it is our clients'vision that is most important to designing the home of their dreams. By creating a relaxed,informal atmosphere that makes designing a custom home enjoyable while paying carefulattention to the wishes and budgetary limits every client brings to the table.

We believe that sometimes, we as architects, inject all of our ideas into a plan and forget theclients' vision and/or input coming across as overbearing, controlling and intimidating to theclients. We need to look at the project as a collaborated design project between client andarchitect where both are equals in the input of ideas/visions.

When searching for a designer/architect you want to make sure that you feel comfortable withthem because you will be spending some time together and if the architect is good, they willbe asking you lots of questions to better know you. You need to feel enough comfort withthem to answer these questions because the better sense of you the architect gets, the betterdesign of your dream home you will be provided.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents :) Let us know what you think!

-Nick

28 Likes September 8, 2014 at 2:04PM

PRO

ZG RenderingsGreat Article! My architect professor always insisted on creating a parti for our designs.They seem silly and pointless, but they really do put you in a creative direction. I did useArchitecture: Form, Space and Order, by Francis Ching in school and I still refer to ittoday for its beautiful illustrations as well as for its explanations of order and space.

8 Likes September 8, 2014 at 2:56PM

Paul B. ShowersI'm not a pro but I can tell you that hiring an architect does not cost, it pays. I'll nevertackle another project without at least consulting one.

22 Likes September 8, 2014 at 6:13PM

detailaddictMy husband and I have just selected an architect and are very excited about the uniquehome he will design for us, suited to both the beautiful site and our personalities. Likemwolfe we are not rolling in the dough by any means but we feel that sacrificing tomake this happen will be a very worthwhile investment. I do wish more homes could beworthwhile structures rather than the mass-produced boxes made of throwawaymaterials and non-functional features added to impress the company.

16 Likes September 8, 2014 at 6:30PM

frenchdecorThough it's written nicely I scanned all points over and didn't find the main point -Function! (check me if I am wrong, just mentioned, but not point as it's less important ofall). In architecture I am looking for something different. My husband is builder and inGreat Toronto Area houses are rocketing up, as the prices, and I think millions ofpeople who live in big cities are in similar hopeless position. I looked many houses, butI didn't like any. I want re-design them from top to bottom, but who can pay that?Though they are subdivision houses (over 500k) they designed by an architect in thefirst place and then designers add to it. Details are NOTHING in comparison of function.There no mudroom, don't we have snow and mud all year round (in a big part of thecontinent)? In design pictures for sure they are all white. Really? Open concept whereyou can't cook and make noise when family watch TV. If there kids you can't watchmost of the shows because they are not suitable for younger viewers, now there needto have TV in master bedroom. Smell fills the house and in few years it stinks (carpet,sofa, all soft things absorb smell) which leads to use of fresheners, cleaners,(chemicals), fans (extra energy use and noise). And designed for entertaining livingrooms, such a nonsense. I live in the middle class area and walk dog every night, canaccurately point 3 houses that entertain in all neighborhood and not more often thanonce in couple of months. Having guests, family members, couple of friends from timeto time is not "entertaining" but casual visitors. If I wouldn't live in North America I wouldthink people here lead bohemian lifestyle when in fact they don't know their neighborsnames. Another thing is garages in the house under bedrooms, awful idea. My garage

is beside bedroom, opener noise wakes me up. Why garage is not near living roomswhere the noise in the morning is not a big issue? Kitchens in deep corner or facingneighbors plain wall, brilliant! Toilets' window right beside front door, bedrooms in thefront of the house on busy street and on and on. In conclusion, my question is don'tpeople deserve good architect and functional homes without custom built? Myimpression is that most architects and designers are single, childless, family less, withhuge salaries that they burn in entertaining, eat out, or take out food, complete SHOWBUSINESS and don't understand anymore need of ordinary hard working people, bluecollar laborers, growing family, kids, grand kids, dogs.

35 Likes September 8, 2014 at 7:59PM

PRO

Merri Interiors, Inc.Fantastic article. As a designer I feel very connected to #3 with my design ways ofthinking and work. Thanks

3 Likes September 8, 2014 at 11:58PM

PRO

PETEK DESIGNEric, I studied architecture for many years... and I read many books about the subject.However your article and pictures are very inspiring.

5 Likes September 9, 2014 at 12:27AM

vishvjMy Name is Vish, am from India . I read this article regularly ..i must say thanks for yourbeautiful information which shared across globe.. I just need to say BIG THANK U forhouzz and entire team .. Cheers @ Vish

6 Likes September 9, 2014 at 1:55AM

PRO

RhDesignI've not seen an article like this one in far too long! You've pulled together the essentialprocesses that we as designers go through every day, for clients, for our own lives. It'sinspiring to read and awesome to "step back" to get the bigger picture of how we dowhat we do. This was a head's up moment. Thank you! Now, heads down! Back towork!

10 Likes September 9, 2014 at 3:03AM

PRO

KRB Photo ImageryFlorida residential architects rely too heavily on the computer, rather than their owncreativity, leaving sterile looking homes and engineering mistakes.

3 Likes September 9, 2014 at 3:18AM

PRO

Susan DurlingA great article, I will pass on to clients and colleagues. I also start my designs with afavorite pencil, I can't do it any other way.

3 Likes September 9, 2014 at 5:19AM

PRO

Keith Sheridan, LLCThank you Eric for an enlightening, succinct, and meticulously crafted article.

3 Likes September 9, 2014 at 5:59AM

PRO

L. Newman associates/paul mansback, inc.I enjoyed this article as an interior designer I look for similes between greatarchitecturalPhilosophies and mine. If I work in space that has had some special thought andintegration to the family it makes my interior decor sing!

3 Likes September 9, 2014 at 6:16AM

textilejunkyBeautifully written and illustrated - thank you for reinvigorating my work today!

4 Likes September 9, 2014 at 6:31AM

PRO

Casart CoveringsThey are eager to introduce clients to new products; sort of like clinical trials for newdrugs or treatments.

0 Likes September 9, 2014 at 6:49AM

outofplumbWho would ever sit at the table by the pool? Feels like impending doom.

0 Likes September 9, 2014 at 7:03AM

iluvdiyGreat article. To me, the most important quality of an architect is the ability to listen andthen incorporate the vision of the client into the finished project so that it is truly theclient's dream space rather than the architect's dream space, while adding touches anddesigns that utilize the skill and artistic abilities of the architect. It's a team sport.

8 Likes September 9, 2014 at 7:16AM

PRO

Bravehart BuildingAs a Design/Build firm, we find we are often able to bridge the gap of budget andfinishing details to the level they deserve. Our focus, after working with the client to create the big design idea and functionalspaces, is to look at how we are able to 'pre-engineer' the structure to save the clientbudget, while still delivering the function and aesthetic.

For example, we recently encountered a project designed by another firm where theexisting garage was to be removed, disposed of, and then re-built in the original space.Our take on the situation was: why pay to fill a land-fill site with the brick and concretefloor of the garage when the existing garage can be re-purposed as part of the finalnew Design; i.e. built-on top of the existing garage.

So, great architecture is indeed a critical starting point but project cost/deliveryconsiderations are just as great, in our view.

4 Likes September 9, 2014 at 7:22AM

PRO

Affirming Kitchen ClarityThank you Thank you Thank you for a great article!

3 Likes September 9, 2014 at 7:24AM

PRO

Suzuki DesignsClarity. Restraint, Insight. Organization. Discipline. All of these elements are present inthis article, just as they are in a well conceived and executed design. Well done, Eric...

6 Likes September 9, 2014 at 8:01AM

PRORaashi DesignGreat article, thank you!

1 Like September 9, 2014 at 8:42AM

PRO

-B DesignsPerfectly stated! As a designer, it was nice to know I'm not the only one sweating thedetails! Thank you.

1 Like September 9, 2014 at 9:06AM

PRO

DIGBAR interiors & architectureVery well put. Thanks for the reminder!

2 Likes September 9, 2014 at 9:31AM

Becky HarrisBravo! You basically made it impossible to pick just one quote for my weekly highlightsround up because every idea is so important.

4 Likes September 9, 2014 at 10:38AM

PRO

hatch + ulland owen architectsThanks for a great article Eric!

1 Like September 9, 2014 at 11:53AM

PRO

George Sidman - ArchitectFrank Lloyd Wright is famous for saying, "Form follows function." In too much buildingtoday, "Form follows dysfunction." The architect's job is to unify needs into artful design.It takes experience, taste and a lot of other levels of wisdom to deliver a well-designedbuilding. Find an architect whose work you really like and get the advantage ofprofessional expertise. Like advertising; it does not cost, it pays............

2 Likes September 9, 2014 at 12:53PM

PRO

2B DesignSimplify. Simple shapes and limited material palette. If all houses just embodied thesetwo things.

3 Likes September 9, 2014 at 12:54PM

PRO

RhDesignNot to be a PITA, but Lou Sullivan coined the phrase "form ever follows function"... Iwouldn't care, but FLW gets too much credit sometimes. ;)

7 Likes September 9, 2014 at 2:38PM

PRO

Apartment 46 for the HomeAll of the photos are beautiful. Each image exemplifies the details of art andarchitecture that I love so much.

2 Likes September 9, 2014 at 9:50PM

marsiaI just wrote my architect a yelp review today, and it basically said, in much less elegantwords, what your article is saying. It made me really appreciate him all the more! I havelearned so much from him that now when I show him my sketches, he likes them andcan often incorporate them into the design as is. Great to get a beautiful house and aneducation all in one!

3 Likes September 9, 2014 at 10:36PM

jan1hollanderActually, George, it was Mies Van Der Rowe who said "Form Follows Function"

0 Likes September 9, 2014 at 11:04PM

hawkaiaGreat article. In the pressure of everyday work, it's easy to forget the basics. I wishevery first year architecture student could read this article. And I agree with Nick fromEDG. #9 is " Learn to Listen." LIstening to learn and remembering what you listened tois almost a lost art. It takes practice and conditioning, and every one of us listens andlearns differently. Your customer will almost always give you the creative inspiration ifyou simply learn to listen.

6 Likes September 10, 2014 at 4:17AM

kathryn51Great article! Yes one of the foremost qualities is listening on both sides. I started with a

few photos and a page of wants and wishes . The architect dj design took it from there .After a few months and discussions With the architect and my contractor Dwayne, adesign was finalized. I am thrilled with the results!

2 Likes September 10, 2014 at 5:47AM

sheryllorenzWe engaged 2M Architecture, in San Francisco, to design our home in the Bostonsuburbs 25 years ago. (The reputations of great people spread far.) The design teamtook our lifestyle, likes, and dislikes into consideration, and they designed a remarkablehome that suits our lifestyle to this date. Hiring an architect--the right architect--is key toyour long-term happiness in your home.

6 Likes September 10, 2014 at 5:57AM

shopper13Very enlightening article, thank you.

1 Like September 10, 2014 at 8:14AM

rjbucActually, jan1hollander, it was Mies van der Rohe who said "Less is More." RhDesign iscorrect. It was Louis Sullivan who said "Form follows function."

4 Likes September 10, 2014 at 8:42AM

nomadgtrOne of the better articles I've read on Houzz. I'd like to see more discussion on thethought that goes on to create a beautiful home vs. just seeing the end result. I alsoagree wholeheartedly with midmodfan, many of these concepts could be carried overto the lower cost spec home market if they chose to do so. The sea of cookie cutterhomes that tend to dominate North America is quite depressing and does not speakwell of our culture. You may not be able to make them all "custom" per se but just amodicum of forethought when designing the models a builder offers would be very wellappreciated by the masses. I look at these floor plans and often wonder if it was justsome ideas scratched down hurriedly on a napkin by the builder before hiring anarchitect to formalize them into a blueprint. Function rarely if ever seems to be aconsideration let alone aesthetic appeal.

3 Likes September 10, 2014 at 9:29AM

stevedenverLearning the ordering of public spaces versus private really helped me figure out whysome architecture that places bedrooms and bathrooms at the front of the house hasalways been uneasy with me. Australian homes are often bedrooms in front, livingspaces in back.

Those stairs by Sam Crawford Architects really excited me. I love the block base andthen the leap into the "suspension bridge" of stairs going into the second story.

2 Likes September 10, 2014 at 10:48AM

Rosemary Freitas18 months ago I was on the market for a lakeside home near Ann Arbor MI. What afrustrating experience that was. I finally settled on a too large home built in amidcentury style but remodeled to considerable tastelessness in 1997. It has taken meall this time to tear out. funny thing the previous owner actually moved the kitchen and

spent a fortune on high end appliances. But he located the kitchen sink in a cornerunder a nondescript window. I call it the world's largest one person kitchen. SO SADTHAT HE DID NOT HAVE A DECENT KITCHEN DESIGNER.

0 Likes September 10, 2014 at 1:52PM

jmpjmpOur architect did all the things described in this article and more. The results are worthevery penny, but in fact he saved us a great deal of expense by not wasting squarefootage overall.

Stories like that of "AnaSiy" suggest to me impatience that resulted in a replacementarchitect much less capable than the first one. "Copying over plans" is questionable aswell. I sense a lot of regret here already over mistakes that will unfortunately bepermanent annoyances. Too bad.

4 Likes September 10, 2014 at 9:04PM

porschedriverAs a young architect Frank Lloyd Wright worked for Louis Sullivan (1856–1924) in hisChicago-based architecture firm. Sullivan is known for steel-frame constructions,considered some of the earliest skyscrapers. Sullivan’s famous axiom, “form followsfunction,” became the touchstone for many architects. This means that the purpose of abuilding should be the starting point for its design. Wright extended the teachings of hismentor by changing the phrase to “form and function are one.”

1 Like September 10, 2014 at 9:52PM

Catina RoscoeI am a furniture designer and relate in a very similar way to the design process as youhave stated. In my industry, far too often these underlying threads of creativity and theemotional connection of a design project are not valued not to mentioned understood.It is no wonder, in many instances, that there is a disconnect with the individualconsumer leaving all wondering why a project is unsuccessful. Thank you for sharing aterrific article.

1 Like September 11, 2014 at 8:09AM

PROFINNE ArchitectsGreat article! Here is one of my favorite images of a desk for architectural contemplation!

4 Likes September 11, 2014 at 3:41PM

PRO

Swain detail + designEach one of your points brought me right back to architecture school! It was a difficult,challenging, exhausting, thrilling time and one that I feel blessed to have experienced.It completely changed how I saw (and continue to see) the world. These are greatlessons that carry through in life, too.

1 Like September 11, 2014 at 5:26PM

Dana Topleywas explaining these very points to my mother this week (before reading this) whenexplaining what an architect is able to provide to their client ver quickly if they aregood. Great article - I will be linking my mom to this so she can see her son is a goodarchitect that provided her this incite before it was published!

0 Likes September 11, 2014 at 11:07PM

joann7Once again, another contributor has done a great service to both the professional andthe novice. By taking us through the various steps to arrive at a successful design, Erichas illustrated the pain staking thoughts and work that every designer must go throughin order to ensure that the client has been well served.Hopefully, more of our present and future clients will appreciate all of the processes

and considerations taken in to account and utilized even before we meet with you forthe first presentation. Thanks Eric!

1 Like September 12, 2014 at 11:54PM

princess211I agree with many of FrenchDecor's view points but I feel that people who can afford anarchetect are probably reasonably well informed as to what their needs are going to be.I did not see every square inch of this house in this article but, as open and neat andclean as it appears to be there must be plenty of storage, places to take muddy bootsoff, etc and as large as this place seems I doubt you can't get away from noise if that isyour objection. An archetect is well aware of how a home should work but many times it's the knuckle-headed people he/she's working for that won't give them a freer rein. Sometimes thelot is ill sized and small and you just have to make do. If you have the money you candesign, own and live the perfect life in the perfect house. But, if you don't have money Iguarantee there's a lot of compromizing in your future. You can not live the kind of lifein a 1200 square foot house that you would in a 6,000+square foot house. Give Ericand all well-intentioned archetects a break.

3 Likes September 13, 2014 at 6:23AM

ppakoeIn this article you have a link which says "find architects near you and browse theirrecent work". Clicking on this link gives me architects in NY, DC, Oregon, WashingtonState, Texas, Maryland, etc. These are not near me (NE Ohio). Not sure if you mean meto go all over the country or not but this doesn't work for me!

0 Likes September 14, 2014 at 8:41PM

Sheila SchmitzSorry about that, ppakoe! When you get to that page, click the link right above thegreen "Search" button. That should take you to all the pros in your area. You can alsorefine your search via the search boxes on that page. You can put the type of pro youare looking for in the first box and your city/county/region, etc. in the second. Then hitthe green Search button to get pros in your area. I hope that helps!

0 Likes September 15, 2014 at 9:12AM

frenchdecorI use this article to give other point of view, those who trapped in bad design circle.Professionals seems pat each other's back and sure that rules (or breaking them),concepts and guide lines are excellent and novice are eager to follow them, too. Heresome pictures my husband took for me, later I checked and I didn't like them, netherour daughter. The prices between 500-700k, rare house cost less around here. Whothinks they are for poor people? Or who think they were not designed by architect?And who think there school for bad architect (for poor folks) and school for goodarchitect (custom) for 10% of population? I believe they are universal professionals infirst place, then they have different work places and experience.

0 Likes September 15, 2014 at 10:57AM

outofplumbI would add a ninth idea except it rarely happens: “They see how the design workedout and learn from it”. Steward Brand’s excellent book, How Buildings Learn, talks atlength about how architects rarely if ever actually evaluate the use of a building oncecompleted much to the chagrin of those that have to live and/or work in the buildings.Similar points in Michael Pollan’s also excellent book, A Place of My Own

0 Likes September 15, 2014 at 5:36PM

bpcochranConcrete and wood horizontal

0 Likes September 19, 2014 at 7:09AM

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Ideabook updated on September 8, 2014.

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This gives me more direction to carry on my simple backyard design. I constantly toilwith small details. Good to know the process. I always wanted to give my final plan toan architect when I think I got the design down. Been taking into consideration,shadows, sound, views, repetition, so I think I'm almost there.

1 Like September 26, 2014 at 2:32AM