Designed for togetherness...

...or not, it's up to you!

Homes with spaces designed for gathering, or working, or playing, influence and sometimes even dictate, where and when family members congregate, in what quantity, and for how long. They impact how much we can relax, or focus, or engage in conversation.

This is obvious for properties classified as "an entertainers dream home" in which elegant soirées were clearly in mind when the home was designed. There is typically a large kitchen, with double dishwashers, large refrigerator, chef style range, and an oversized island, perfectly suited to lavish charcuterie and crudité displays, a flashy statement piece bar for enjoying cocktails, and a large slider to a back deck or patio, often with a pool and lots of outdoor seating.

But what about the mundane aspects of day to day? Shouldn't we hold these moments in high regard as well? Design for them, and revere them with the same level of importance? I think so. I like to imagine the perfect day (or even lifetime) for any given family, and reverse engineer for it.

Designated spaces for homework, hobbies or play, located on a far wing of a home, means kids have a space of their own. Mess and noise are separate from the main areas of the home. Often times, the de-facto location for this ends up in a basement- less than ideal, if you ask me. Conversely, a study nook or a play room placed adjacent to the main living space will have adults and children recreating in close proximity. (Imagine a library or den, off of a more formal living room, with built in desks, bookshelves, and a cozy window seat for reading or taking a sundrenched afternoon nap, perhaps a few musical instruments strewn about- a space specifically set up for learning, for playing and for togetherness.) When there isn't a common space for kids and family to gather at all, kids will likely hold up in their respective bedrooms (at a certain age that'll happen anyway, no matter what you do).

But, either way, comfort is key: a well designed space is comfortable, and a people gravitate towards comfort; meaning, if you have enough seating for all of the members of your family, large holiday gatherings will organically occur in your home. Want to eat breakfast together each day? Be sure to include a large eat-in kitchen dining table, banquette, or breakfast nook. It all depends on what you want for your lifestyle. Each family is different, and has different needs. That's the beauty of a new build, or a remodel: you can imagine YOUR dream life, and make it a come true.