Home Sweet Home!

The idea of what a home is, isn't always the same for everyone. Stylish trends and the whims of over zealous architects can often obscure the more basic needs of practicality and usability within lived spaces. The criteria of a successful design plan is when it reflects the specific requirements of the individual and suits the lifestyle of the individual/s who inhabit those places. There is no denying that great architecture is most definitely comparable to art, but when it comes to spaces such as homes or work places then my preference is for designs that compliment the purpose of easy management and are not demanding of high maintenance that is distracting. Quiet elegance is another favourite of mine. I also enjoy those spaces which reflect the personalities of people through the bric-a-brac in their homes that tells stories about them without any verbal exchanges involved.

I also like houses that are inviting because they are peaceful spaces, where everyone feels comforted. Homes should never be show pieces and must never intimidate. Sauparnika, our house, is forever filled with people that "kind of exist" along with us, and even in their absence their energies fill the space and give our home greater meaning. Simple order and efficiency is very easy to establish in a home if the space is planned with care for details. The problem arises when design remains a separate entity without it being applied to functionality.

Some bathrooms I have visited are so impractically designed. No thought for relaxation and tranquility ever seems to be considered when planning these private spaces. In a country where we suffer with the effects of hard water, colours of bathroom tiles and bathroom vessels need to be chosen in a manner where scaling does not leave ugly stains. The wet and dry areas should be designated well. Different levels within living spaces may look attractive but are hellish when you grow old or if you are incapacitated with an injury.

The best homes for me are those that hold a spirit that welcomes you. It should be clean and efficiently functioning and be special not from what it is decorated by, but of who resides there. Those are true homes.