AlmanzaSalisbury860

This post is not your standard primer on selecting your "dream home". Nor does it retain the list of "items to be able to ask your designer" - these things can be found on any designer's site or Google search. As important as those people items are, what we are going to do here is drill-down into the design a little, bypass the fan-fare and mention some specific concepts that will change lives in your life.

Matching your house in your lifestyle begins with an exploration of this needs and wants. Most home designers will have a "discovery process" that can help identify the basics on your home design. It will start with all the configuration of your lot and proceed through items such as comfort requirements, work areas, outdoor spaces, etc. Although this process is important to your project, it rarely drills lower enough to transform your current design into a home that will your needs for a long time.

Here are two keys of good home design that really must be addressed up-front: a) assessing the homeowner's current needs; and, b) anticipating one's destiny needs of people living in the home. Before you say "Yeah, yeah... I've heard this all before! " let's take a closer check out what "current needs" include.

Almost all "discovery processes" as used by home designers focus on the use and space specifications of the rooms in the home. This is good, but too little attention is directed at the personal needs on the people actually living in your home. Without performing a comprehensive assessment in the client's functional abilities, identifying areas of your home where modifications are necessary can often be overlooked.

For example, the needs of a child and his / her ability to live comfortably in the home are rarely addressed on the design stage. It's necessary to evaluate the child's current abilities and design a place that works and grows using the child. Some easy adaptive design and style elements would include adjustable shelves and rods inside the closet. As the child increases, the shelves and rods is usually moved to better provide their reach. Appliances present a similar situation as it is vital for the controls to be accessible. Front mounted controls on washing machines and dryers enable their particular use. Safety also comes in to play. A child trying to train on a microwave placed overhead is often a recipe for disaster!

Of course, the above example is very easy, but it illustrates the point that design needs to be done from the perspective on the individual and her / his ability to carry out daily routines in the house. This is why a superb designer will perform an assessment from the client and specify this needed design modifications.

There are a number of tools that a designer are able to use to evaluate the needs with their clients. One of those tools is the Comprehensive Assessment and Alternative Process for Aging Inhabitants (CASPAR). CASPAR was designed for healthcare professionals to gauge their client's ability to use routine activities in the house. This is also useful in determining the requirements of folks who suffer from disabilities.

Anticipating the future needs of folks may prove a small trickier, but we can start with understanding the process regarding aging. Whether we like to consider growing old or definitely not, it is inevitable, and people's functional abilities diminish over time. A well designed home will easily adjust to these changing needs and allow people to stay in their homes longer.

Fortunately, "universal design" is beginning to take root in current home design. Ron Mace, Founder and Program Director of the Center for Universal Design (NCSU), give us the following definition of UD: "The intent of universal design is to simplify life for everyone by making products, communications, and the built environment more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost. Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities." Because the principles of universal design are inclusive for people with disabilities, the application of UD in home design is appropriate and addresses many of the needs of people who wish to "age in place".

Adaptable design is distinct in concept from widespread design. Where universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities, adaptable design allows your house to be modified to get a specific need. An example of adaptable design could well be designing a two-story house with "stacked closets" (a closet around the first floor directly below and aligned using a closet on the second floor) to ensure a residential elevator or maybe lift could easily be installed sometime soon. In contrast, a universal design item might be installing lever door handles which might be easier to use for individuals that have lost the capacity to grip a standard round door knob. These lever handles also benefit anyone who may have their hands full with groceries and need to release the door latch by utilizing their forearm or elbow, for example. Children also have an easier time using lever home handles.

Distinguishing between universal and adaptable design may be difficult at first, but when one realizes why these principles have less to do about the installation of specific items and tend to be about a designer's standpoint, it all begins for making better sense. And the designer's point of view is heavily influenced by way of a thorough client assessment.

Does this level of service cost more? Yes, probably. But a couple hundred dollars beforehand to hire a qualified designer that will accurately assess your way of living and evaluate your future needs, pales in comparison to leaving your design to chance. The number one secret to good home design is to avoid cutting costs at this stage of your project and find a home designer who is an expert in assessing your needs and applying the design criteria that will make your house a home for a lifetime..