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Roger's Home Journal
Roger's Home JournalCelebrate Better Design, Materials, and Craftsmanship!
By Roger Faris
Jan 11, 2001 -- Mississippi architect Samuel Mockbee won a MacArthur "genius" award for his successful experiments with low-cost housing. He is one of many design experts who are promoting the idea that less can sometimes be more. He points out that huge houses and enormous rooms often feel cold and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the trend in this country has been toward building ever more bloated structures. One writer calls them "suburban McMansions."I'd be very unsettled as the owner of a "faux chateau," even if I could afford the mortgage payment. Vacuuming the mega-house is not my idea of a good time. An echo is a phenomenon I can appreciate in the wilderness, but probably not in my domicile. I've had too much experience with warm, cozy environments that feel good for the soul. Less can be more.
Sarah Susanka is a Minnesota architect who wrote a best-seller called The Not So Big House. She makes a good case for building smaller, better homes. Susanka is one of the growing number of people who've noticed that we tend to gather and spend our best social time in the kitchen. This simple fact is causing many of us to think more about what we want in our homes, what we need, and why.
Perhaps more of our investment in the house could be spent on the parts that make us feel comfortable and at home. There might be a major benefit to leaving out a grand entryway, or eliminating the formal living and dining rooms. We could shift our priorities away from vast square footage (with "bonus" rooms), and instead explore the possibilities for well-designed and crafted spaces for comfortable living and socializing. This could lead to creating a little thing such as a window seat or a reading nook. This priority shift may also be a small step toward saving the planet.
If you have an interest in great design, quality materials, and fine craftsmanship, don't miss the wonderful event coming up at the Phinney Neighborhood Center on Sunday, January 21. The Fourth Annual Home Design & Remodel Fair will provide an opportunity to meet and talk with architects, designers, remodel contractors, specialty contractors, city inspectors, building materials suppliers, landscape professionals, finance experts and many others.
The focus of the fair is educational. You're invited to share your great plans and ideas with the fair's talented exhibitors, and then work together to make your project even better. The goal is to promote aesthetically pleasing, environmentally friendly home improvement projects, and have fun. Great refreshments from Roy's Catering will be available, so you may end the day feeling both nourished and inspired.
The Phinney Neighborhood Association is very pleased and proud that this fair is being co-sponsored by the following generous and caring organizations: HomeStreet Bank, KUOW Public Radio, Environmental Works, Dunn Lumber, George W. Johnson Realtors, Greenwood True Value Hardware and the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild.
The fair will be held from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $3 for Phinney Neighborhood Association members, $5 for non-members. The Phinney Neighborhood Center is located at 6532 Phinney Ave. N. If you have questions about this event, please call the PNA at 783-2244.
Roger Faris is the Director of the Well Home Program at the Phinney Neighborhood Association. The program provides advice, encouragement, tools, and classes for home improvement and repair. Call (206) 789-4993 for information. For the Earthquake Home Retrofit Program, call (206) 382-2159.
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