Home Plan Design – Design Harmony and Proportion

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONSComment: The practical use of these formulations is to relate these numerical values and physical relationships –1. Whole, positive integers from 1-92. Plus Phi and phi3. Generally apparent and usually symmetrical lines of relationship4. The Fibonacci series in aspects of progressionComment: In this designer's opinion, you can get almost anywhere from here with ordered proportions using a matrix relating 1-9 to 1-9, keeping it simple. You know, 1:1, 1:2 . . . 9:8, 9:9. This home designer has also leaned into Phi=1.618, phi=0.618, and early entries in the Fibonacci series 0, 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, … Vesica Piscis, logarithmic spirals, dodecahedrons, and the like are fare for others for now.Comment: Rule of thumb (not this designer's, but he cannot recollect whose sentiment this first was, and he thinks that, though the first guy was talking cathedrals or the like several centuries back, the point is a better reference for home design than for larger constructs): attend mostly to ratios between 4:3 and 7:1 as the range of casually observable size distinction.Comment: If you're simply in the hunt for numerical relationships, knock yourself out: "music theory online: pitch, temperament, & timbre; lesson 27" by Brian Blood, http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory27.htm, supporting (among others) Julien Guadet's proposition, "Les proportions, c'est l'infini." Eléments et théorie de l'architecture by J. Guadet, Four volumes, first ed. 1901-1904, fourth ed. 1915, Vol. I, p. 138 ff.Forming home design in a framework of proportion, the author finds that –1. It's way easier to begin drawing with proportion in mind as a design premise than to attempt its imposition later on.2. Complexity can overcome order or at least leave the practical realm when proportions proliferate beyond the 9 chosen integers and the 2 chosen irrationals, a/k/a while rigorous in harmonious design does not mean slavish, it also does not mean sloppy or obtuse.3. Getting obsessive with this stuff can make you crazier. Enjoy.4. There is a tendency to momentum, a propensity herewith in that proportional opportunities can present themselves sui generis with proportional precedent.5. There arise practical limits particularly on interiors whereat function can rule.6. There is no escaping a community's inattention to these matters when a client demands the project must necessarily conform to sometimes hideous design choice points in keeping up with the Joneses, e.g., outsized windows, cascades of gables, unbalanced segments, predetermined clad and trim, etc. [a point which is mirrored in client or community insistence in ignorant or insensitive departure from well-expressed style], a/k/a give it up, the horse won't drink; you hauled the water.7. Whimsy accounts well now and then. So does artful, or creative; a little divergence is a good thing.8. Don't ever be telling yourself that those who have gone before you were slacking in architectural design efforts of pattern. Your barren ignorance would be showing. Even jobsite tradesmen not all that long before your time were steeped in knowledge of sacred geometry and Classical style [would that you are doubtful, sit down sometime with the photographed front elevation of a fine example of some well-know residential architectural style of, say, the late 19th century, and layout that elevation using a basic knowledge of harmonious design and the parts fit over and over and over again], those designers and builders being at the tail end of millennia of practice, practice, practice and respect, respect, respect for the craft.

This article is meant as a reference toolbox for home plan design harmony and proportion. The author prefers to deal with the practical how-to of it subsequently. The author, a custom home designer, suggests that there's a place in designer home plans for age-old Western notions of unity, harmony, order, proportion, even Classicism.Noteworthy, virtually all of these means and motives potentially applicable to designer house plans have been addressed in the literature and elsewhere principally to public or very large private structures – coliseums, churches, huge bank buildings, and the like - rarely to home design.The author has begun applying some very old ideas of design to some very new houses with success and surprises.SUGGESTED READINGSThere's a lot of reading on architectural design proportion and Classical design. Most of it's not especially interesting – clinical mathematics, nautilus shells and phyllotaxis, irrelevance borne of style, size, etc.In the author's opinion, these works are some of the better:1. The heady, heavy-going: Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism by Rudolf Wittkower, W. W. Norton & Company, 1971.2. The intellectually entertaining and well-written The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, The World's Most Astonishing Number by Mario Livio, Broadway Books, 2002.3. The commanding presentation of the Orders, their making and remaking in The Classical Language of Architecture by John Summerson, The MIT Press, 1962.4. Of methods and materials, Traditional Construction Patterns: Design & Detail Rules Of Thumb by Stephen Mouzon et al., McGraw-Hill. 2005.5. The thoughtful, The Old Way of Seeing: How Architecture Lost Its Magic (And How to Get It Back) by Jonathan Hale, Houghton Mifflin, 1994.6. The overarching [but not over-reaching, not hardly], A Pattern Language: Towns, Building, Construction by C. Alexander et al., Oxford University Press, 1977 and its companion The Timeless Way of Building by Christopher Alexander, Oxford University Press, 1979.FAVORED HOUSE DESIGN HARMONIES AND PROPORTIONSAs to proportion and proportions alone, here are those presently favored by the author, mostly for their simplicity of expression:1. Golden Mean, or Golden Section or Golden Ratio, or Mark Barr's Ratio of Pheidias (a/k/a Phidias), or phi.2. Lambda in Plato's Timaeus plus 5 & 7.3. Regulating lines (ou tracés regulateurs à la Auguste Choisy et Le Corbusier) Subjectively, this is about balance, rhythm, symmetry, a sense of schema from illusive to hard rock.PERSPECTIVEFor perspective, "As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality." Sidelight on Relativity by A. Einstein, translated by G. B. Jeffery and W. Perret, London, 1922.The practical use of these metrics so far for the author mostly relates - a) positive integers from 1-9 exclusively, b) plus Phi and phi, c) generally apparent and usually symmetrical lines of relationship.

By: Ralph Pressel
http://www.beforethearchitect.com

Home Lighting Design – Daylighting Design

By: Ralph Pressel


Home lighting experts put definable limits on the extent of useful daylighting that can penetrate a space. These limits can be found in, for example, Lighting Design Basics by Mark Karlen and James Benya, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004, p.34 and Interior Lighting For Designers 4th Edition by Gary Gordon, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1957, p.53ff. While this daylight penetration aspect of daylighting analysis can be judgmental, consideration of related adjustment to natural illumination is, in the author's opinion, well worth the effort as a pre-emptive design alert to convenience and safety.

The home Daylighting Design Schedule presents several bases of or inputs to home design analysis – 16 in all. 1. Of itself for natural light, in the house's compass orientation and, possibly, its adjustment and in personal assessment of infiltration and adequacy in daylighted spaces. 2. Ventilation as a quality control cross-check in cross-venting of sleeping areas and longer occupied rooms, plus sizing and indicative siting of both supplies and returns. 3. UV intrusion indicator of where it may be determined as less welcome and its power diminished. 4. Natural heat-build indicator for HVAC professional attention and various design means to lessen. 5. Daylight glare definition especially in areas, such as stairways, where glare threatens safety. 6. Qualification for code-compliance of aggregate glazing area to space surface area in sleeping areas, notably more problematic in such spaces within story-and-a-half structures at L2. 7. Suggestive guide to artificial lighting throughout, particularly ambient lighting and lighting controls. 8. Definitive cross-check on window and door size and site in elevations, plan view(s), and window schedule (and, possibly, door schedule). 9. Excellent perspective on the consequences of exterior design on interior functionality, occasionally leading to design changes ranging from marginal to major. 10. Guide to increased layering in low-daylight spaces. 11. Guide to continuous service rating in no- and very low-daylight spaces. 12. Guide to altering fenestration dimensions. 13. Guide to altering fenestration siting. 14. Motivation in single-storied deep spaces with exterior covers to penetrate those covers with niches in the roof, sunscreen, skylight, clerestory, etc. 15. Motivation in single-storied deep spaces with or without exterior covers to add clerestories and light wells by way of dormers and other fenestration design modifications. 16. Motivation, particularly in story-and-a-half designs, to necessarily add dormers, skylights, skylight tubes, clerestories, light wells, and other fenestration design modifications.

Comment: Note, please, that latter-day fixing of major mistakes to attain convenient and safe sizing and siting of windows, exterior door composition, luminaires, and light-reflecting and -absorbing features can be a remediation expense and physical inconvenience bigtime.

This article develops a unique, extensive home lighting design Daylighting Design Schedule to address code and a whole lot more.

Home lighting design policy for most any home these days: let the daylight in. . . with qualifications – maybe not too much, not too little, depends on where, depends on how, how about when, depends what it's shining on, etc. This is about a Daylighting Design Schedule.

Home lighting design code: IRC 303.1 presents effectively and round-about that for daylighting design, at least in a sleeping room, "aggregate glazing area" should be not less than 8% of that room's floor surface area. (CABO's tougher, fewer exceptions.) [Please note that this presentation has no direct connection with emergency egress.]

Home daylighting design practice? Who knows. The author has had reactions from "exactly, right" to "not so important around here" to "what are you talking about" from building authorities having jurisdiction. If considered at all by others, it'd be for sleeping areas only is my expectation.

AGGREGATE GLAZING AREA

To start, the term aggregate glazing area – otherwise undefined – is interpreted to mean translucent surface – glass, clear plastic, etc. and not associated frame, sash, muntins, trim, and the like. What Marvin Windows and Doors defines as "Lite", Pella as "Visible Glass", Loewen as "Exposed Glass Area," etc.

Note, please, that if some folks weren't interested in these surface areas, the big players in windows wouldn't work it out in print. This custom home designer's interested.

THE HOME DAYLIGHTING SCHEDULE FOR DAYLIGHTING DESIGN

A home lighting Daylighting Schedule, or Illumination Schedule, achieves four ends.

First, it defines the proportion of aggregate glazing area to interior surface area in each major space of a residence, including habitable rooms, halls, walk-in closets, utility spaces for workshop and laundry and such, garage(s), etc.

Second, it compares actual aggregate glazing area to calculated code target for each major space and presents the difference either in square feet of glazing area or, increasingly likely, in percent of glazing area target – the latter seems easier to usefully understand.

Third, it comments selectively by suggestion, indication, and definition about daylighting aspects of importance as designers' opinions warrant.

Fourth, it provides an opportunity to identify persistently darkish spaces or parts of spaces sufficiently distant from a natural light source so as to be considered unlighted, or not penetrated, by a natural light source, e.g., a space considerably back from the daylight from a covered porch, an exceptionally deep interior space.

The structure of the schedule presents as a table of several columns. From the left, let's see: a give space; its surface area in square feet; 8% of that surface area in square feet; aggregate glazing area of that space in square feet (usually to one decimal); the arithmetic and percentage difference between the 8% and the aggregate glazing column; and comments as appropriate. Comments can include, among others, modulate, dark, code compliant (for sleeping areas), etc.

Before The Architect’s Ralph and Jean Pressel have worked together since the ‘60s on home designing, home plan drafting and repairing, home design and building consulting and on home building as contractors and subcontractors in every major trade. Home Design Standards - Home Building Standards at 570 pages 3Q07 edition and nearly 1000 page http://www.beforethearchitect.com are enterprises of Before The Architect.

Home Design Plans

It is a fact that a house is never truly a home if devoid of some personal touches applied by the homeowner. It is the choice to design every portion of your house in preparing custom house plans is perhaps the best way to achieve the desired personal touch and really revolutionize your house into a home. With the help of a contractor, you can always tailor every part of your house to suit your needs and reflect your personality. If you are new to house plans and are not sure how to draft them, then hiring an experienced contractor is the key to success. Moreover, even if you feel confident in designing and drawing up the home design plans, the help from a professional will ensure that the progression is standardized and that the results are much more satisfying.

While going in for a home design plan, there are many considerations that require your attention. These considerations are essential to follow if you choose to design your own home. Deciding the budget before you start wit the home design plan is absolutely necessary and can be considered as a first step. Employing an experienced and reputed home design contractor to help you with the design process is also an important step. The process of designing begins with the details of designs and requirements you have in mind. If you are unsure about the designs, you can have a look at house and home books and also a quick search on he Internet will help you to form an aesthetic design. This is the most challenging part of the process as you will have considerable options to choose from. Once you have finalized the designs you can begin to actually outline the house design plans.

It is better to keep in mind that at any time before the plans for your custom home are finalized, you can opt to revise and change them. The changes would get difficult once the building process begins. Thus before you start with the actual building work, make sure that you are absolutely comfortable with the house design plan. Many home design services offer the advantage of pre-designed home plans in a variety of floor plans, and while these can save you money as well as time in the short term by offering the convenience of the ready-made home designs. But the chances are that these may not be exactly what you are looking for and changes may cost a minor fortune. Not all home plans may be appropriate for your available lot, and you may find yourself with home plans which are difficult to adjust. The most satisfying home plans are those that offer enough space for your family's style of living as well as the potential to grow with your needs. You should also have the ability to plan for additional construction if the need arises. Your outdoor living should also be part of your home plans. Access to you home and its interior should be easy as well as secure.

About the Author: Looking for more information on Home Design Plans check out www.DESIGN-PLANS.NET your guide to Home Design Plans.

Energy Efficient Home Design

By: Li Thomas
http://www.building-your-green-home.com

Energy efficient home design is becoming more desirable these days. Gas prices and electricity costs are skyrocketing and there seems to be no end in sight.

Although it may seem obvious that saving energy will also save you money, there are a many ways that additional savings can be realized by carefully researching and planning an energy efficient home design from the beginning of your dream home process. Even if you aren't in a position to build your green home quite yet, you can dream and research each facet of your home design without having to pay a fortune for it.

Consider hiring an architect to maximize your energy efficient space. Depending on how "custom" you want your new home to be, an architect may actually end up saving you money in the long run.

Consider purchasing a home plan that was designed to be energy - efficient. As the demand for such homes increases, more architects and home planners are responding with energy efficient designs.

Some builders offer a design option in addition to their construction services. Do some research to decide if this might be a good fit for your particular circumstances.

Don't "overbuild" your foundation. A structural engineer can tell you what the requirements are for the location you have chosen. Also, consider a smaller "footprint" for your foundation - this could save you hundreds of dollars in materials. Rooms above the foundation can be bumped out or cantilevered a couple of feet without sacrificing safety.

Maximize your storage space (even in a small home) by planning to use otherwise "wasted" space. * Will there be space under a staircase you can use for storage? * How about narrowing your hallways and increasing the room sizes? * Butting out closets into the hall area will make the bedrooms bigger.

Plan to have all of the sleeping areas on the same floor. If you do, you can choose a split HVAC system - with the option of only heating or cooling the floor you are currently occupying. This advanced type of "space heating" can save you many dollars.

Create an open floor plan. This may well be the most overlooked energy efficient strategy of all. An open energy efficient home design not only will make your space feel bigger and more comfortable, but you will save on framing, drywall, electrical, trim, paint, and even air conditioning and heating costs!

Consider using the clean green power of solar in your home.

Consider building an ICF home . Insulated Concrete Forms homes are famous for their high energy efficiency as well as for their safety and soundproofing qualities.

Look into SIPS construction . Structural Insulated Panels are a popular option for more and more homeowners who desire a high level of insulation for their home.

With wood construction, ask about the Airtight Drywall Approach (ADA). This system seeks to make the home as "tight" as possible to prevent drafts from increasing your energy usage and subsequent bills.

We have more choices and options than ever before when it comes to energy efficiency. I hope you will strongly consider building your new house with an energy efficient home design. Your planning now can bring you a future of lower bills and greater comfort while conserving our planet's resources

furniture

By: Eugene Yeng http://www.furniture-asian.com/

Asian furniture is always a consideration in interior decoration and individual pieces of furniture, antiques and artefacts are sought after from countries such as India, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Japan. Asian furniture, whether new or antique, brings colour and life to homes decorated in any style. Even in modern homes, Chinese dynasty pieces or intricately carved statues from India can fit in perfectly with the decor. When designing a modern interior, the process usually involves looking at Japanese furniture which is extremely functional and minimalist in nature. The furniture has very little ornamentation or carving and is solid and more modern than the other varieties of Oriental furniture. Japanese furniture can harmonise with almost all decor styles and types of rooms. The appealing features of Japanese furniture is its simplicity and the obvious quality of the wood and craftsmanship. The furniture is famous for its extraordinary joinery. Elm, gingko and kiri wood is normally used and forged iron is used for ornamentation. Chinese furniture, on the other hand, is better known for its traditional, ornate pieces reflecting rich history, culture and religion. It can vary with changing dynasties but the artisanship handed down over the generations remains of the same high quality and can easily be recognised. Over the past few decades Asian decorating has been growing more and more popular in the western world for its simplicity and subtle materials such as bamboo and silk, as well as the elegance of the darker woods. All styles and origins of Asian furniture is taken into consideration and people who decorate their homes in a modern style prefer to look for simple, liquid lines, high quality and, above all, functionality. The furniture needs to reflect minimalism and space. Plain furniture in dark wood tones or black tend to be used in designing modern rooms as the darker colours give space a sophisticated and classy air. Instead of small pieces and clutter there are very few decorative items and these are large and prominently displayed in the rooms. This decorating style is inspired from all types of Asian traditional decoration and people who like this style usually spend a lot of money on carefully chosen unique pieces, preferably handcrafted and imported.