What do we aspire to when we design a home?

We are striving for tranquility and relaxation.

We want to create a design that will still look good ten years down the road. It shouldn’t be too trendy, or scream out too strongly “Winter Collection 2014.”

We are aiming for a design that is sustainable. You don’t want to even consider renovation again for at least 10 or 15 years.

We want a design that’s easy to maintain. We don’t have any servants in our house, and who’s the one who ends up decluttering and cleaning the most? Surprise – I am! So, the ultimate design makes it easier for us to keep our home clutter-free and clean. (Even better would be if it never got dirty in the first place!)

We yearn for a home that will save us time and money – we shouldn’t have to call in a handyman every time we need to change a bulb.

We want a home that fulfills our needs – not one that imprisons us.

Our home should first and foremost be something that feels right for us, and only afterwards feels inviting for those we choose to host in it.

And most importantly – we aspire to create a home that we will live in happily. A place where we can have fun and feel joy.

What are we "selling" in our home? Are we selling an illusion, an image? We’re “selling” security, warmth, stability, relaxation and vitality. And who is the "buyer"? We are!

On the other hand, what’s important in a store’s design?

Visibility, drama and – most importantly – a design that increases sales.

A high quality design will attract customers to your store because it’s different and dramatic. Because it stands out from the others.

A great design is one that motivates people to take action, which makes customers want to buy your products.

In store design, the customer’s comfort is of utmost importance. The atmosphere and their experience inside your store will have a significant impact.

A store’s design needs to be up to date with current trends. You can't rest on your laurels. A successful business will refresh its look every few years.

The people you hire to work in stores will make do with whatever design you’ve chosen. So even if the design makes our work more difficult, "work is still our life".

When we sit down to draw a design for a store, we calculate what the monetary costs are and what the return on our investment will be. It all boils down to numbers. It’s objective.

On the other hand, when we’re designing a house, how do we calculate the cost? Is the monetary cost really the most important factor? How important is our sanity? Our marriage? Our relationship with our children?

And what is our ROI (return on investment)? I have yet to come across a family that makes money every time a guest comments about how beautiful their home is. A successful home renovation can vastly improve a couple’s quality of life, as well as their happiness, their relationship with their kids, and the kids with each other, their interaction with friends and with their extended family….

Sometimes we lose track of our true goals. Who are we building our house for? What are our goals?  At the end of the day, what do we really want from our home?

"Come, Boy, come and
climb up my trunk and swing from my
branches and eat apples and play in my
shade and be happy."

[Shel Silverstein in his story "The Giving Tree"]

We need to make sure that the values we hold dear will prevail. We want them to stay on the column of benefits rather than end up as the price we are paying…

Sincerely,

Derorit

Creating spaces people want to live in