WHAT SHOULD WE ANTICIPATE NEXT?

What is architectural design to you? Depending on what region of the country you grew up in or live in currently is going to greatly impact your vision of what is the norm. In the the early part of this country's beginning sprawling plantations were the icon of the South. Head out West and you're bound to find home after home designed in an adobe style with clay tile roof. Journey to the Northeast and you may get visions of the Cape or Colonial. The simple truth is, "styles" were created for each region because of the materials that were available and the type of weather patterns that affected it. Today, because of technology we can have people live anywhere they want in any style of home they want because we don't need to rely on the local materials, nor passive heating and cooling.

Just as the exterior "style" has changed, so has the interior use for so many homeowners. In the '20s every home had a formal Parlor room. The importance of this space grew smaller and smaller as the decades went on throughout the 20th Century. Homes became smaller and more importance was placed on practical use. The luxury of having a room that only saw use when guests were invited became obsolete. With the 21st Century here, the dining room is quickly becoming the "dinosaur" room. More and more the dining room is being designed out of homes with many architects and homeowners opting for an enlarged eat-in kitchen which provides the opportunity to expand the dining area for large family gatherings. Efficiency is the name of the game allowing homes to be smaller in square footage. With the cost of fossil fuels continuing to increase, a more efficient home costs less to run as well as being more ecologically friendly.

Each generation places importance on one room over all others. What will define the 21st Century? The kitchen, the home's main gathering space? The master bathroom, the definition of indulgence? What gets your vote?

- Design is what you make it.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

FIRE! FIRE! According to NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), in 2009 fires were responsible for over 3,000 deaths and over $12.5 billion dollars in direct property loss. What would you do if a fire struck; your office, your home? Do you have a plan in place on how to get to safety? Are your most precious documents in a safe location? What would be your plan on recovery should you be the victim of a fire?

Here are some steps we can take in preparation should we ever be in the unfortunate position of dealing with the recovery process after a fire.

1. Have your homeowners and/or casualty insurance agent's contact information in a secured location that you can access.
2. Prepare back-up files for all your important documents in a fire proof safe or safety deposit box.
3. Take lots of pictures of your real estate property and personal property as proof for insurance to expedite the claim process.
4. Have some names of trusted contractors so you can begin the process of getting back to normalcy as soon as possible.
5. Locate a qualified architect to assist you in the renovation process, with the help of the architect, you may be able to make improvements upon the existing layout as well as save money on the renovation by eliminating any non-essential fixes and focus on the most important items. Having someone in your corner that is familiar with the construction process is an ideal way to create a "checks and balances" system.

Here is a sad story about a businessman that lost 30+ years worth of client files due to a fire that created more than $3 million in damages all due to the ill-timed disposal of a lit cigarette.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/05/three_alarm_fir_2.html

- Design is what you make it.