The home design

The idea of "home" is extremely strong. Consumers also use spots, interior décor, design, and design to build an identity, a place that represents who they are and to establish a refuge, a safe escape from the outside world (Brule, 2012). The significance of the first encounter and the connection that the Western culture has to spiritual, psychological, and physical facets of the home is well known. This philosophy dates back to the nineteenth century when buyers constructed homes that reflected their identity by design and place. Changes in the society, for example in the United States in the mid of 19th century, were the impetus for the ideological growth of home construction, home ownership, ideas, the American dream, and domesticity (Brule, 2012). Publishers and writers were profiting and promoting from the appeal of the home. Developers and architects were also capitalizing on the dreams and hopes of people by designing, marketing and building the preferred kinds of homes. The wave from America spread in other parts of the world which has seen the creation of different house designs by architectures.

Currently, homes are very integral in the daily survival of people. Architects and home owners are coming up with new home designs that are influencing the emotional, psychological, and physiological relationship of people. Some perceive homes as the best place, and the majority are working from home. Turning their residential homes into full-time offices. With this regard, home owners are developing some sense sanctuary and comfort, beauty, luxury, identity, and functions of their homes. These theme considerations have influenced location, design, and appearance of homes in the society. Below is a discussion of how different themes influence the architectural design of homes in the society.



Home Theme Associated With Luxury

Luxury homes come in different designs such as landscaped golf courses and spiritual aqua. Luxury homes with sports theme attract sports lovers and fitness enthusiasts (Dubois & Czellar, 2002). Golf theme homes are often developed to form part of a large sports city while incorporating lifestyle concepts with the main goal of attracting upwardly and well-traveled personalities. Homes built are in harmony with nature which people desire and love. Furthermore, the touch of luxury and comfort are pushing interior designers and architects to infuse innovative concepts such as aqua elements into home construction. On the other hand, some developers are offering luxury homes based on the landscape. Even though the landscape theme originated from the west, several other countries are incorporating the trend while building new homes (Brule, 2012). In particular, incorporating Mother Nature in the residential is taking shape to meet luxury appeal to the majority. This in turn influence and affect their psychological well-being when people stay in these homes. People feel emotionally attached to their homes.

World class greens which are appealing to golf enthusiasts and inspire others to take up the game are interesting to various consumer demographics. These residential homes provide a cohesive and a dynamic community which is built on a shared love of the game. The priority of luxury themed homes incorporating golf centric projects aiming at providing buyers with world class homes, in addition, the best facilities for outdoor living and sports (Dubois & Czellar, 2002). Aqua theme luxury homes use water as the most revered natural element. They are associated with spiritual powers for rejuvenation and cleansing. These are assimilated in luxury homes to enhance the holistic well-being and ornamental effects on the owners. This attribute influences the proprietor's physiological and psychological status in the community. As such, unique and impressive homes planned in the midst of a large landscape of water bodies and lush greens are sights to behold. One feels relaxed and comfortable in such serene homes. Besides, exquisite flower beds, theme parks with chirping birds, musical fountains and water springs is a sublime luxury at its best.

Home Theme Associated With Identity

The notion of home architectural identity has been, and it is still the most significant aspect of people's lives. All over the world, home identity has been of extreme importance in people's response in satisfying their needs which relate to the features of the socio-cultural and environmental beliefs, ideals, and attitude of people (Mahgoub, 2007). Moreover, the search for identity has been a distinguishing characteristic of human beings as they introduce a sense of meaning in their daily livelihood. Therefore, every environment provides the distinguishing physical feature of a particular time, place, religion, and heritage. In which, these objects portray the place as unique and thus reflects the uniqueness of its habitats. In particular, every cultural identity has its own way of in designing their houses and types of homes they stay since the beginning of time (Mahgoub, 2007). However, if the external influence is strong, then, people tend to change and conform to the new home designs cropping up by time. As such, people tend to express their identity in unique designs. For example, some may resort to building defensive structures to express and maintain their acquired identity or they may look into new architectural designs to interpret and express their identity.

The concept of home identity has been tackled by many researchers how architects express their social and personal identity in the houses they build. Different designs of houses and locations represent group membership and social status in a society. Zaid (1993) observed that there exist relationships between attitudes and social structures towards housing. He further argues that a house represent a symbol of its residents. Besides, Zaid (1993) noted that cultural processes mediate the relationship between housing and identity since homes are becoming signs of communicating individual or communal identity in modern American society. A philosophical interpretation of identity relates identity to continuity over time. He relates the concept of identity to the impression of time and emphasizing the importance of memory as a source of discovering and producing identity.

The landscape is considered as a mirror of civilization where people use certain landscape designs to reflect their identity to the community. Therefore, home building concepts are significant cultural and social objects that can be applied in providing arenas for activities, expressing feelings, and demarcating social space (Zaid, 1993). People often use different setting and objects when building their homes to establish and maintain their identity. People identify with places they reside and consider the places as different compared to others. Even though there may be a relationship between different types of identity, the way a residential place contribute to the community or personal identity and the way people recognize different designs are quite diverse. Different home designs portray people in many perspectives. Some designs portray a group of people as rich in the society while some designs are associated with the low class and middle-income earners.

The basic principle of identity is quite open and moves from general to personal identity. And in most cases, architectural identity takes a cultural expression in different designs. The phenomenon of expressing cultural identity I architecture is quite clear in many parts of the world. In countries like Kuwait, architects use designing strategies to express their cultural identity (Mahgoub, 2007). Expressing cultural identity in Kuwait architecture is not new. It started way back in the 1960s when foreign architects participated in designing buildings after implementation of the master plan. For example, Jorn Utzon's parliament building and Reima Pietila's new Seif Palace are landmarks designed by foreign architects expressing cultural identity (Mahgoub, 2007).

Another example is the identity of houses in Palestine. Since the middle of the twentieth century, the designs of Palestine homes have dramatically changed over time. In particular, homes located in the West Bank have grown in the past couple of years. Each son is expected to build a room within the father's house and the extended family complex. The new homes are though, isolated units of single families. Therefore, two different types of houses exist, the contemporary house and the traditional house. Furthermore, people tend to show low profile facades in the traditional houses with more decorations concentrating at the entrance or the courtyard. In fact, there is a specific decoration at the entrance which symbolizes cosmological and religious values (Zaid, 1993).

In Palestine, the forms of contemporary homes are simple with large rectangular and horizontal windows. Their contemporary houses have decorations displayed to outsiders through the frontages. This is realized by using diverse shapes of opening, decorative elements, expensive building materials, different textures, or colors of stones, symbols of writings on the entrance or sometimes colors of stone (Zaid, 1993).



Home Theme Associated With Beauty

Architectural design values are very important since it influences the designers or architects when making the plan decisions to express the beauty of a home. Nonetheless, designers and architects are often not persuaded by same intentions and values. The beauty of a home is an infusion of the architect's creativity and the owner's requirements (Plunz, 2016). This may incorporate the design and overall finishing of the house. Both interior and exterior finishing determines the beauty of a home. They include; vintage, contemporary, electric, industrial, modern, Scandinavian, traditional, transitional and retro. This interior finishing has an aspect of touch to beauty which influences the psychological, emotional, and physiological behavior of the owners.

The artistic beauty of buildings depends on various parameters such as color, material, proportions, and forms. Notably, the beauty of a melody, poem, statue, picture, or building is grounded in the special inspiration of the designers. In this case, the beauty of homes entirely depends on the architectural designs. The architecture is entrusted with a mystery that cannot be formulated in a norm the designer can only fulfill the norm. It may perhaps be possible to give some reasons for the aesthetics disvalue of the home. However, it is at times noted that a building is beautiful if it does full justice to the concrete reality that it serves and if it fulfills all the requirements that are demanded by this theme or are indispensable if this theme is to be realized.

On the other hand, buildings that fulfill all the practical requirement of a home is considered perfect with respect to civilization (Plunz, 2016). It meets personal style by interpreting and incorporating our lives and emotions that inspires people. It is less about things and more about our emotional perspective. Beauty in the home help people expresses themselves at the highest level of confidence, boldness, and maybe or a little reckless abandon. Feeling comfortable in homes enhances emotional intelligence, psychological development, and physiological relationships (Plunz, 2016). Personal style in home designs helps individuals acknowledge their innermost need for societal identity, social resonance, and connection. It is a quest that brings people home.



Home Theme Associated With Comfort and Sanctuary

Comfort and sanctuary homes are inspired with dignity, creativity, and innovativeness of the architecture. It provides comfortable rooms and other cozy spaces (Kidd & Evans, 2011). A comfortable home is a house that provides sanctuary from stress. Such homes provide a place where people can experience their feelings within acceptable boundaries. Interior designers can integrate paintings such as palm tree room or the rain forest. These paintings enhance the emotional and psychological attachment of the home owner and the rooms. One can feel relaxed, devoid of any stress when sitting in such homes.

Owing to demanding lifestyle, architectures are including comfort rooms in new home designs where owners can use as a preventive tool that may help people reduce their need for seclusion and restraint (Kidd & Evans, 2011). Besides, comfort and sanctuary homes combine a participatory project which involves people being served and includes implementation of their environmental and comfort strategies changes throughout the house. It ultimately produces a culture and enhances comfort amidst daily life struggles.

Furnishing homes for comfort and sanctuary may involve using reclining chairs, colorful curtains, theme mural on the wall, bean bag chairs, and bubble or Laval lamps. An example of a comfort and sanctuary home, clear water house in most cases are residential homes, conceptualized as a series of elegant floating boxes. The interconnected structures envelop a sheltered north facing courtyard leaving a private outdoor space. After arranging its two main components, the floating home will maximize surrounding view and sunlight. Generally, the architectural design is meant to incorporate nature thereby making it comfortable and enjoyable.

Home theme associated with function

The changing economy has not left behind the design of homes. Since quite a majority of people has resorted to working from home, there have been significant changes and designs of houses (Sullivan & Lewis, 2001). Other factors include; the expanding popularity of outdoor living. The lifestyle of people is becoming more informal, and homes are reflecting this. Designs of living rooms and dining rooms are disappearing, replacing them with open layouts, and great rooms. This has enhanced growth in outdoor living as outdoor grills, patios, and decks are getting phased out. There is a new expansion to outdoor kitchens and even fully furnished rooms outside. The move has been prompted by the need to provide services to the tourist who may book the outdoor rooms when in vacation and even cook their meals, at their convenience.

On the other hand, changing work patterns are encouraging the growth of home offices. As such, home designs by architectures are conforming to this reality. Many new upcoming homes provide for office spaces which are entirely different from homes built some decades ago (Sullivan & Lewis, 2001). Additionally, advancement in technology and telecommunication is more feasible option for new workers. Because of this, many offices have sprung up in residential places. Furthermore, virtual companies are contributing to the incorporation of offices in residential homes.

There has been continued expansion of universal design and accessibility features throughout the home. Considering the fact that people are turning homes into workshops and offices, it has become imperative to enhance the security in residential places. The move has seen the construction of perimeter walls around houses, changing from timber structures to the stone which is more secure and using grills and steel doors to enhance security. In other cases, there are universal designs, integrating principles that encourage more accessible home environment so that passersby can notice the new enterprise in place.

Climate change and health consciousness in homes have led to increased focus on a healthy residential environment. The emerging environmental health concern issues is increasingly becoming an area of focus in residential homes. Architects and designers tend to design homes which allows free flow of air since indoor air quality is one of the top home concerns. Intrinsically, this promotes homes as not only residential places but also a place where families can relax during free time.



Comfort and Sanctuary Theme Home Design

This is a clear water house, a floating home built on a water body. The house has an open bedroom balcony with a view of the water. It provides ambiance and free air flow all over the house. Such home design uses natural light and thus considered environment-friendly.





Source: Architecture now

Home Design Portraying Luxury

Homes designed to combine luxury in daily life often have large free ground space. Such spaces have well developed golf courses, swimming pools and entrainment joint that are serene and green.







Source: luxury homes



Home Designs Portraying Beauty

Beautiful homes have well designed interiors and exteriors. The interior décor enhances the looks of the house when one is within the house.



Source: timeless luxury home





Source: home designing



Home Design Showing Its Function

Apart from using homes as residential places, people have incorporated offices in their houses. Like the one shown below is used as a fully-fledged office. The owner can do home based jobs and deliver same to regular employees.



Source: home office eccentric



Home Design Showing Cultural Identity

Cultural identity goes far beyond daily activities and behavior to design of halls of residences. House design in Kuwait and Palestine considers cultural touch which largely influences their lifestyle.



Source :journal of architecture

















Reference

Brûlé, M. A. (2012). From a home in the suburbs to a retreat in the wilderness: The Domestic Architecture of Frank T. Lent. Queen's University (Canada).

Dubois, B., & Czellar, S. (2002). Prestige brands or luxury brands? An exploratory inquiry on consumer perceptions.

Kidd, S. A., & Evans, J. D. (2011). Home is where you draw strength and rest: The meanings of home for houseless young people. Youth & Society, 43(2), 752-773.

Mahgoub, Y. (2007). Architecture and the expression of cultural identity in Kuwait. The Journal of Architecture, 12(2), 165-182.

Plunz, R. (2016). A history of housing in New York City. Columbia University Press.

Sullivan, C., & Lewis, S. (2001). Home‐based telework, gender, and the synchronization of work and family: perspectives of teleworkers and their co‐residents. Gender, Work & Organization, 8(2), 123-145.

Zaid, B. S. (1993). The house as an expression of identity: a case study of Palestinian house