Designing Your Perfect House - By William J. Hirsch, Jr.
Designing Your Perfect House is available from Dalsimer Press.
"Steve and I have just finished your manuscript/book and found it invaluable in thinking about the 'program' for our home. This is a definite must-read for anyone building a house. It opened up a lot of dialogue between the two of us regarding our lifestyle and how we envision the house....the flow, the individual rooms, the light/sun, the terrace and pool area....and the thousand other details mentioned in the book."
Rochelle and Steve Prystowsky
Client
The Twelve Lessons for Designing Your Perfect House (Lessons 1-3)
Lesson One — Beginning the Journey
Your new house can be more than just a place to live. It can be a reflection of you and your family. Start the process of making your house as good as it can be. Begin by exploring some of the concepts of architecture. Find out about the magical, mystical world of feel, what makes a space become a place, the language of architecture, and architectural grammar. Find out how to work well with an architect.
Lesson Two — Making the House a Home
Learn some of the concepts that make a home design "work." How do we create sequential progressions and why are they important? We'll learn that our minds seek order. We discuss the process of designing spaces, controlling scale, keeping it human, and how to "people" spaces.
Lesson Three — Unifying the Design of Your Home
There are many tools and methods architects use to make a design cohesive. These include the use of a central axis, symmetry and composition, the Golden Mean, breaking the pattern for a reason, angles and curves, changes in height, light, and scale, changes in materials, and focal points. Learn how to gain confidence in your own opinions and taste. Find out what to say when your builder says, "I can't do that."