Secret guidelines on how to design the perfect house

Please friends, do keep these tips to yourselves because I wouldn’t like to be out of a job before I retire!

A home that enriches us should be more than just a property we own; it should be a space where we can live experiences that mark our lives.

In an article published in The Atlantic about how we value experiences over things, they quoted that: “experiences give people more happiness than the possessions we physically have”. Apparently, what we have only gives shape to a context, while experiences, such as a holiday, become something that we can remember and tell others about. And, so, how we live in our homes and how we use it should be a daily experience.

If we find that experiences are more rewarding, we tend to think of our homes less as mere possessions and more as a place or space that enrich us. I want to summarise in nine points what you should have in mind when designing a home.

1. Ride to the past

A good home should have a story (or stories) behind it. We believe that a home that is already a few years old, which other people have enjoyed, that has even been reformed several times, will be filled not only with their own experiences but also with those of people who have already passed through it.

2. The best neighbour we can have

A good home should be friendly and considerate to its surroundings. It should integrate into the environment, in other words: it should not stand out as a sore thumb, but also should not give up on excelling in some way. That is, it must be fun but it must also be serious, refined and calm. In addition, it should offer a good living environment, that is, it should be practical and comfortable.

3. Fit with the environment

A good home should allow us to connect with what surrounds us. A home is not just a volume that is placed on a ground, as if it landed from the planet Mars, but it should be something connected to the place where it is located. We should be able to experience what surrounds us when we are inside and outside. And we must not forget that our house should be able to improve the environment where it is located.

4. Open your mind beyond the four walls

Our experience in our house should allow us to reach beyond the physical limits of its four walls. For example, and while being aware that it is not always possible, a home from which we can see the sky can also encourage us to think about ourselves and everything around us.

5. Represent your essence with your home

A good home is authentic like you. And when we say authentic, we refer to such pragmatic questions as a home should not imply a burden or be costly in maintenance. A house that needs constant repairs can end up being a drain on our patience and good vibes. Thus, it is best to opt for materials whose prices, maintenance and long-term attractiveness are balanced. In any case, a home, like anything with some meaning in our lives, will always demand a little attention from time to time.

6. Welcome everybody!

Everyone, from children to parents or grandparents, should be able to enjoy our home. What this implies is that we should spend the same time thinking about the design of the guest bathroom as in the one in the main bedroom; and identical effort should be dedicated to decorating the children’s rooms and the main bedroom. Much has been said about the kitchen and the master bedroom being the most valuable spaces of a house, what will make it a real home is the time we dedicate to less important rooms.

7. See time going by

In a home, a calendar is not necessary to show us the season or a clock to tell us the time of day. The ideal is to experience all that by how light enters the house and provides us with all that information. It is, about how we experience sunlight during the winter, just when and where we need it, and also how it does not enter the in summer when we need to escape from the heat. It's also about how the light weakly filters in during the morning, and becomes brighter and more intense as the day progresses, and, in the end, how that glow fades when the afternoon comes.

8. The right size

A home must be the right size. It should not be too big or too small. But what is the perfect size?

Our goal is to have a house where all the rooms have a purpose. This exercise involves understanding how you live and how you would like to live so that your home is truly comfortable... like that suit or dress that fits you perfectly…made to measure.

9. Enjoy experimenting

In a good home we can experiment. In fact, a great way to live our home to the full is through its materials; from the cold shine of stainless steel to the soft roughness of brick. A house without textures, for example one with wooden floors and walls and ceilings painted in some matt colour, will create a monotonous experience. It is not about looking for a cacophony of materials and emotions, but we respond and understand spaces much better when we recognise (and enjoy) different materials.

Please remember to keep this information secret.

Thank you!