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Elements of Calm | Stree Free
The last thing you need is a house that causes stress. Here are 10 ways to create zones of serenity that are both practical and aesthetically perfect.
 Life, at least on some Mondays, comes down to lost car keys. It's such a simple thing, but it can absolutely trip up your day. Or perhaps the vein in your forehead pops when muddy shoes—which should have been deposited in a designated drop zone—track bronze-colored clay all over new carpeting in the great room.
It goes on. And as much as we try to safeguard against life's chaos, it inches into our lives every day, every hour, without regard to the mountain of inconvenience and stress created.
Your house should be the one place where you do have control. But if elements of calm aren't mapped out in the planning or design stages, there's a good chance life's bull-headed clamor and messiness could bump its way into your world. We figure there are two ways to combat chaos in the house: through practical (think storage and drop zones) and aesthetic means (think daylight and outdoor rooms).
"Homes are visible, physical and static expressions of their owners, and they should always help us cope with the complex world beyond our front doors," says Stewart Elliott, a regional manager at Michigan-based Riverbend Timber Framing. "Creating a stress-free home comes down to making smart choices about design and ensuring that each space reflects how we really live."
We've used this philosophy to peg 10 ideas that may not always keep the maddening world at bay, but at least make your home a refuge for family and friends.
Practical Elements
1. Functional Foyers
Limiting your home to a single drop zone—that is, a place to deposit everything from keys to coats—is a no-no. Incorporate at least a few, and the most important might be your entryway.
Barry Hryciw, drafting manager at Ontario, Canada-based Linwood Custom Homes, notes that a closet is essential, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the main coat storage for your family. "You certainly can opt for a small closet in this space, but be sure to include adequate shelving," he says. The entryway needs quick functionality, including exceptional and warm lighting, built-in cabinetry and furnishings (think about benches for taking off shoes or placing bags) that offer beauty, too. This architectural first impression will carry over to the rest of your home.
Design Tip
A minimum size for the main entrance is 8 by 8 feet, which should provide enough space for guests to comfortably enter and remove coats and shoes.
2. Kitchen Office
Home offices are wonderful, but they're often located in areas that aren't on the front lines of your family's daily battles: bill paying, homework, email and more. Where to carve out this space? Kitchen islands are the most versatile, and a desk (don't forget drawers) can be tucked on their backsides away from food-prep areas. If you're hosting guests and need extra counter or eating space, make sure your computer equipment and important documents can be stored out of the way in nearby cabinets or drawers.
Design Tip
If your kitchen doesn't have enough space for a desk and chair, opt for a so-called command center—a tall, narrow desk designed for standing and taking care of quick routines.
3. Mudroom
The name connotes messiness, but this space is truly about order. In fact, it might be the most important room in your home—especially since it may hold hooks for grocery bags and umbrellas, cubbies for mail and magazines, storage bins for recycling and sports equipment, and a sink for rinsing everything from paint brushes to gardening gloves.
Design Tip
Locate your mudroom off of your kitchen, enabling you to store essentials and giving you quick access to these items—or stashing them away when guests arrive.
4. Butler's Pantry
We love the heralded comeback of the butler's pantry—a short hallway between the kitchen and dining room—to house everything from dishware to cookbooks to foodstuffs. It's such a hot trend that some homeowners, especially those who entertain often, choose fewer kitchen cabinets and instead opt to carve out this space.
Design Tip
Some of the most efficient pantries are L-shaped with glass-front display cabinets, wine storage and mini refrigerators.
5. Smart Storage Everywhere
We are a nation of consumers and hoarders. Which means our spaces often feel a little tight. In fact, most new homeowners say the number-one thing they'd change about their house is its storage. Don't overlook storage in spaces where it comes in handy: bathrooms, kitchen islands, lofts, hobby areas and children's rooms. Employ ingenious storage, such as this double-duty unit with a shallow shelf for cookbooks and deeper cabinets for pots and pans.
Design Tip
Plan each storage area by location, and remember that each family member needs at least 6 feet of clothes-hanging space.
Aesthetic Elements
6. Outdoor Kitchens & Living Areas
These aren't over-the-top indulgences any longer. In fact, they match the lifestyle of homeowners who believe in the marriage of interior and exterior spaces. Some quick tips: Add electricity and plumbing to your outdoor kitchen before your home is complete, which eliminates the need to retrofit (translation: much less costly); flooring should be fireproof—concrete or flagstone is a safe bet; stainless steel appliances can withstand the elements; and choose all-weather fabrics.
Design Tip
You don't always need a roof for your outdoor kitchen, but make a statement with timber elements to complement the inside of your home.
7. Screened-In Porches
Life gets sweeter with a warm breeze. According to Barry from Linwood, it's important to work closely with your designer to bring the best of nature inside a lounging porch. "And if you're creating a sheltered space for alfresco dining, don't overlook the size and location of the main eating area. This square footage also should be out of direct traffic flow, but situated centrally and close to the kitchen and living areas," he says.
Design Tip
When working with your designer, focus on the porch's exterior views and the location of the morning and late-day sun.
8. Built-In Window Seats
Felines may understand comfort better than we do, explaining the reason they curl up on window ledges at their own peril. Being at the edge of a room, away from its commotion and lounging against pillows propped against open windows, is as close to heaven as you can get on a Saturday morning. Best spots: kitchens, stair landings and bedrooms.
Design Tip
Build functionality into comfort by incorporating storage below the seats—either with easy-access drawers or simple baskets.
9. Bedroom Balconies & Patios
You don't need lots of square footage to have a bedroom that feels like a sanctuary. A small space off of your bedroom serves as a retreat when hosting guests, a favorite spot to read in the morning and a stargazing perch at night. More than anything, it blurs the line between the indoors and outdoors, and provides a gentle reminder about the origin of a home crafted from wood.
Design Tip
If you live in a temperate or cold climate, locate a balcony or patio on the south side of your home. A northern exposure will get cold sooner in the fall and remain chilly at least several weeks longer in the spring.
10. Day-Lighting
Seems fairly obvious, right? But it's a little more complicated than building a timber frame, incorporating high ceilings and mammoth windows or skylights, and inviting sunshine into your home. In the calculus of homebuilding, how your house is sited on the land—and how each room benefits from the sun's daily path—can mean the difference between dreary rooms and spaces illuminated with the best light of all: Mother Nature's.
Design Tip
Southern orientation is key, but to get a better idea of the design basics, check out the web site for the American Institute of Architects (aia.org), and type "daylighting" in the search feature.
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