Whilst it is fair to say that many people do not have the luxury of being able to design their new homes to their exact specifications, there is always the option of using an architect to re-design an existing house or building into something which suits one’s needs better.
Architects are on a different level to builders and renovation specialists
When planning renovations or more complex alterations to buildings, the skills and knowledge of an architect are required. Whilst many builders and renovation specialists have the necessary experience and design know-how to be able to make the design changes that you want in smaller renovations, such as extending a kitchen or changing the layout of a bathroom, or even adding a complete new room to a house, their skills are more restricted than those of a qualified and skilled architect.
Don’t let that additional room look like an afterthought …
You can easily enlarge the footprint of your home by adding new extensions, but there is always the possibility that these extensions will end up looking like an addition rather than a continued flow to the original house. Where rooflines, in particular, are concerned, you can easily identify an extension just by looking at the angles between the existing roofline and the new roofed area. If you want the house to be uniform in all aspects of its design, the addition must flow seamlessly into the existing building.
… rather make it stand out as an intentional addition
It is, of course, always possible that you want the extension to stand out from the rest of the house, to be noticeable for the right reasons. An architect who understands your desires may design an extension which both links with and, conversely, stands out from the existing building. Many extensions of this kind may include the use of large areas of glass and a contrasting material such as steel, wood, natural stone, etc. Whilst it might sound contra-indicative, it can add to the overall appeal of the house as well as making it totally unique.
Safety and environment-friendly factors are always a factor in design
Architects are defined as “professionals who are trained in the art and science of building design”. These are the people who not only design a workable and aesthetically appealing building, but also ensure that it is practically possible and conforms to safety standards, keeping those both within and outside the building secure. They may often be asked to design buildings which both blend into the surrounding landscape and are environmentally friendly. Many architects now design houses and office blocks with sustainable and non-environmentally draining energy needs uppermost in their minds. For instance, they will incorporate glass and shutters into workable pairings which take advantage of any natural heat generated by the sun during the winter months to assist in keeping the interior of the building warmer, whilst also being adjustable to cut out the glare and scorching heat of the sun during the summer months.
Interior design and architectural design often go hand-in-hand
Architects are also heavily involved in the finished interiors of the buildings that they design. They may be responsible for the choice of lighting, flooring-, wall- and countertop-materials, and particular furnishings which complement the overall finished product. This melding of both interior design and architectural design is often a very natural result in high-end architectural work. If, for instance, you want an art-deco inspired house which looks like it was built in the early 1900s, you will need an architect who is familiar with the style of this period, in which modern style combined with fine craftsmanship and rich materials. This style, at the time it was popular, represented luxury, sophistication and glamour, whilst at the same time presenting simple, clean lines with geometric or stylized ornamentation. It is no use having a house whose structural elements represent the heyday of the art deco period, but with ultra-modern or cottagey interior design, as these styles clash, and the overall effect will be more chaotic than intended. A skillful, knowledgeable and experienced architect will be able to guide you in this aspect of the design. All in all, there is far more to architecture than just designing a unique building; it has to be safe, workable and environmentally sustainable, especially in this modern world. For more information and tips, see Uptasker’s Architects listings.
