An Introduction

HI THERE!

Have you ever fantasized about living in your dream home?  Me too!  And if I know you personally, there’s a 100% chance that I’ve fantasized about your dream home as well.  My name is Tara, I’m an architect, and I have this deeply-rooted desire to design homes and spaces for others.

This is the first post in my blog, so I wanted to introduce myself to you.  Not only am I an architect, but I operate under many other titles, including wife to a wonderful husband, and mom to a sweet and energetic little guy.  I’m from a small rural community in Kansas, which also happens to be where my husband and I have decided to lay our roots as adults.  My husband comes from a farming family, so I’ve been initiated into that lifestyle for the past 15 or so years; happily, I might add.  I’ve had a passion for residential design since I was very young, and in hindsight, I believe this profession chose me.

IT STARTED EARLY.

Starting from a young age, there have been many occurrences of my taking notice to different spaces within homes and other buildings and how they made me feel.  When I was four years old and my parents were house hunting, I distinctly remember telling them, “this is the one.”  I’m not sure if it was because of all the exposed limestone, the brick floor, the spiral staircase, the candy on the counter or something else entirely, but I truly loved the house because it was so different, and to me, very cool.  That house, which was actually a one-room-schoolhouse converted to a home, turned out to be where I would grow up.  It’s still cool to this day.  Fast-forward a few years, and the moment that began my active pursuit towards a career in architecture took place.  I was 10 years old and a classmate showed me how to draw floor plans for fun.  That was it for me.  I’ve since been creating spaces that don’t yet exist, and often envision what could-be, everywhere I go.  No building I come across is immune to my day-dreamy thoughts!    

BLOG GOALS.

I’m starting this blog because I think there’s a disconnect between many people and the architectural profession.  A large portion of past clients have been so apprehensive about the architectural process when I first met them, and I want to help eliminate that unfamiliarity so we can all work together to improve quality of life.   I also have strong beliefs about what direction residential architecture needs to take in the area I practice.  There’s a real need for authentic design and construction, with a focus on simplicity.  By authentic, I mean buildings that are actually tailored to the users and relate to their specific site. By simplicity, I mean in terms of forms, materials, structural components, etc. So many homes being constructed are devoid of originality and personality, of quality materials, connections to nature, sustainability, and are based on outdated and unnecessarily convoluted ways of thinking.  Your dream home shouldn’t come from a plan built for someone else which just happened to be sitting in someone’s back pocket.  Convenient?  Yes.  Good for you in the long run?  Definitely no.  Your dream home needs to be a result of your needs, and be a reflection of you.  That doesn’t come from a stock plan.

It’s my goal to provide knowledge, insights and tips about architecture to those of you who want to stop fantasizing about, and start living in your dream home!  Whether that’s where you already live but with updates to improve your quality of life, or someplace brand new, the possibilities are truly endless.  If new construction isn’t for you, and it’s not for everyone, then making changes to your existing home can be introduced on a cost/effort scale ranging from minor to major.  You’d be surprised how little changes make a world of a difference.

CALL ME!

At the end of the day, the world simply needs more purposeful architecture that creates atmospheres, and ultimately people, that are happy, calm, inspired and healthy, plus cool to look at (the buildings, not the people).  Now all you need to do is call a friendly, creative and licensed architect! (ahem…visit my website for contact info 😊)

I welcome thoughts and comments, so let me know if there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in the future!

(By the way, I also love small boutique-style commercial and adaptive-reuse projects.  Residential design just happens to be my jam and the reason I’m even an architect at all.)