Redesigned House Plans: Introduction

Do you live in your dream home?

"Could this be the one?"
[Credit: Couple Viewing/Dreaming/Buying Home by Mark Moz.]

If you do, that’s awesome!  Tell me about it!

If not, does your current home have the potential to become your dream home?

Redesigned House Plans

In this series of posts, which I am calling “Redesigned House Plans,” I will be experimenting with existing floor plans of various homes, whether or not I lived in them.

A sample floor plan.
[Credit: 1962 Georgia Pacific by Ethan.]

This is what will happen for each segment of the series:

1. I will measure the dimensions of the home (or specific space of the home).
2. I will draw a floor plan based on rough approximations of the dimensions.
3. I will analyze all or a section of the plan, noting likes, dislikes, and problem areas.
4. If provided, I will include ways the residents have "embraced the space" to maximize its potential.
5. If I see that there could be beneficial changes made to the plan, I will re-draw part or all of the plan and describe how these slight alterations help better serve its purposes.  

(Of course, this is all based on my opinion and, at times, on discussions with other home owners or tenants.)

Disclaimer:  In analyzing these homes, I am in no way blaming the current or previous landlords or home owners for the structure and layout of the building.  I am merely trying out ideas on paper.

Why am I doing this?

The main reason: for fun!  I like drawing floor plans, real ones or imagined.

This is a really basic floor plan I drew as a young teen when attempting pixel art.  It is poorly arranged but the concept is fairly clear.  I didn't attempt to design the other floors like originally planned.

Other reasons I want to do this series of posts are:

• To compare different layouts and use of space
• To analyze what does and doesn’t work in a floor plan
• To see on paper what dimensions “feel good” spatially
• To begin more serious design of our dream home based on what I learn
• To help home owners and designers consider other options for trouble spaces

My first project I will begin next week.  I will review our current home: a basement suite we are renting.

Are you living in your dream home?  If not, what do you see in your current home layout that, if changed, could make it become your dream home?

Next week's topic: [Redesigned House Plans: Our Sweet Suite]

My First Ever Blog Post

Hello!  My name is Kristina Ogrins (OH-grihnz).  I am 23 years old, married to a wonderful husband named Lucas (27 years old), and mother to a 1-year-old daughter named Tevia (TEH-vee-uh).  We live in Southern Alberta, Canada.

Here are some recent family photos taken by my dad when we last visited my family in my hometown:

[photos taken by John Greep @ http://www.johngreep.com]

Lucas

Kristina

Tevia

Isn’t Tevia the cutest, most beautiful little girl you’ve ever seen?!

To say just a little bit about each of us:

Lucas and I have been married for just over two years now.  I finished my B.Sc. in General Mathematics just months after we got married.  We then moved so Lucas could finish his schooling (B.Sc. in Computer Science) and I got pregnant with Tevia right away.  Lucas is now working on a degree in Physics and I am a stay-at-home mom.  Tevia recently started walking and can say 30 or so words now.  You'll get to know us even more in future posts (soon to come!).

Why I Chose To Start Blogging

Until just a few months ago, I thought blogging was silly and pointless – an online journal, more or less.  For some, I know this is the intention: to share with family and friends the things happening in their lives, and so on.  Once I joined Pinterest, I came across many blog posts that were actually interesting and about things other than the day-to-day activities of some person I may or may not know.  I found posts that inspired me to share things I have learned in my life.  

This is a personal blog, not a diary, but I’d say it’ll be more random than most personal blogs.  I like to discuss ideas and plans that emerge just beyond the horizon of today’s cultural and habitual ways of living, loving, and learning.  I’m a well-rounded person, having been immersed in a diverse set of skills, talents, and interests throughout my life.  

Some things I hope to blog about are more relevant to my current lifestyle, such as organizing tips, family life with young children, and living with mental illnesses. 

Some things are from my recent past, like math tutoring insights, going to university, and falling in love. 

Some things are interests from my childhood that have been popping up again almost randomly later in my life, such as web and graphic design, sketching my friends, my dream home designs, writing stories and poems, and being a “Mormon” (Latter-day Saint, or “LDS”). 

And, of course, as time goes on, new things will become the focus, possibly things such as homeschooling or going back to school or moving across the country – who knows! 

I plan to add a new post every Monday (in the morning – if Tevia lets me), so do check back each week!

My Comment Policy

Feel free to comment on my blog posts.  I’d love to hear what you have to say about each topic, whether you agree with me or not – and especially if you have questions or concerns.  If you’d like to send a more personal note, please email me at kristina.greep@gmail.com.  I will try to respond to all comments and questions within the week I post each blog, and then periodically afterwards.  Any and all comments containing profanity or irrelevant material will be deleted without notice.

What would you like to read or learn about?  For those who know me personally, is there anything in my life that you are curious to know more about?

Next week’s post: [What's in a (Blog) Name?]