Housing is one of our most basic, yet important needs. Our home is a roof over our head, four walls to keep us warm, a refuge from things we wish to escape. An office space, a studio, a workroom, a hobby area can be part of our home, making our home also a place of business and production.We become very entwined with our home.
Everyone talks about their home. How they want a bigger one, more rooms. How they want a small one with less space to clean and no stairs. How they would like to stop paying rent or get permission from the landlord to paint the walls. How they love the home they own and have remodeling plans. How they wish the neighbor would get rid of the junk on the other side of the fence.Whether we rent or own our home, we have an opinion about our living circumstances. Inevitably, these desires lead discussions about how much the neighbor sold his house for, what the latest tax assessment is, who has been in the neighborhood for 30+ years, who is ready to sell next month and what the profit could be.
None of these ideas are new. For centuries, people have been claiming land for home building. To maintain their land boundaries, people have been either defending their space or welcoming others to form towns, villages, colonies. They looked for ways to improve the function of homes as well display personal wealth through ornate features. No matter what, owning a home and land was the pinnacle of achievement, and in many ways still is.
Over the years home building has followed trends. Sprawling ranches, little ramblers, split-levels, basements, sunken living rooms, galley kitchens, separate dining rooms, open kitchen and dining, great room concept. Remember pink and mint green tile? Avocado green has been the rage. Soon, mauve and grey moved in to sedate us. Walk into a newly painted home now and you most likely will see a version of oatmeal with an occasional red wine accent wall. Regions, cities, neighborhoods offer their own flair. Architecture, colors and finish work often indicate where a home could be located. Modern, Craftsman, tri-level, rambler, condo… they are all so different, yet oh so much the same. They are home.
Wants and desires, village and town development, trends in building – they all evolve, change, wax and wane. One constant remains. Homeownership. People plan for it, save for it, strive for it. We long to have the final say on anything from wall color to bathroom tile to the sunroom addition in the back. We want to hammer our own holes in the wall, tear down walls, add a garage, put in another bathroom, re-landscape the garden. And, at the end of the day, call it our own. These are not trends, or styles. This is human nature. Homeownership is human nature. Homeownership never goes out of style.
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