THIS year’s Street of
Dreams has closed its
doors.

The main activity there is
now generated by moving
vans — those. that remove the
display furniture thar made
the homes come to lite for
awhile, and those that bring
in the new owners’ furniture.

_ Ido hope thar the new
furniture is better suited to
the multitude of small rooms
each house seemed to con-
tain, My visit left me quite
overwhelmed, not by the
beauty of it all,
but more by
the seemingly
inevitable
pompousness
in so much of
the display.

But there is
one lasting
impression:
some really
good design,
especially in
kitchens and
family rooms,
and some really
poor space
planning, especially in the fiv-
ing, and dining areas. This
may partly be due to gigantic
furniture in minuscule rcoms,
bur often the layout left little
or no space to move, or to
get close to those beautiful
bay windows and outdoor
spaces without climbing over
the fauteuils.

On my way back to
Vancouver I had plenty of
time to think of different lay-
outs for some of the rooms,
and to rehearse the basics of
space planning.

Top and foremost on my
list is: Leave empty space in
every roorn, and give the eye
a chance to rest. In the rela-
tionship between empty space
and filled space, the empty
space should always domi-
nate.

Another crucial part in the
space-planning process is to
determine how the space will
be used, and who will use it.

A kitchen, for instance, is
rarely just used for cooking.
Often it becomes the family
gathering place — the place

where the really important
decisions are made, where
most meals are taken, where
hobbies thrive and homework
gets done.

Planning this reom, or
any other room in the house,
needs careful consideration.
It starts with an analysis of
existing conditions: the space
itself, its size and layout, the
furniture you have, and items
you want io replace.

Here are some points to
keep in mind: Your lifestyle
and the intended use ofa
room are the best guide to
planning and furnishing.
Note down all the activities
that take place in the area
you intend to change — for
example, reading, eating,
couking, doing homework,
tending plants and sewing.
The activities, and the furni-
ture you need to carry out
these activities functionally,
should be your guide when
you plan a space.

The traffic pat-
tern in and out
and through the
room will Geter-
mine furniture
layout. The pat-
tern can be
changed to
some extent —
it can be redi-
rected by place-
ment of furni-
ture, but it
should follow a
relatively unob-
structed path
without inter-
rupting work or conversation.

The view of the room
from the entrance also plays a
role in the furniture layout.

What is opposite the
entrance? Is the view suitable
to become a focal point, or is
the entrance a wide opening
which should be screened off
to create a sense of privacy?

The location of the win-
dows determines the amount
and quality of light in the
room. South and west facing
rooms get warm light; they
heat up during the summer
and need to be shielded from
sun and heat. North or east
facing rooms have cool light
and may not need much ofa
window treatment.

A good view from a win-
dow or glass door will draw
the eye into the distance. Is
the view worth emphasizing?

The size of furniture — as
the Street of Dreams demon-
strated — is quite important
to a feeling of comfort and
well-being.

If its scale overpowers the
size of the room, you will feel

WOODLINES CU:

Friday, October 4, 1996 — North Shore News — 13

Photo submitted

YOUR lifestyle and the intended use of a room are the best guide to planning and furnishing a space.

cramped, even with just two
or three people present. If
space is limited, eliminate
unnecessary furniture, and
keep the rest rather small.

Conversation areas need
one good seat for each per-
manent member of the
household and a few addi-
tional ones (possibly stored
elsewhere) to accommodate
guests.

People feel most comfort-
able when seating is arranged
in a circular or elliptical pat-
tern so that each person can

“A family owned business ¢.nce 1994"

CANADIAN CLOSET
~~

a
Sym, 1385 Crown St. N. Van.

986-4263}

ate an intimate atmosphere.

Edith Saatkamp is an inte-
rior designer who practises and
teaches residential design on
the North Shore.

Light should be at or
below eye level, in moderate
intensity and with highlights
at strategic points. Soft, subtle
general illumination helps cre-

look at others easily and talk
without shouting, and with-
out disruption from traffic
through the conversation

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988-2121