This post is about design from a non-designer's prospective.
I cannot draw, so I express my initial idea in functional (or zone) specific. Here is a brief of my requirement,
- a dwelling to accommodate the needs of our family with two growing teenagers, for the next 10 plus years.
- incorporating a new family lounge, shared study, master bedroom with en-suite, laundry and storage.
- making the existing space more livable by creating functional and practical spaces, maximizing natural lighting and ventilation.
- a detail-oriented design with the existing and the new elements working harmoniously.
- privacy from the neighboring properties and security from the road.
- making use of the existing basement level.
- a low-maintenance front and back yards
Inside each item it contains many variation of my idea, but basically falls into the category of either what I want or what I can live with. The list is a starting point to engage with the designer. With the help of Houzz and Pinterest, I try to gather and present as much detail as possible to my designer, so s/he can resemble and picture my ideas.
As we progress along the conceptual design, the topic of construction cost and council requirement comes into consideration. This is where I get plenty of designer's input for getting around and how to make choices.