Spaces and places

Sometimes you just want to understand what sense of place you are in the world.  

A place reaches out to the inner space within our minds to help us appreciate and understand the physical spaces around us.  All spaces are relative.  Small spaces to one person are relative to his/her perspective of the world yesterday, while tomorrow will be influenced by the present.

Sense of place goes beyond the physical self.  The limitlessness of our minds comprehends more than we generally realize.  It is a special ability to have the keen awareness of self, the awareness of self within a space and with others in the space.  The sense of space whether we acknowledge it or not is a direct reflection of who we are.  

For each of us, space means different things.  There is no one context that can define what a particular type of person or persons would feel in a space…what is personal, what is exposed, what is open and maybe what is closed.

A defined space is more of a personal experience as one physically moves through a space.  It is the moving through that space that best defines how and what is important to that person, the variances of motion and the variances of time as one moves through the space.  

The personal experience encompasses the variances of all the senses to define how one feels about a space.  Defining space in one’s mind is based more on a rate of change of the variances between other spaces.  

As we progress through life, (the more of these varying experiences with space sometimes compressed or stretched out over time) thebetter we understand our own sense of being.

It is this sense of being that one would think would grow our mind and soul over time, but sometimes our minds get clouded. Our minds can get clouded, misty or foggy which blocks or partially blocks the ability to feel that sense of being.  

As such, when we start looking at space in which to live we can sometimes get lost.  It is then that we need to step back, take a deep breath and understand how we see space.  There is the actual space, then the boundaries that define that space, and the flow of air and energy between those spaces.  

This sense of space can sometimes become a sense of belonging…to a place, a people, and animals.

The belonging comes as one is in a space, and experiences oneself or the energy that comes when others are in that space with you.  

Envision that feeling when you arrive for an open-air concert.  As people start arriving you can feel the energy.  The smells change.  It is almost as if the wind changes.  The sounds of the environment evolve into a completely different experience and once that open space becomes filled with people of all shapes and sizes the environment changes.  This can be comfortable for some, intolerable for others.  Also imagine after everyone leaves, the concert lights go down.  Oddly enough you can still feel the presence of those that are gone.  Your mind now changes with your thoughts and feelings and the space is permanently altered to a different consciousness.

Ask yourself these questions:

Time in the space

- “Will I grow old here?”

- “Will my family grow here?”

- If I run a business from home, “Will it grow here?”

Special needs

Is there an elderly or someone who has special needs in the household?  

- How will they feel in the places you are considering and how well is their mobility being considered? 

- What must you have to accommodate such a person? 

Slim shady

How does the environment around you make you feel in the space?

- Trees

- Buildings next door

- Rustling trees

- Shrubs

- Fruits

- Veggies

- Herbs

Outside spaces

Define the outside space by how it fits into your lifestyle.

- Porch-able: Is there a sitting area / fun area? 

- Barbecue: Is there space for a pit or more?

- Peaceful places: what feelings in a space give you a sense of calm?

Inside spaces

- Kitchen: Look at the layout and think, “Would I want to cook in here?”

- Den and other rooms: Identify how and where you would use rooms specific to your lifestyle.

Sunshine and nature

- Where does the sun come in in the morning and afternoon?

- How does the rain fall?

- How does the wind blow? 

Color

Do you like the colors there? What colors would you like?

- Insides

- Outsides

Floors and Doors

Consider the finishes on both, then look at the trim and other carpentry finishes.  Do you like how they look and feel?