One of the great purposes of art is that a painting, a sculpture, or a poem can change the way we see the world – and ourselves. Since architecture is the “mother of the arts” then it’s not too much to ask the same of our homes. Where we live can feed our mind and spirit. Unlike the body, the mind and spirit cannot be overfed. Making a dwelling place is one of the most significant set of decisions in our lives. Even experts in medicine, law, education, service, or business need help thinking through the issues of making a place to live. This place-making really can be a pleasurable experience if the process is well-organized.

It’s not too much to ask that where you live be more than a roof over your head. The power of our choices is not neutral. Just about every article on architecture has the Winston Churchill quote but it bears repeating:

“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”

Living well would seem to be instinctual and for some people it is. Even so, there is an entire industry organized around homemaking. In the not too distant past women were generally assigned the task of making a house a home. There were textbooks and even college degrees geared towards thoughtful living. Since some families are double income both spouses often share arranging the right kind of home. There are more books and articles than ever before about making a good home yet the need for good living has not diminished. These books and articles are intended to point the way with principles and resources for thoughtful living. These are helpful but it might be good to start from another perspective. Dwelling, as a verb, seems to dive a little deeper than homemaking.

It’s easy to become so accustomed to a glitch in your home and not realize the level of disruption it is causing. Sometimes the fix can be the simplest thing. Maybe it’s rearranging the furniture to make the space feel more open. Maybe it’s a paint job. Maybe you need a new house! Who knows? But before solutions are set into place it’s a good idea to take stock, in an organized way, of how you experience your house. How each place within it makes you feel.

We sometimes encourage our clients to take a sensory inventory of their house. If you have a notebook, or a place on one of your devices, consider setting a few minutes a day aside for a week to inhabit each room (including your outdoor “rooms”). It’s best to do this when you have no other distractions so you can really see your home with new eyes. Jot down what you like and what concerns you about each room. Then, on a scale of 1-10, rank how you feel in the room

(10 being the best). It’s a good idea to include all your family that live with you in this process. Children have a perspective that is often revealing and delightful. I’d say, make notes about your pets, too – they are driven to the very best spots for them by animal instinct and wouldn’t it be nice to keep them in mind?

The sensory inventory can be a useful starting point for a dialogue within the family but also with any experts you might bring into the conversation. A design professional should have a method to take you from there. But be careful, coming up with solutions before you’ve taken stock of things could send you down the wrong path. Taking stock should include sober calculations of budgets, schedules, and property values, of course. But if you don’t do something like the Sensory Inventory, the best part of dwelling could be lost.

Joe Self is a registered architect who runs Firm817 with his wife Tracy. Together, they explore how people live and function in their work and home environments and design a space to support that. They also host “Design Talk,” a weekly live radio show on KTCU 88.7.

The post Creating a Place to Dwell first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Do you dream of living in an elegant Victorian two-story with a wrap-around front porch? Perhaps you’re looking for a family-friendly ranch home or a tasteful Craftsman bungalow. In Fort Worth, you’ll find new, historic, and renovated homes in myriad architectural styles. While many styles root themselves in bygone eras, you don’t necessarily need a historic house to get the look you want. New builds draw inspiration from classic motifs and offer distinct twists on contemporary and traditional design. From charming Tudors to streamlined mid-century moderns, discover the most coveted architectural styles in the city.

Inspired by the Old World architecture brought to America with early settlers, Colonial architecture blends neoclassical stateliness with Puritan-style minimalism. It was the dominant design across the country in the 1700s – think Tara from Gone With the Wind. Although the style has many subsets (including Georgian, Dutch, and Cape Cod), the homes are usually symmetrical squares or rectangles with two or three stories. Dormer windows are a must. Living rooms and kitchens are located downstairs, and bedrooms are on the upper level. Side-gabled roofs and tall columns add grace and grandeur. Look for Colonial architecture in neighborhoods like Westover Hills, Ryan Place, and, of course, Colonial.

While Colonial architecture is more subdued, intricate gables, ornate trim work, and wrap-around porches make Victorian architecture easy to recognize. Hailing from the reign of England’s Queen Victoria (1837-1901), these homes are usually two or three stories tall and feature complex, asymmetrical designs. Hexagonal and octagonal shapes are often found in Victorian architecture, along with bay windows, towers, and turrets. Look for elaborate gingerbread cutouts and spindles, along with turned posts and decorative railings. Victorian architecture is most often seen in Fairmount, Ryan Place, and Berkeley Place.

Craftsman architecture’s clean lines and no-nonsense design came as a welcome reprieve after the embellishments of the Victorian era. Also known as Arts and Crafts, the aesthetic was spawned as a late 19^th-century British and American movement to revive handmade artistry. Simple yet tasteful, casual, and well-constructed, the Craftsman style has far-reaching influence. Many homes feature wide eaves and low-pitched roofs with triangular framing. Front porches are ubiquitous and often adorned with thick, tapered columns. Built-ins and exposed beams give interior spaces a hand-hewn feel. Craftsman is the most popular architectural style in America and dominates Mistletoe Heights, Arlington Heights, and the Near Southside.

Curved roof lines and decorative half-timbering are hallmarks of the Tudor style, an early 20^th-century revival of late medieval architecture from the reign of Henry VIII. With intricate chimneys and steeply pitched gable roofs, Tudor architecture embraces a nostalgic lean towards English pastoralism and simpler times. From fairy-tale folk cottages to king-worthy mansions that evoke a countryside manor, these homes often boast embellished doorways, decorative chimney pots, and a quaint, storybook vibe. While they’re more common up north, Tudor homes make regular appearances in Rivercrest, Westover Hills, Arlington Heights, and the neighborhoods around TCU.

Laid-back and low-slung, ranch style homes embrace outdoor living and open floor plans (usually in a rectangle or L-shape). This uniquely American style rose to prominence in the 1950s and ‘60s, and the single-story design is still one of the most popular today. Ranch homes emphasize natural light, and the backyard is usually just steps away from the living room or kitchen. Their aesthetic of modern simplicity extends to the exterior, which is often covered with brick for easy maintenance. You’ll find these family-friendly homes throughout the city, but especially in Tanglewood, Overton Park, and Ridglea/Ridgmar.

Referring to the years between 1933 to 1965, mid-century modern celebrates indoor/outdoor harmony with ample windows and natural light. Clean lines and organic elements dominate: warm woods, slate floors, travertine tiles, and voluminous stone fireplaces. Roofs are vaulted or flat. Sliding glass doors and clerestory windows let the outside in, while atriums create calm. Functional and futuristic at its inception, this style heralded a new era of progress and optimism in America that still rings true today. Most mid-century modern homes in Fort Worth are clustered in Ridglea Hills, Westcliff, and Morningside.

In other cities, these wildly diverse architectural styles could (and do) clash, but in Fort Worth, they harmoniously combine to create the city we know and love.

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with her weenie dogs, Steve and Lenny.

The post Creating a Harmonious Whole first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.