How I'm thinking about this house

Thanks to Sarah Susanka and her Not So Big concept, I started thinking about my house not in terms of rooms, but as spaces where I do activities. My activities fall into six categories:

• Cooking, eating, entertaining and planning same
• Reading and surrounding myself with books
• Sleeping, bathing, grooming and laundry
• Hosting overnight guests
• Doing household business (and my next career business)
• Creating (sewing, drawing, painting)

Within each category of activities there are certain requirements. For example, when I host overnight guests, I want them to have their own bathroom. Or, since entertaining is central to the way I live, I like to interact with guests as I cook, while keeping them out of the way.

I've done a brain-dump of everything I'd like to have in each of these spaces. Each of these activities doesn't require a unique or dedicated space: some spaces will accommodate more than one activity. For example, I think my reading space will probably also be the space where I conduct my household business (pay bills, etc.). And my creating space could also potentially be guest space, if planned intelligently.

Next Monday I'm meeting with Jane, the architect, to review her first pass at a design. Can't wait!