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Dream Homes from the Past Century

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Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#31

Post by dillonmckay »

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #15
freetime2 wrote: post #10

Recently my idea of a dream house would something in the traditional Japanese style with wood, tatami, shoji, and a beautiful garden. I remember being really blown away by the Nomura house [1] in Kanazawa many years ago. Of course I would probably want to update it with better insulation, air conditioning, and more glass/screens to let me enjoy the views of the garden while keeping the bugs out. The best part is you…

A lot of those homes are difficult to retrofit with decent heating and insulation. I had a friend thattried this with an old Beijing hutong whose bones simply weren’t designed for central heating. You can put in something, but it will be expensive and/or ineffective.

So, I have been looking at high velocity air conditioning, but also the newer minisplit form factors, where you can have a lower wall mount, but more flat, or a hidden ducted unit, or even a ceiling mount unit.

I was surprised at the number of options.

Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#32

Post by ViViDboarder »

tlack wrote: post #9
RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #2

Is it just me or does anybody else think that the Desert House, United States looks a lot like a rest stop bathroom?

Definitely an odd exterior aesthetic but it's a lot more rational on the inside: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/jim-jennings-sli...

Interesting interior design too with the open area and the gap window at ceiling level going around the whole home. I guess there’s not much of a view and likely a lot of solar heat, so the configuration makes sense.

Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#33

Post by bryanrasmussen »

lostlogin wrote: post #30
nullc wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can build windows that have sound attenuation greater than common wall construction. My office at home has a series of 62"x80" windows effectively forming the walls on two sides of four sides, and smaller windows covering on one side. I had the windows built as 3/16"-PVB_laminate-1/4"-1/2"_gap-1/4". The lamination and the different thicknesses detune the panes, and the large mass provides a lot of attenuation. Yo…

> You can hardly hear someone standing outside yelling. I’ve got to ask - was this a test or are people regularly yelling outside your office?

home office, kids. I'm guessing.

Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#34

Post by sgt101 »

Aeolun wrote: post #26
anm89 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The horror of having to settle for having all your needs met and living without insane luxury. Poor you. These houses would have been unaffordable to almost everyone at any time I'm history and two hundred years ago no amount of wealth could have bought you them at all. So what again is special about being alive now?

What is special about now is that you can have a simple house now, and have it be the envy of a kings’ from 200 years ago. The sheer comfort of living in a modern house is insane, regardless of the size.

Add a decent modern mattress and a 60" TV connected to Netflix and bring the billionaire envy 150 years forward?

Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#35

Post by freetime2 »

FreeBricklayer wrote: post #20

Are these dream homes or architecturally interesting homes? I would certainly not want to live in one of those homes.

Definitely “dream” in the not-your-home-in-reality sense. My assumption is that the people who can afford to build houses like this do so as second (or third, etc) homes, and live in something much more practical as their “daily driver”.

Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#37

Post by pkamb »

I'd love a service that surfaced "architecturally desirable" homes for sale in your area, at various price points.

This is a hard criteria to define. But I know it when I see it. Some combination of materials, craftsmanship, age, and design. Not necessarily location or price.

It's very hard to filter for using Redfin or Zillow. I wish there was an MLS site that showed you 50+ listing thumbnails on a single page and allowed you to click through on any that caught your eye.

Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#38

Post by nullc »

lostlogin wrote: post #30
nullc wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can build windows that have sound attenuation greater than common wall construction. My office at home has a series of 62"x80" windows effectively forming the walls on two sides of four sides, and smaller windows covering on one side. I had the windows built as 3/16"-PVB_laminate-1/4"-1/2"_gap-1/4". The lamination and the different thicknesses detune the panes, and the large mass provides a lot of attenuation. Yo…

> You can hardly hear someone standing outside yelling. I’ve got to ask - was this a test or are people regularly yelling outside your office?

It was an unexpected complication after replacing the windows: I didn't realize my partner was summoning me by yelling from outside until it stopped working. :)

Re: Dream Homes from the Past Century

#40

Post by harpratap »

freetime2 wrote: post #10

Recently my idea of a dream house would something in the traditional Japanese style with wood, tatami, shoji, and a beautiful garden. I remember being really blown away by the Nomura house [1] in Kanazawa many years ago. Of course I would probably want to update it with better insulation, air conditioning, and more glass/screens to let me enjoy the views of the garden while keeping the bugs out. The best part is you…

But it's in the middle of bumbfuck-nowhere, population steadily declining for 40 years. Even if you want to work remotely there's no guarantee the infrastructure will keep up with proper electricity, medical facilities, internet, mail and all the 1st world conveniences.
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