What to Think About When Writing a Brief for Your Dream Home
Three architects share advice on how to identify what will make your home work better for you and your family
Rebecca Gross
20 September 2021
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
If, in common with most of us, you’ve been spending more time at home recently, that may well have highlighted where your house functions well – and not so well – and how it provides spaces for household members to be together or apart. If a renovation is in your future, then now’s the time to focus on how you can improve your home and ultimately the way you live in it.
Here, three Australian architects suggest ways to write a brief for your dream home and set the design process in motion.
Here, three Australian architects suggest ways to write a brief for your dream home and set the design process in motion.
Take the time to think about how you want to live
“The upside of social distancing is people are spending more time in their homes and have an opportunity to really think about their house,” says Fooi-Ling Khoo, director of OOF! Architecture in St Kilda, Victoria. “If you have time on your hands, it’s valuable to sit down, slow down, and think about what you want from your home and what would make you happy at home.”
Houses are often described in numerical terms: for example four bedrooms, three bathrooms, 250 square metres. However, a home is more personal, and so too should be your brief. Think qualitative and subjective, rather than quantitative and objective.
“The upside of social distancing is people are spending more time in their homes and have an opportunity to really think about their house,” says Fooi-Ling Khoo, director of OOF! Architecture in St Kilda, Victoria. “If you have time on your hands, it’s valuable to sit down, slow down, and think about what you want from your home and what would make you happy at home.”
Houses are often described in numerical terms: for example four bedrooms, three bathrooms, 250 square metres. However, a home is more personal, and so too should be your brief. Think qualitative and subjective, rather than quantitative and objective.
“If you’re home alone or with your family, it’s the ideal time to think about how you want to live – not what other people do or what’s expected, but what you love doing at home,” Fooi-Ling says. “How do you like spending time with your partner and family? What do your children enjoy doing at home? For example, do you love to cook outdoors, host large family dinners, crank up the stereo or read quietly in the garden?”
“Take advantage of any extra time you have and you could really get your home right,” Fooi-Ling says.
Thinking of planning your renovation? Find a local architect on Houzz to discuss your options.
“Take advantage of any extra time you have and you could really get your home right,” Fooi-Ling says.
Thinking of planning your renovation? Find a local architect on Houzz to discuss your options.
These personal, qualitative questions form a valuable part of your brief and will help your architect conceive a design that reflects and supports the way you want to live.
“It takes fresh eyes, creative thinking and experience to identify the problems and see the opportunities in your house,” Fooi-Ling says. “Getting the spaces right – before all the finishes and fittings – will ensure the success of your home.”
Fooi-Ling also recommends thinking about indoor and outdoor spaces and the relationship between them. “There are inside rooms and outside rooms and they should be conceived as part of a whole,” he says.
“It takes fresh eyes, creative thinking and experience to identify the problems and see the opportunities in your house,” Fooi-Ling says. “Getting the spaces right – before all the finishes and fittings – will ensure the success of your home.”
Fooi-Ling also recommends thinking about indoor and outdoor spaces and the relationship between them. “There are inside rooms and outside rooms and they should be conceived as part of a whole,” he says.
Factor in all members of the household and how their needs might change over the years
James Goodlet, director of Altereco Design in Yarraville, Victoria, advises developing the brief to consider all members of the household and how the design could support their personality traits, likes, talents and habits.
“A brief should tell a story about a person and family: who lives in the house, their ages, personalities, likes and habits,” he says. “Think about where, when and how they like to spend their time – when you’re together and apart – as this helps us talk about social arrangements within the house. For example, if your 10-year-old daughter loves to read books in the evening, then maybe [include] a reading nook for her.”
While it will feel more natural to write a brief focused on how you live in the house today, it should be based on how you want to live in the house in the coming years, too. “We hope that people live in their house for at least 10 years, so they need to plot their journey over time,” James says. “This helps us to incorporate flexibility in the design, so your house can adapt to family and lifestyle changes.”
James Goodlet, director of Altereco Design in Yarraville, Victoria, advises developing the brief to consider all members of the household and how the design could support their personality traits, likes, talents and habits.
“A brief should tell a story about a person and family: who lives in the house, their ages, personalities, likes and habits,” he says. “Think about where, when and how they like to spend their time – when you’re together and apart – as this helps us talk about social arrangements within the house. For example, if your 10-year-old daughter loves to read books in the evening, then maybe [include] a reading nook for her.”
While it will feel more natural to write a brief focused on how you live in the house today, it should be based on how you want to live in the house in the coming years, too. “We hope that people live in their house for at least 10 years, so they need to plot their journey over time,” James says. “This helps us to incorporate flexibility in the design, so your house can adapt to family and lifestyle changes.”
Observe what does and doesn’t function well in your home. “Identify the poor performing parts of the house – where it’s too hot in summer and cold in winter; which spaces you avoid and why,” James says.
He suggests thinking about these types of questions on both a practical and an emotional level. “Analysing the feelings you have in different spaces can help us identify and resolve these issues. If you don’t use a bedroom because it’s dark and dingy, it might be better as an en suite.”
He suggests thinking about these types of questions on both a practical and an emotional level. “Analysing the feelings you have in different spaces can help us identify and resolve these issues. If you don’t use a bedroom because it’s dark and dingy, it might be better as an en suite.”
The more you think about your home and the more you put into your brief, the better. “It might be pages long, but that shows you’ve really thought about it,” James says. “You want to work with an architect you have a connection with, and a long brief can help us to feel as if we already know you.”
Consider how you want your home to make you feel
“Building [or completely renovating] a house takes a long time and it’s paramount to have a good relationship with your architect,” says Peter Ahern, co-director of Buck & Simple Architects in Manly, NSW. “This is the time to begin preparing a brief, find an architect and start developing the concept and design.”
Peter recommends that your brief include a ‘shopping list’ of ideal rooms and features, such as three bedrooms, a large kitchen and a walk-in pantry, but it should also describe how you want to feel. “The more you can elaborate about and express the emotional impact, the better we can design a house for the life you want to live,” he says.
“Building [or completely renovating] a house takes a long time and it’s paramount to have a good relationship with your architect,” says Peter Ahern, co-director of Buck & Simple Architects in Manly, NSW. “This is the time to begin preparing a brief, find an architect and start developing the concept and design.”
Peter recommends that your brief include a ‘shopping list’ of ideal rooms and features, such as three bedrooms, a large kitchen and a walk-in pantry, but it should also describe how you want to feel. “The more you can elaborate about and express the emotional impact, the better we can design a house for the life you want to live,” he says.
Peter suggests focusing on the esoteric and emotive qualities. “Do you enjoy your morning coffee sitting in the sunlight? Do you want to access the garden from your laundry? Do you enjoy a beer on the deck in the evening? These types of questions and descriptions will help determine the location and relationship of the spaces,” he says.
If you and your family members are working or studying from home, consider where in the house that’s happening now and how it could be better. It’s an opportunity to start a discussion and table everyone’s ideas of how the house could help them live better.
“Discuss the brief with all members of the household to ensure you’re on the same page,” James says. “It’s also important to be excited about the project and spaces you want to create and the way you want to live.”
“Discuss the brief with all members of the household to ensure you’re on the same page,” James says. “It’s also important to be excited about the project and spaces you want to create and the way you want to live.”
Tell us…
Have you written a brief for your home? Share your tips and experience in the Comments.
Have you written a brief for your home? Share your tips and experience in the Comments.
What are you working on?
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One thing we have done in getting ready to build our "forever" last home is to purchase a simple piece of software that allows us to actually work on a design. There are numerous home design sites online from which to gather ideas. One thing that has become very critical for us over the past 2 years is the fact that we need 2 separate at-home offices, as my husband and I are not permanently WFH. So in addition to the summary brief, we also have a "draft plan" for when we're ready to build. We also look at homes for sale in our area, and have actually incorporated some of the features we have seen in those homes into our own plan and our brief.
** now permanently ...
We just finished building our dream home last November (built all during the pandemic). Now that we are in, we don't regret it. That said, it got worse in terms of materials costs and trades playing "hard to get" as time went by, and we are REALLY glad we are done. If you're not in a hurry, you'll likely save money by waiting for everything to settle down in terms of material and labor costs. The bonus to that approach: more time to plan it all out. If you are in a hurry, then think of it like a ride at Six Flags, and plan to bring lots of patience and money to the project!