I think of houses in terms of possibilities

It's interesting how my habits change when I land in a new place. Everyone can recall this from their own travels. Take the same family, the same things, the same kids, and have them stay in one place after another, and you'll see how differently they spend their days.

The places and things we use reshape our routine. Oddly enough, we adapt to the set of objects around us and furnish the space to fit. The arrangement of the walls affects when we go to bed and wake up, how much we move, eat, read, entertain ourselves, talk to one another, and work.

Where are the TV and the kids' room in relation to each other? Which corners get good light during the day? Where is the house quiet? Is it easy to carry food out to the terrace? Is it hot or cool out there? Who can see me from the balcony? Who am I disturbing in the evening? Can I wander these rooms and stay interested? The shower, the bathroom, the pool, the size of the refrigerator, the canopy, the oven, the blender, the treadmill, the projector, the stereo, the streaming subscription — each place has a different set, and each time I change along with it.

I'm used to thinking about houses in terms of possibilities and use cases.

Unfortunately, the time to shape a space is rarely given — when building or fixing up a house, when renovating, when choosing a rental. And it's impossible to plan for everything in those moments. You have to adjust and learn from experience.