A Father’s Perspective

Father’s Day serves as an opportunity to honor the father figures in our lives. But let’s not limit it to just one day. A unique way to honor the dads in our lives is with thoughtful home design. Similar to moms, children, and even grandparents with multigenerational additions, dads also have a checklist when it comes to searching for a new home or upgrading their current residence. So, we weighed in with the WHA team members who are also fathers to see what features contribute most to good home design.

As a team of architects, planners, and designers, one non-negotiable is the sense of community and street appeal of a home. A question to consider is, “Does this community match my family’s lifestyle and needs?” The location of a home, whether buying or renting, is important to research and become familiar with before stepping through the front door. And of course, we all can appreciate the importance of the exterior and how it correlates to the rest of the neighborhood.

Now once we’re inside the home, dads value a functioning floor plan with good circulation, little to no wasted space, and large bedrooms (bonus points if the home offers flexible spaces that can adapt to current needs). Having the option to utilize a space as a bedroom in the future is important, but in the meantime, why not have the capability to use it as an office, den, or kid’s craft room?

Dads are famous for considering the functionality of the outdoor space when selecting a home. We all agreed that strong indoor-outdoor connection is key for spending time with family and friends, barbecuing throughout the week, and entertaining during summer evenings. Outdoor amenities that don’t go unnoticed (bonus if the design already includes these features!), include covered patios, dedicated outdoor sitting and dining areas, outdoor kitchens, a firepit, and grass for endless activities with the family!

Many of our WHA team members desire the ability to add usable space to their existing homes. These spaces include a basement or additional garage space that can be converted into a home gym or workshop. Having the ability to age-in-place is another component that’s on our wish lists. This way, once the kids grow up their childhood home could one day be their forever home. Last but not least; both the moms and dads of WHA dream about remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms – how could we not?

Every day, our WHA Team works together to design functional, desirable homes for communities around the world. So when its our turn to join the home search or update our existing homes, we can have the dream design for our families. Happy Father’s Day to all the men in our lives!