Room Size has a huge impact on how you feel in your home. I’ve walked a number of homes this year that had spaces that felt like grand ballrooms with 30 foot ceilings and 70 foot spans, but when I imagine living there trying to cook dinner while someone’s trying to watch TV the sound echoes everywhere. I call this bad design even if it looks good on Instagram.
This is one of the topics that I speak to in an appearance I made on the 73 Degrees podcast hosted by Founder & Interior Designer Stacie Graves with EDIT Design House. You can check out the full episode at the link below, or if you prefer you can read the short version below.
Reach out to Stacie at EDIT Design House if you are looking for an Interior Designer:
The Power of Process: Starting Before Design Begins
One of the hallmarks of OA’s practice is a step he calls the pre-design diagnosis. Before a single sketch is produced, he meets with clients to identify their core concerns, priorities, and aspirations.
This early phase includes:
Clarifying goals and expectations
Reviewing budget realities
Conducting zoning research
Analyzing the site’s opportunities and constraints
Architecture, at its best, responds to place. The topography, views, surrounding streetscape, and neighborhood character all inform the final design. A thoughtfully designed home does not sit arbitrarily on a site—it belongs to it.
This research-based process ensures that design decisions are rooted in strategy rather than assumption.
Style vs. Architecture: Understanding the Difference
Many homeowners begin with a preferred style—Colonial, Mountain Modern, Traditional—but style alone does not define architecture.
Any trained architect can quickly break down any style into its design language: roof forms, massing, window patterns, material palettes, and proportions. However, replicating historical appearance does not mean replicating historical function.
For example, traditional homes from the 16th and 17th centuries often lacked interior kitchens or bathrooms. Today’s homes may reference historical forms aesthetically while embracing modern living patterns such as open floor plans and integrated gathering spaces.
Ultimately, style sets the tone—but function and livability determine success.
Where Architecture and Interior Design Intersect
Architecture and interior design work in close partnership. Structural systems, mechanical requirements, and building performance fall under the architect’s responsibility. Elements such as fireplaces, for example, involve ventilation, roof penetration, and safety considerations long before finishes are selected.
Interior designers then refine and elevate those architectural elements through materials, furnishings, and detailing.
The most successful projects occur when both disciplines collaborate early and intentionally.
Designing for Comfort: Acoustics, Lighting, and Air
Beyond aesthetics and layout, a home must perform well on a sensory level. Oxford Architect emphasizes three critical but often overlooked components of residential design:
Acoustics
Sound dramatically influences comfort. Large rooms with high ceilings and hard surfaces may look impressive—but without proper acoustic treatment, they can create echo and reverberation that make conversation difficult.
Good acoustic design reduces sound muddiness, enhances clarity, and ensures that even during gatherings, voices remain comfortable and intelligible.
Lighting
Thoughtful lighting design can elevate a home from good to exceptional. Rather than relying solely on overhead recessed fixtures, layered lighting creates depth and atmosphere:
Ambient lighting for overall illumination
Task lighting for functional areas
Accent lighting to highlight architectural features
Modern LED technology allows for greater flexibility and subtlety, but restraint is key. When everything is emphasized, nothing stands out.
Thermal and Environmental Comfort
A truly comfortable home maintains consistent temperature, healthy air quality, and appropriate daylight levels. These invisible systems shape how a space feels long after the visual details fade into the background.
Rethinking Size: Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better
One of the most compelling themes from the discussion was the role of scale.
Homes with expansive rooms, soaring ceilings, and vast square footage may appear impressive, but they can compromise comfort. Imagine preparing dinner in a 70-foot-long space with 30-foot ceilings while someone attempts to watch television—the sound echoes, intimacy is lost, and everyday life becomes less enjoyable.
Oversized spaces also strain budgets. A 10,000-square-foot home requires not only greater construction cost but also significantly more investment in finishes and furnishings to maintain quality throughout.
Early budget conversations are essential. By aligning square footage with financial reality, clients can often achieve a higher level of craftsmanship and detailing—rather than sacrificing quality for size.
It is better to design a home that is precisely right than one that is simply large.
Collaboration Beyond Competition
Architecture is often perceived as a competitive industry, but professional collaboration plays an important role in advancing housing solutions. Kory participates in industry groups through the American Institute of Architects and its Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN), as well as local housing affordability initiatives.
These efforts focus on streamlining processes, reducing unnecessary costs, and improving access to well-designed housing—an issue that affects projects at every price point.
Thoughtful design is not just about luxury; it is about responsibility.
