Unit Size [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Sharon Villines (sharonsharonvillines.com) | |
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 06:54:59 -0700 (PDT) |
On Oct 24, 2013, at 9:49 AM, Tracy Gayton <tracygayton [at] gmail.com> wrote: > At last! Cohousing that truly embraces the idea that with common space, > private space can be smaller. The question is "smaller for what"? in my experience, smaller for purposes of hosting guests, entertaining large groups, and sharing an exercise and kids playroom works very well. People still want to entertain small groups privately. Many people use the guest rooms, but others don't. No one has a large workshop at home but many have their own tools, even if minimal. Everyone one has an "office" with a computer, etc. A couple of people use the CH printer exclusively, otherwise it is back up. The people who don't have a television generally don't watch it in the CH either. People don't have exercise machines at home but some have weights and small equipment. Others still go to a "real" gym. I find it uncomfortable to have one or a few of the same people in the CH all the time. It becomes "theirs" and dampens other activities. We've had a couple of people who wanted to "work at home" full time and use the CH. Each one put it out to the community, got responses, and never did it. The playroom is very useful and an incredible resource, particularly in the winter. Parents still wish they have private yards where they could allow their children out alone and not have to watch them. An interesting thing happens when there are so many children around -- they fight. Or there maybe one or two who are abusive to others. If more than just your own children are out there, a parent needs to be there too. Parents have other things to do besides supervise groups of children and parents don't always work well together in sharing these activities. Sometimes people just don't want to collaborate on another activity. 24/7 gets heavy. Same with pets. People want yards for their dogs, not just a dog run. A dog run is nice but a yard is nicer. > Personally, I'd like to see the studio and one bedrooms units smaller. We've > (two of us) lived in studios of about 300 sq ft. for a cumulative total of > several years and found it perfectly adequate. I think it depends on age and activities. In college, I lived in 500 SF with 4 people. Then with 2 people and two cats. Now 50 years later, I couldn't fit my books in to 300 SF. Add crafts and arts supplies and writing and computer paraphernalia and that is a studio apt. People who are doing professional level work can rarely share resources except with other professionals with whom they have developed working relationships and agreements on the use and maintenance of equipment and supplies. Having someone walk in and randomly start using equipment, messing with expensive paints, etc., is a distraction and lowers productivity. I go nuts seeing how people maintain the workshop. I could never work in there on a serious project that took days to complete. I couldn't sleep nights, for one thing, out of fear that someone would move it without calling me so I could move it myself. I would have to be constantly cleaning up in order to find the tools I needed fast enough to feel I was accomplishing my own work. So it's age and level of expectations that determine how much space one needs. And how much time you spend at the office and away on weekends. Some people actually do just need a hotel room. The space that all of us could probably do without is storing things because "someday they might be useful" or "I bought so I can't just get rid of it." Sharon ---- Sharon Villines Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC http://www.takomavillage.org
- Re: Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch, (continued)
- Re: Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Ann Zabaldo, October 23 2013
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Unit SF [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Sharon Villines, October 23 2013
- Re: Unit SF [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Sharon Villines, October 23 2013
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Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Tracy Gayton, October 24 2013
- Unit Size [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Sharon Villines, October 25 2013
- Re: Unit Size [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Diana Carroll, October 25 2013
- Re: Unit Size [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Diana Carroll, October 25 2013
- Re: Unit Size [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Diana Carroll, October 25 2013
- Re: Unit Size [was Private home dishwasher: 18 vs 24 inch Sharon Villines, October 25 2013
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