Good Questions: What to look for in a new place?

In last week's open thread, AT:LA reader Kim asked a good question that already has gotten a few responses, but we felt deserved it's own thread: "I'm moving to a brand new city and need ideas of what architectural aspects to look for in an apartment that lend themselves to design. Can any ol' apartment look spectacular with the right pieces? Or does the apartment itself have to be spectacular?"

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Personally, I've always let cost and location be the first deciding factors for any new potential home. After that, would be if the space meets my lifestyle needs. And then finally, I try to embrace the space, and let it "speak" to me in terms of decorating. That being said, however, I don't think there's really any right or wrong. It's more about what's most important to you. Clean lines, good floors, nice windows, and ample storage are always helpful to start with. Yet sometimes, you can fall in love with a space that is nothing like what you started out looking for. If you keep an open mind, that can make all the difference. What do you guys think?

Comments (2)

Cost and location,sure, but I want personality. Fireplace, round windows, crown molding, or major design quirks. I've never lived in a box, and would never wish to.
Now I live in a Storybook house, and while it's not all "machine for living" designed, it's got charm and coziness.

posted by RCL on 2006-06-19 16:08:23

I've rethunk my thoughts on this... My three biggies:

1. Good flow, because you can't change that unless you own, and sometimes not even then.

2. Pleasing proportions. It's a ceiling height-room size-trim ratio that can make a small room delightful if right and a large room meager if wrong. (No, I can't put numbers to it.)

3. Good light, whether you consider that to be ample daylight or good shade or night-time absence of intrusive street lamps. Again, it's a factor you can't easily fix, so it needs to be right.

4. Comfortable degree of privacy. I can't stand people running right past my LR window on those external habitrails that suburban California apartments have, but I'm okay with internal corridors. Your mileage may vary.

I could see doing a Bland White 70s Box if it met all these criteria and I didn't hate the flooring. BW7Bs tend to have low ceilings for current tastes, though.

posted by wende in san francisco on 2006-06-20 07:25:12