What do you hate about current home and building design practices?

[chrizow]

Car culture -- or perhaps "anti-pedestrian" culture is a better term -- is my other pet peeve. I agree with Fang that the suburbs have no qualms about disregarding pedestrians completely. That's fine with me; that's part of what the suburbs are about. But outside of The Plaza, KCMO is barely any better, in fact, I dare say that, despite being clearly spacially discouraged there, the role of pedestrian might actually be more enjoyable in the suburbs than in the core. The fact of the matter is that the lifestyle in the core is only marginally more urban than anywhere else in the metro, because virtually nothing is within walking distance of people's homes -- and even if a few places are, the street life is still so insipid, and the built environment so poor, that most people simply end up leading the same "Pod" lifestyle as suburbanites: home pod, work pod, store pod, restaurant pod, all connected via the car pod. This drives me nuts, especially when I think of what KC used to be.

quoted for troof.

[LenexatoKCMO]

When a strange car would accidently drive onto the street we would watch it until it left.

Why not just go ahead and build a fortified compound with gun towers and barbed wire. 

[chrizow]

a "strange car" turned onto my street the other day as i was backing out of the driveway.  i saw it coming and opted to wait until it passed before i fully pulled out.  the car was traveling really slowly, as the driver was probably gawking at the myriad homes for sale/rent on the street.  i had my car in reverse and was looking out the rear window to see when the car passed and the path was clear...

as it passed behind my car, the driver stopped, looked at me, opened his sunroof, stuck his arm out and flipped me off!  i couldn't fucking believe it.  it was some douchey older guy driving a taurus with JoCo plates. 

[Stockton]

That's some funny shit.

[FangKC]

I live near Broadway and 10th and there are strangers going past all the time in these odd horseless carriages that leave no visible droppings that need to be scooped up.  It's a wonder.

The cable cars and street trolleys all seem to have strangely vanished. I've also noted a lack of oxen traveling the streets.   

[aknowledgeableperson]

Why not just go ahead and build a fortified compound with gun towers and barbed wire. 

Didn't have to go that far.  Why would we have to?  Anyway, the entrance to the street was marked as a dead end with no exit so they either were not paying attention, visiting someone on the street, or up to no good.  No matter what it was one neighbor looking out for the other neighbors.  Isn't that what neighbors suppose to do?

[FangKC]

I drive around looking at neighborhoods and houses all the time.  I certainly would not be among those who are up to no good.  Cul-de-sacs are irritating for others because when one is trying to get somewhere, or find their way out of a neighborhoods that have no formal street grid, hitting a cul-de-sac is enough to piss one off. In addition, where you intend to head one direction in these neighborhoods, you end up being directed in another one entirely and have to take a nice cruise around in circles like a lemming.

It's easy for some people to become lost in these neighborhoods because they don't head in any one direction, and they all have similar names (Briarcliff Drive, Terrace, Lane, Circle, Road, Avenue, Boulevard, Street, West, East, North, South, Way, and NO WAY OUT.

Sometimes I believe it was some urban planner being "cute."

Sometimes you have to go several blocks out of your way just to get around these neighborhoods just so you can get back to the street grid on the other side of them.  I'd be quite happy if windy go-nowhere streets would be banned.

[aknowledgeableperson]

To each their own.  But it is probably more about what one has experienced and what one expects.  Sure, I have been frustrated at times driving around looking for a new house of a friend but that is more of a rare exception than a rule.  But I have learned to plan ahead if going to an area of the metro that I am not familiar with.  Having a KC map is helpful plus with the internet I do not have a hard time at all now when driving around.

[nota]

Didn't have to go that far.  Why would we have to?  Anyway, the entrance to the street was marked as a dead end with no exit so they either were not paying attention, visiting someone on the street, or up to no good.  No matter what it was one neighbor looking out for the other neighbors.  Isn't that what neighbors suppose to do?

Never mind, AKP. They just don't or won't "get it."

Of course probably if some of the city's neighborhoods did this, the crime level they scream about would go down.

I understand PERFECTLY what you are talking about. I live in a one way in and one way out neighborhood too. It is great for just the same reasons you speak of. Plus there is no thru traffic to speed through and hit our kids and/or mow down street signs, etc.

[nota]

I drive around looking at neighborhoods and houses all the time.   I certainly would not be among those who are up to no good.  Cul-de-sacs are irritating for others because when one is trying to get somewhere, or find their way out of a neighborhoods that have no formal street grid, hitting a cul-de-sac is enough to piss one off. In addition, where you intend to head one direction in these neighborhoods, you end up being directed in another one entirely and have to take a nice cruise around in circles like a lemming.

You need to remember that neighborhoods anywhere and in any era are built for the residents, not for those who aren't. And the residents in cul de sac neighborhoods like them. One of our cul de sacs is a major street hockey place for all the neighborhood kids. One of them is where we have block parties.

If you "get pissed off" over something as insignificant as hitting a cul de sac, here's a book that may help you.

It's easy for some people to become lost in these neighborhoods because they don't head in any one direction, and they all have similar names (Briarcliff Drive, Terrace, Lane, Circle, Road, Avenue, Boulevard, Street, West, East, North, South, Way, and NO WAY OUT.

What you think is bad is good for the residents. We like it.

Sometimes I believe it was some urban planner being "cute."

Get a grip. You seem waaaay too spazzed out about this.

Sometimes you have to go several blocks out of your way just to get around these neighborhoods just so you can get back to the street grid on the other side of them.  I'd be quite happy if windy go-nowhere streets would be banned.

You must be one of those who likes to take a "short cut" through residential neighborhoods at 45mph.    We invite you to stop and smell our roses.

Seriously, I'm writing this with tongue firmly in cheek, but I really wonder why it is such a big hot button for you.

For instance, I don't get spazzed out when I drive the grid streets in the city even though they are claustrophobic to me with houses close to the street, cars parked on both sides bumper to bumper spoiling the view of the lovely old homes. I drive through residential neighborhoods like this at 15 or so because I'm deathly afraid of hitting a kid who darts out between those parked cars. In the burbs, our kids play in the BACK yards and that is what I'm used to. But it's just a tiny bump in the fabric of life. - nothing to get "pissed off" about.

Using words like "hostile" to describe a neighborhood is guaranteed to stir disagreement especially in the seed post. One of the things hubby and I liked best about the current neighborhood we live in is that when we were driving around looking, we stopped and got out and walked like we would when we live here. People actually spoke to us and were friendly. In city neighborhoods I walk in, I find the people walking along looking at their feet or the sidewalk, afraid to make eye contact. It's very off putting. There are good and bad points about every lifestyle and thank God for that. What a boring world it would be without it.

[mean]

The main reason I would never live in a "one way in, one way out" neighborhood full of windy dead ends is I'd be afraid that the ambulance or police would get lost or respond to the wrong house when I needed them. This is infinitely less likely with an orderly grid street system. In general I'm sure those folks know their way around, and the chances of a mishap are small, but it does happen; and it has happened often enough, coupled with the other design "problems" people are mentioning, that several cities have all but banned these kinds of subdivisions.

However, there are obvious advantages as well, which have also been clearly and repeatedly touted here. I think ideally, new suburban development would do well to find a compromise between more traditional post-WW2 street layout and something that more easily facilitates pedestrian activity and transit. The "fused grid" concept could be promising.

[ComandanteCero]

In my subdivision if i see someone walking around whom i don't know, i squint at them, bare my teeth and raise the hairs on the back of my neck until they stop looking at me.  Then i flick them off and start flinging my own feces at them.

I'm kidding.

No one walks in my subdivision.

[FangKC]

You need to remember that neighborhoods anywhere and in any era are built for the residents, not for those who aren't. And the residents in cul de sac neighborhoods like them. One of our cul de sacs is a major street hockey place for all the neighborhood kids. One of them is where we have block parties.

Before I reply, let me just say that you are reading a lot of anger into my statements that isn't there. I'm a very happy and calm person.  Nor am I so frustrated or stressed out that I need to seal myself off from other humans for any period of time. As far as I know, the vast majority of people find me friendly and engaging, and even amusing. If this were not true, believe me, my family would tell me. They are vocal that way.

If you read my posts regularly, you will see that I have a sense of humor about most things, and am satirical at times, and even enjoy being an occasional goof-ball. I rarely if ever name-call, or attack people personally; unlike some others.  If I criticize anything, it's because of a behavior or situation, and I present evidence, or examples, on which to base the comment.  Most of all, I avoid being cruel or mean.  However, I cannot control how anyone will perceive anything.  Some people possess the ability to process the statement, "I Love You," through a unique and freaky internal filter and come up with a completely unexpected reaction--perhaps even becoming violent.  Bad circuitry upstairs I guess.   :lol:

Now, the topic. Last time I checked, streets are for traffic and vehicles, not kids.  Any cop would tell you that. Streets exist for the purpose of facilitating transportation, not leisure activity. The streets running through your neighborhood are public thoroughfares, and anyone is free to travel them for whatever purpose they want as long as they are licensed, and not committing crime or acting dangerously. As for kids playing on them, we have something called a playground, or yard, for that purpose. It should be looked into.  I grew up in a small town with little traffic, and we knew not to play in the streets.  If your kids need a place to play hockey, contact your council member.  Instead of defending how great this practice is, perhaps you should be a bit concerned that someday someone will plow through that gathering of kids.  There are lots of people taking lots of substances these days even in the suburbs.

As you stated your discomfort about city kids darting into the streets, that same thing happens in suburban neighborhoods when kids go looking for their hockey puck under a car, and come out suddenly.  Balls roll into streets.  I've had kids dart in front of my car in those neighborhoods as much or more than on city streets where kids are trained not to treat the street as a playing field.  People drive as fast or faster on suburban streets as narrow, car-lined city steets.  However, since I drive like an old man, I'm usually prepared. But like everyone who drives, occasionally there are disconcerting close calls.

You must be one of those who likes to take a "short cut" through residential neighborhoods at 45mph.    We invite you to stop and smell our roses.

Already answered.

Seriously, I'm writing this with tongue firmly in cheek, but I really wonder why it is such a big hot button for you.

It's not.  This topic is about design practices. A rather mundane subject. We aren't talking about religion or politics on this thread.  Why would I get overly-stressed out about garage placement or dead-end streets?  We are not talking about something worth pulling a trigger over, just personal preferences.

Using words like "hostile" to describe a neighborhood is guaranteed to stir disagreement especially in the seed post.

It's just a word.   One that is commonly-used among city planners, architects, and designers when describing building practices that don't take into account how humans exist in the world, or how they affect the mood and psyche of residents and visitors.

For example, putting up a 10-foot high, barbed-wire, electric shock fence is hostile to your neighbors. Keeping 14 barking dogs in your front yard is hostile to the mail delivery person.  Erecting a wall with license plates and flattened beer cans covering it in your front yard in Briarcliff Estates is a hostile behavior designed to put off your neighbors.   :P

Some may say that not building sidewalks in a suburban neighborhood where people walk for exercise, and make them walk in the street, is a hostile urban planning practice.  But that's them. I don't walk in the street where there aren't sidewalks, so I don't care.

There are plenty of urban streets and neighborhoods on the traditional grid street system that are lovely, bucolic, and which encourage plenty of human interaction.  The suburbs don't have a premium on that quality of life.

[FangKC]

Now, can we get back to discussing design practices?

[nota]

Before I reply, let me just say that you are reading a lot of anger into my statements that isn't there. I'm a very happy and calm person.  Nor am I so frustrated or stressed out that I need to seal myself off from other humans for any period of time. As far as I know, the vast majority of people find me friendly and engaging, and even amusing. If this were not true, believe me, my family would tell me. They are vocal that way.

I read no anger at all in your statements. I just object to the words used.

If you read my posts regularly, you will see that I have a sense of humor about most things, and am satirical at times, and even enjoy being an occasional goof-ball. I rarely if ever name-call, or attack people personally; unlike some others.  If I criticize anything, it's because of a behavior or situation, and I present evidence, or examples, on which to base the comment.  Most of all, I avoid being cruel or mean.  However, I cannot control how anyone will perceive anything.  Some people possess the ability to process the statement, "I Love You," through a unique and freaky internal filter and come up with a completely unexpected reaction--perhaps even becoming violent.  Bad circuitry upstairs I guess. 

I agree with all the above and always have. But when you call my neighborhood "hostile" - I'm gonna explain why it is not.

Now, the topic. Last time I checked, streets are for traffic and vehicles, not kids.  Any cop would tell you that. Streets exist for the purpose of facilitating transportation, not leisure activity. The streets running through your neighborhood are public thoroughfares, and anyone is free to travel them for whatever purpose they want as long as they are licensed, and not committing crime or acting dangerously. As for kids playing on them, we have something called a playground, or yard, for that purpose. It should be looked into.  I grew up in a small town with little traffic, and we knew not to play in the streets.  If your kids need a place to play hockey, contact your council member.  Instead of defending how great this practice is, perhaps you should be a bit concerned that someday someone will plow through that gathering of kids.  There are lots of people taking lots of substances these days even in the suburbs.

#1-my children don't play in the streets. When the kids are playing street hockey, there are also some dads with them. Safe, not safe is not for me to decide-their parents have that responsibility. The hockey cul de sac is way at the end of the subdivision-no one can "blow through" it. It is at the end. Lots of space to turn off or turn around before you get to the kids. However, I am not in favor of kids playing in the streets but as I said, it's not for me to decide.

As you stated your discomfort about city kids darting into the streets, that same thing happens in suburban neighborhoods when kids go looking for their hockey puck under a car, and come out suddenly.  Balls roll into streets.  I've had kids dart in front of my car in those neighborhoods as much or more than on city streets where kids are trained not to treat the street as a playing field.  People drive as fast or faster on suburban streets as narrow, car-lined city steets.  However, since I drive like an old man, I'm usually prepared. But like everyone who drives, occasionally there are disconcerting close calls.

Seldom are cars parked in the street in my neighborhood. Mostly cars are parked in garages or driveways. FWIW-I've been on city streets in KC where portable basketball goals are set up and the kids "challenge" you when you are driving through. The speed limit in my subdivision is 25, not that it is always heeded. Keep in mind too that the streets in many subdivisions are owned by the subdivision or at least maintained by the subdivision for one reason or another.

It's not.  This topic is about design practices. A rather mundane subject. We aren't talking about religion or potics on this thread.  Why would I get overly-stressed out about garage placement or dead-end streets?  We are not talking about something worth pulling a trigger over, just personal preferences.

It's that word again. My neighbors are the least hostile people I know. As I'm sure you and yours are. The very word is judgemental to say the least.

It's just a word.  One that is commonly-used among city planners, architects, and designers when describing building practices that don't take into account how humans exist in the world, or how they affect the mood and psyche of residents and visitors.

Never have I heard that word used in any of those instances by planners, architects, etc.

For example, putting up a 10-foot high, barbed-wire, electric shock fence is hostile to your neighbors. Keeping 14 barking dogs in your front yard is hostile to the mail delivery person.  Erecting a wall with license plates and flattened beer cans covering it in your front yard in Briarcliff Estates is a hostile behavior designed to put off your neighbors. 

I don't see any of those examples as "hostile" - just preferences. Some would be illegal even. There is a really fine line between being able to do anything you darn well please on your own property and following building codes and neighborhood covenants, etc.
But just for fun, let's see-In my neighborhood, there is the pea-green house that everyone wigged out about. There is the egg yolk yellow door on a different house. There is the house that had a large deer in the front yard right beside the "touchdown Jesus" and the artificial palm tree. (that one was pretty funny because when the neighborhood gestapo told her she had to get rid of the deer, she wanted to donate it to the subdivision for our entrance.) Every neighborhood has their share of these kinds of interesting situations.

Some may say that not building sidewalks in a suburban neighborhood where people walk for exercise, and make them walk in the street, is a hostile urban planning practice.  But that's them. I don't walk in the street where there aren't sidewalks, so I don't care.

  People walk all the time in my neighborhood. We have sidewalks on BOTH sides of every street. But many people still walk in the street. Up on Southern Platte Pass (the trails along 45) - people still walk or jog in the street. No accounting for preferences.

There are plenty of urban streets and neighborhoods on the traditional grid street system that are lovely, bucolic, and which encourage plenty of human interaction.  The suburbs don't have a premium on that quality of life.

But you see, I already know that. I've always known that. You will never catch me saying any neighborhood is "hostile" because it is still someone's home and they like it. It is no different than me saying your baby is ugly. Because even if the baby is really ugly, he is still your baby and you love him unconditionally.

[nota]

What I like and dislike about current home building and design practices.

Likes: (in no special order)

*Style. Styles are varied from house to house, area to area, town to town.
Modern materials such as windows, plumbing, electrical, roofing, siding among others are used in new construction no matter the style or design.

*Modern sizing of homes and rooms and other home areas to suit a 2007 lifestyle.

*Closet and storage space. Not to be confused with filling up your garage with toys, etc. I’m speaking about having enough room in your closet for both of your clothes rather than having to use other closets or portable solutions.

*High ceilings. Not the soaring high ones, but 9 to 12 feet is good for me.

*Modern conveniences are built into homes like computer and cable wiring and sound systems-heated ceramic tile floors, dishwashers, enough hot water for the whole family, etc.

*Open floor plans so that everyone can be a part of the family activities no matter what they are doing. I had too many years of being the kitchen drudge while the rest of the family was having fun in the other room.

*Efficient furnaces, air conditioning, water heating, etc.


Dislikes:

*New Urban styles because I just like modern better. But I don't often care much for contemporary.

*New Urban homes are way overpriced for what you get. And they have the same materials in them for the most part that subdivision homes have in them but you pay a premium for the “New Urbanism” bit.

*Tiny lots and crammed together houses. I don’t want to know that my neighbor John is walking through the house in his underwear while I’m looking out the kitchen window while washing dishes. I much prefer watching my hummingbirds at their feeder in the locust tree. Houses are too close together IMHO when you can hear your neighbor’s conversations while you are sitting outside on your own porch, deck or patio and they can hear yours.

*Privacy fences. I hate them, hate them, hate them. In fact, I hate fences in general. I prefer natural barriers like trees and shrubs or just space so you aren’t right on top of each other. They seem so much more friendly.

*Ceilings lower than 9 feet seem claustrophobic to me.

*Small rooms. IMHO no bedroom should have a dimension smaller than 12 feet. A kitchen should be large enough for 2 or 3 cooks and some kibitzers as well and have eat in capabilities. Hallways and stairways should be at least 4 feet wide for accessibility.

*Dining rooms. Other than giving you a place to put the dining room furniture, what good are they? We eat in the kitchen or outside unless we have more than 6 or 7. Use the dining room maybe 4 or 5 times a year. The cat uses the dining room more than anyone else as she sleeps on the table daily so she can watch the birds in the dogwood tree outside the dining room window.

*Whirlpool tubs larger than regular tub size. Just another tub to wash, takes an unGodly amount of water to fill it and isn’t used all that much-at least not by anyone I know. Yes, if you’ve worked in the garden all day, it is wonderful to relax in at night and you don’t wake up nearly as stiff and sore, but it isn’t often enough to warrant the space.

*Narrow steps-(narrow from front to back) Steps should be at least 10 inches both for comfort in using and for safety.

[FangKC]

What I like and dislike about current home building and design practices.

Likes: (in no special order)

*Style. Styles are varied from house to house, area to area, town to town.
Modern materials such as windows, plumbing, electrical, roofing, siding among others are used in new construction no matter the style or design.

Agreed.  I'm all for  more efficient building materials and those that aren't toxic to inhabitants (like abestos, preservatives, formaldahyde, etc.).  I also prefer a well-insulated house with recirculating air.  Not a big fan of the vinyl siding though.  I'd rather see people resurface with concrete-composite siding, or just repaint the house. I understand a lot of people do it because of the insulation value though.   

*Closet and storage space. Not to be confused with filling up your garage with toys, etc. I’m speaking about having enough room in your closet for both of your clothes rather than having to use other closets or portable solutions.

Big agreement here.  Can never have too much closet and storage space.  Wish the attic would make a comeback too.  Just because I loved picking through attic artifacts as a kid.  It was sort of a playland.

*High ceilings. Not the soaring high ones, but 9 to 12 feet is good for me.

I've always like Victorian houses for this reason.  I've always liked English houses where they hang framed pictures clear to the ceiling.

*Modern conveniences are built into homes like computer and cable wiring and sound systems-heated ceramic tile floors, dishwashers, enough hot water for the whole family, etc. 

My life without a dishwasher would be too dismal to contemplate. I served enough time washing dishes by hand in this lifetime.  I just wish home builders would install about three times the number of electrical outlets than they seem to do today.   I hate stringing extension cords and using strip outlets everywhere.

*Open floor plans so that everyone can be a part of the family activities no matter what they are doing. I had too many years of being the kitchen drudge while the rest of the family was having fun in the other room. 

I can understand why you like that Nota.   I, however, prefer a closed off kitchen just because I often have dishes in the sink, and haven't kept my stove-top cleaned.   If I could afford a maid and cook, I'd be all for the open kitchen.

*Efficient furnaces, air conditioning, water heating, etc. 

Life without air conditioning and hot water would be dismal.   :(   During heatwaves, I feel real compassion for people who can't afford it.  Seems almost third-world not to have it nowadays.  Heating and cooling systems are so much more efficient that those tremendous old oil-burning power plants that used to be in everyone's basements.

Dislikes:

*...I don’t want to know that my neighbor John is walking through the house in his underwear while I’m looking out the kitchen window while washing dishes.

A bit too intimate for Nota I take it.  What if said neighbor was a ripped hottie?    Reminds me of an old episode of Roseanne when they had elderly, nudist neighborhoods.

*Privacy fences. I hate them, hate them, hate them. In fact, I hate fences in general. I prefer natural barriers like trees and shrubs or just space so you aren’t right on top of each other. They seem so much more friendly. 

I share your views here too.  The thing with fences is that they often are neglected and start to look bad.  Even when it's not your fence, you have to endure it.

*Ceilings lower than 9 feet seem claustrophobic to me. 

Nota, you sound like my mother. Are you sisters?    Seriously, you have mentioned claustrophobia twice in your posts on this thread.   I think they have therapies for overcoming that nowadays.  My mother used to hate riding in elevators, so I always had to distract her with conversations like "So, what middle name would you have rather had?" or "Are you a cat or dog person?"

*Small rooms. IMHO no bedroom should have a dimension smaller than 12 feet. A kitchen should be large enough for 2 or 3 cooks and some kibitzers as well and have eat in capabilities. Hallways and stairways should be at least 4 feet wide for accessibility.

Mommy? Is that you?   :P

*Dining rooms. Other than giving you a place to put the dining room furniture, what good are they? We eat in the kitchen or outside unless we have more than 6 or 7. Use the dining room maybe 4 or 5 times a year. The cat uses the dining room more than anyone else as she sleeps on the table daily so she can watch the birds in the dogwood tree outside the dining room window.

Agreed. Biggest waste of space since Siberia.  The other example is the old fashioned "living rooms" of my youth where people had pristine, fancy furniture covered in clear vinyl and fitted, arm covers under the vinyl (a bit redundant).  The room that no one ever used except when one was receiving the vacuum cleaner salesman, or for guests after a funeral.  Even then, everyone felt uncomfortable in them.

*Narrow steps-(narrow from front to back) Steps should be at least 10 inches both for comfort in using and for safety. 

You should have seen the stairs in my great-aunt Orphie's farmhouse. It was like climbing a ladder.  Fun as a kid; hell as an adult.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I agree with all the above and always have. But when you call my neighborhood "hostile" - I'm gonna explain why it is not.

Hostile is just a term-of-art for planners and designers, its not used as a personal insult.  It describes any design element that discourages visitors pedestrians, and other human interaction.  Lest you think that the term only gets used as an insult to suburbanites, be aware that it has plenty of urban applications as well.  You will find plenty of discussions around this site where urban developments are critiqued due to hostile design elements such as poor sidewalk interaction, etc.  Hostile design elements are usually the trade off for some other gain in efficiency, reduced cost, etc.  For example, building a house so that it's primary frontage is mostly garage is a hostile design element - it makes the house intimidating to outsiders, visitors may get confused as to where they are supposed to go to enter, etc.  However, in exchange for the hostility, the prominant garage may be more convenient for the occupants and will likely save construction costs.  The interesting comment on society comes when we start to look at whether we are increasingly more willing to tolerate more and more hostile design elements in exchange for more of the self-serving benefits.  You would probably rightfully call that a "preference"; but that doesn't mean that others of us can't consider that "preference" a sad comment on the direction of society. 

[FangKC]

Kansas City is particularly bad at this. For example, the principle of line of sight is ignored throughout nearly the entire city, with only The Plaza showing displaying any sort of awareness of it. Leave The Plaza and things immediately devolve into chaos. Take the western terminus of Armour Blvd. That huge, fantastic, columned building (can't recall what's inside of it right now) should have its entrance smack at the end of Armour, not 50 feet south of the intersection. What genius decided that we were better off seeing the corner and north wing from Armour, rather than the symmetrical dignity of the main entrance flanked by both wings? Is it really that difficult to do?

http://www.kcphotos.com/page.php?3&pid=1307&detail=1

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http://www.kcphotos.com/page.php?3&pid=2459&detail=1

http://www.kcphotos.com/page.php?3&pid=2540&detail=1

[nota]

Hostile decorating-I hate the way decorators set sofas with their backs to the door/hallway/rest of the room. I prefer a "welcoming" arrangement rather than a closed off one. I don't like my furniture all against the walls, but it has to be open.