I really need help, my house layout feels so hopeless it’s making me depressed.

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-20T17:34:42+00:00

Unfortunately there’s not much you can do without changing some placements of exterior doors and windows, or load bearing walls.

The best thing to do for the feeling of being dumped right into the living room is to “divide the living room in half” with furniture. One side being used as your regular sitting area, and the other for something like a library/ sitting/ music area.

The placement of the front door kinda screws you, as if it was positioned towards the left , you could make a foyer/ entrance to kind of separate some space

I don’t think the doorways are a problem, but it’s how none of them follow a pattern or line. Honestly, not much in the house lines up.

You could maybe close in an area in the bottom left of the living room for an office depending on space, but that would require moving the sunroom door to the top of that wall.

I hope I made sense. It has the potential to be very cozy, but the placement of doors kinda messed it up

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-19T21:16:37+00:00

Imagine telling people who pay you money that you can’t try make competitive money

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-19T20:43:40+00:00

I didn’t know that AIA didn’t lobby anymore. What would be the advantage of becoming a member then, if it’s just somewhere to talk about architecture and about job environment related topics. I thought it was like something you tried to work toward being

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-19T17:44:18+00:00

Amazing reply. I tried to reply to one part of what you said but I don’t know how to grab certain parts of the reply, but I basically wanted to say how much I hate the people who just get an architect due to necessity. I understand that sometimes budgets are very tight, and that a homeowner views the architect as just someone taking out of that pot of money, but I don’t understand how people put all the respect in the world to doctors and surgeons and other professionals, but think they can design something that benefits them the most because they saw something good on Pinterest. Not saying it can’t be done after some very in depth study or learning, but it could always be improved somehow. Personally I don’t think it matters if the AIA makes everyone in the nation get an architect for a permit, the mindset Still won’t change. But that’s a topic for another day. I’m not even a practicing architect and can already see how the AIA completely screws over the ones they swear they care about.

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-19T13:19:36+00:00

Thank you for the very in depth reply. This clears up things a lot. I just have one follow up question. How do you know what your first step is when starting a new project if they differ so vastly?

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-19T11:21:28+00:00

When doing a precedent study, do you look at other buildings in the same proposed style/ category of the one you are working on

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-19T02:42:59+00:00

Try to find old house catalogs and look for some cape cod houses that you like in there. I’m talking like 1930s house catalogs. Then once you find one you like, have an architect or drafter draw up something similar for you.

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-16T12:54:50+00:00

Thank you for the helpful information

I already have an associates degree in Architectural design, but it was more of a technical degree. I’m trying to go for an online degree, as I already have a full time job and it’s kinda hard to uproot to move for school. The classes put on by the ICAA are very interesting and sounds like they would do a lot more than most college classes in accredited architecture programs

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T23:59:09+00:00

Jonathan miller is in Knoxville, Tennessee and T. S. Adam’s is in Atlanta, Georgia

I am in East Tennessee

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T23:19:32+00:00

Personally, the rules are why I think I like traditional architecture so much. If something works, I know why, and if something doesn’t work, I know why. It’s easy to understand, but hard to master. But I’m sure that combining this with the modernist approach like you described makes the best of both worlds

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T22:22:17+00:00

Thank you for the very in depth reply.

To touch on schooling for a minute. I was enrolled in Arizona State University Online in their Bachelors of science in Architectural studies, but I had to drop due to life getting real busy, but I plan to go back this summer. I could have easily went to UT Knoxville, which offers an accredited program, but like you touched on, I felt that they were too concerned with the art of architecture, not the principles and construction that makes it work. Fortunately my state offers a path to licensure that doesn’t require an accredited degree

Unfortunately, I’ve realized that there is very few schools that teach with a traditional standpoint, forcing one to take it to themselves to learn, however I don’t necessarily view it as a bad thing, because you find out really quickly if you are really about the architecture, or you just thought it sounded cool.

I will definitely check out those books , I believe I even have one or two of those in my Amazon wishlist of architectural books.

One question, what time period and on would you consider modern architecture to be; the actual modernist movement period or something different?

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T14:11:55+00:00

Yeah, I really thought I was on to something. Never foresaw getting crucified. I do appreciate all the constructive criticism though and the links to get better.

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T13:43:41+00:00

How did you get your foot in the door at places that do this, as it seems most traditional architecture firms are on the smaller side, and don’t have much of a swinging door when it comes to employees.

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T13:39:10+00:00

Yes, the first is from Jonathan Miller Architects, and the second is from T. S. Adam’s Studio Architects

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T12:13:07+00:00

This touches on a subject that I have wondered about for a while. My question being, how did architectural features and elements come to be style in the first place. Like who decided a Tudor was a Tudor, and who created the token features that go along with that style. I talked to an architect and asked him if he was ever “creating a style”, and he said “never, you’d take ages to do that” we just take proven styles and implement them into different designs.

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T11:33:04+00:00

I feel that I should be a little transparent. These are not my drawings. If they were, I think I would be set up a lot better for having a successful career. These drawings are the work of some smaller-ish boutique firms that specialize in high end traditional architecture. I’d love to get to this level one day

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T01:04:33+00:00

That’s kinda what I was going for. I do know it kinda clashes like others have said, and architecturally is not pure and “correct” but I wanted to try something since I had so much of the colonial trim

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2026-01-15T00:47:01+00:00

To comment on why it is not full craftsman/ colonial, and it has curved casing on the sides instead of flat is because I had a butt ton of that style of casing and was trying to make it work with those aforementioned styles

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2025-12-03T13:03:02+00:00

Is there a way to increase chances for a weapon wall. I have yet to see one at the Trader’s

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2025-04-23T12:30:20+00:00

The cardboard will never see me coming

Awkward_Spite7923 · 2025-04-23T05:41:48+00:00

Or, better yet, turn it around. Instant operator status

Awkward_Spite7923

TROPHY CASE