The piece of domestic architecture that I am most familiar with is my home. I’ve lived in this space since the day I was born. Every day I leave to go about my daily routine and every day I return when I’ve completed my tasks. It might be difficult for me to be unbiased when discussing how I feel about this space because it is the place I’ve called home for forever (so far).

The interior of my house is relatively small compared to most homes. The living room comes first upon entrance. It flows directly into the dining room and kitchen with no walls separating the different “rooms.” The only thing that seems to divide the distinct spaces is a slight difference in flooring materials and furniture function. For example, it’s obvious where the kitchen is because there is tile floor instead of hardwood, and it’s obvious where the living room is compared to the dining room because there are couches, a coffee table, and a television, rather than a dining table and chairs. On one side of the main open space is the master bedroom and bathroom and on the other side is two smaller bedrooms with another bathroom. All of the different bedrooms and bathrooms are divided by walls, each having their own door to enter. The house is surrounded by many windows and a large glass door in the back.

I believe the way my house is divided helps to make the small space feel larger and more open. The windows also create a bigger illusion because of the natural light that comes through. I think it does serve its function as a domestic space because of the open design that creates a suitable environment for families to spend time together. It seems like wherever you are in the main area, whether it be the kitchen or the living room, you are still together because it’s all conjoined. I think the openness of the space makes it feel homey, welcoming, and bright. If a stranger were to enter for the first time, they might have a different opinion because there is still not a large amount of square footage. Although it is open, I feel like it still has a sense of privacy with the bedrooms being separate. In my opinion, that is the ideal concept for a home. I like having my visitors feel welcome, but I enjoy having my bedroom kept personal and private. The space doesn’t feel run down. It is a pretty ordinarily designed house, so it’s not very unique. The interior colors are all neutral. The walls are simple shades of white, beige, and gray. The floors, whether hardwood or tile, are different tones of brown. There are no unique textures, just plain walls, plain floors, and a plain ceiling. In my opinion, I prefer a domestic space to be more basic and not too over the top. If my house was very colorful or extravagant, to me, it wouldn’t feel like home.

One of my favorites places to go in my free time, especially as a college student, is Starbucks. I like to study, write, or read there because I prefer the background noise of a busy environment. Starbucks serves the function of a coffee shop. The interior of my local Starbucks is similar to my domestic space because it is also an openly designed concept. As soon as you enter, you can see every part of the store. It could be considered even more open than my house because it is a larger size. It isn’t divided at all. The only part of the space that is separated by other walls are the bathrooms. Even the kitchen area is open, however still inaccessible to the public because of the counters blocking passage. I believe that my local Starbucks serves it’s function well. I don’t think that a coffee shop should have a closed or complicated layout. I feel like an open concept is certainly more inviting and welcoming to new customers. It doesn’t feel cramped or uncomfortable at all because it is basically one big room. Although it is open like my house, it is different because it doesn’t have as many windows. It only has two on the storefront that don’t allow as much natural light through the building. The lack of sun actually gives the space a more cozy and intimate feel. The Starbucks interior is not a unique space at all. It has an extremely basic shape and structure. It is similar to my house because of the neutral shades throughout the area. However, Starbucks uses a darker color palette. The darker colors add to the intimate effect of the space.

I don’t necessarily prefer one space over the other because I have found so many similarities between the two. I like how both of them have basic structures with an open feeling. Although Starbucks isn’t as bright as my house, I still think it is a welcoming environment. I enjoy the simple spaces of both.

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(The images show the open concept and simple interior structure of the Starbucks shop.)