BOSTON FURNITURE

The home of the Future

Finish your understanding of the big picture by talking to your client about future plans for the home. Is this a home in which they plan to retire? Will they be likely to remodel or expand this home in the future? Form 1: Getting to Know Your Client and Form 2: Getting to Know Your Cli­ent's Home can guide you in gathering this type of information.

While you are learning about future plans for their home, you can ask about the future of their family or household. "Expanding" households are typically younger, and are at the life stage where they can expect to add new household members, such as by marriage or birth. Sometimes a new household member is an older relative. "Launching" households are more likely to be older, with children that will soon be leaving. Future changes in household size or composition can influence who uses a bathroom, as well as the activities that take place in that space.

Form 2: Getting to Know Your Client’s Home

This form can be used to collect general information about your client’s home to help in developing your design. Specific structural and mechanical information is collected in other forms.

Location of home:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Type of neighborhood:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Type of home: П single-family home П duplex П townhouse П apartment/flat П other

Structure of home: П one-story П two-story П three-story П ranch П split-level П split foyer/raised ranch П high rise П other

Approximate size of home:_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Number of bedrooms:________________________________________ Number of bathrooms:_________________________________________

Style of home (exterior): ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Is the home historic? What time period?____________________________________________________________________________________

Are there historic covenants or restrictions affecting the home?_______________________________________________________________

Is the home part of a homeowner’s association?

Are there any covenants or restrictions affecting the home?

Are there any deed restrictions?

Style of home (interior):

Colors?

Materials?

Furniture?

Accessories?

Future plans for resale or remodeling?

ACTIVITIES IN THE BATHROOM (FORM 3)

You now know something about who is using the bathroom, so you want to gather information about what they actually do there. Major bathroom activities fall into three categories: grooming; bathing/showering; and toileting. Using these categories will help you design the bathroom cent­ers presented in chapter 6, "Bathroom Planning." There are many different activities that fall into these three categories. In addition, there are other activities that can take place in the bathroom, such as dressing, exercise, and laundry.

Since the potential bathroom activities are numerous, you can give your clients an activity checklist to complete (Form 3). This can save time and may get you more complete information. You may want to review the checklist with them and then ask them to complete it at home. Alternatively, you can mail (or email) the checklist to them in advance and then review it during the interview. Form 3: Checklist for Bathroom Activities is written for your client to use. It also asks about location and frequency of activities—information that is very useful during the design process.

In addition to the information provided on the checklist, you may need clarification on certain activities. For instance, ask about activities that your client prefers to do while seated or standing. When is privacy important for an activity? What activities might be done in shared space? If your client has completed the checklist in advance, these issues can be discussed at the interview. Form 3 gives you space to make notes after the client has completed the checklist.

Form 3: Checklist for Bathroom Activities

Form 3: Checklist for Bathroom Activities (continued)

Form 3: Checklist for Bathroom Activities (continued)