I love cookies
Sep 08 Filed under: Information
So many people open a description of what they do want, withwhat they don’t want (i.e.) – “I don’t want a cookie cutter house.” The cookie cutter is a funny thing. When used to in fact cut that wonderful mixture of flour, sugar and eggs you don’t hear anyone complaining about their perfect uniformity. Additionally if the recipe is not followed carefully for cookies the result can be very disappointing (especially for those of us that really like cookies).
After thinking about this for much longer than I probably should have, I feel the cookies should be left out of it altogether. Not only because I don’t like negative associations being assigned to cookies, but because the analogy is flawed.
Building a home is far more like creating a piece of art than baking. And when custom building its directly akin to a commissioned piece.
Building, like art, combines a multitude of disciplines to create a singularly cohesive thought, point of view or feeling. It takes the lessons from previous masters and experiments with them to create all new processes and tools and even desired outcomes. It puts itself on public display for anyone inspired to play critic and voice their opinion.
And as a custom project is like a commissioned piece, you may be asked to figure out how to amalgamate vastly diverse styles. It can be difficult when the description is Impressionist but the result is to be Photorealistic. Having a strong sense of creativity is key to being successful.
Whereas cookies have an exact time things must be done intheir process, building does not. There is obviously a linear direction as to how things are done, but when executing someone else’s vision time can be held to make decisions or make changes.
So from now on instead of referring to a home as “cookie cutter”, we call it a “carnival poster” since nothing could be farther from Art than a cheaply reproduced Van Halen logo on thin paper using inks that will probably give you headaches from the fumes.
So down with posters! Lets make some Art.