With many of our projects we are frustrated by limitations. Budgets almost always draw the line on how far we can go. Space limitations can thwart an all out project on occasion. Regulations and rules sometimes limit a design in some respects. Authorities would much rather have us conform to endless rules than be creative. Often people I do projects for worry about what other people might think or how it might affect resale value of their property. Instead of doing what they think is cool they (and us as designers and fabricators) merely settle for the minumum. They play it safe. Instead of doing what they want they march along with the masses.
It can be frustrating at times. But at our house we know and practice a cure that makes us feel much, much better. Instead of marching along with everyone else we choose to simply dance a happy dance.
When we do our own projects we purposely think of designs that will allow us to go absolutely crazy. There are no limits. What others may think or talk about behind our backs doesn't concern us. We aren't building for them this time so they have no say. The purpose of our projects on our property is to make US smile. This is where we live and work each day. When we get to our projects it is time to pull out the stops, wire down the accelerator and go for broke. And that is what we will do. Life is far too short to settle for anything less.
As we designed our house Janis & I constantly asked ourselves 'what if?' What if we made the windows round? What if we sculpted giant trees to 'hold up' the front of the house? What if we designed hundreds of hearts into the trim and painted them pink? What if the rocks along the bottom of the house were painted purple and blue? What if we had a cool bridge that spanned the living room to get to the other side of the house upstairs? What if the fence curved along the front of the property instead ofgoing straight? What if we shaped our property to be hilly instead of making it flat? What if we did all kinds of crazy things all through the house? Each time the answers were anything but 'normal'. If it made us both laugh it was deemed perfect and made part of the plan.
The giant trees we are sculpting as centerpieces for the front of the house are coming along nicely. Peter was merely instructed to go crazy and he happlily complied. He has no trouble dancing to the same music Janis & I listen to daily. The trees, as penci rod, are still largely invisible from the road but that will soon change when the concrete goes on and is sculpted. Locals will have much to debate in the coffee shop and around town. We'll be at home, smiling a big smile. Life is fun!
-grampa dan
