Over the past few decades, it seems as if the average house size has grown significantly in the Caribbean.
As I drive around the island, I wonder if people have gotten that wealthy in Barbados. How are they so many enormous homes that are under construction or recently built? They are found in several residential developments across the country. This is even more fascinating when you consider that the construction cost in Barbados is in the top five highest countries in the Caribbean. A region with a construction cost that is already higher than most other nearby regions.
Barbados is also one of the smallest countries in the Caribbean. Though our generally flat terrain allows us to easily access and develop most of our land, that land is scarce and very expensive.
So, with such high construction cost and land scarcity, why is it that we build such large, expensive houses? More importantly, do we really need that much room for our families?
As we climb the social ladder in society, we naturally look to improve our lifestyle and resources. The new car with the extra features, nice designer clothes and exotic vacations. However, the largest jewel in our crowning achievements is often our home. We consciously consider all the things we want to provide for that ideal lifestyle. We make a list of all the features it must have, searching the internet to find design inspirations.
With the wide variety of information out there, it is understandable why the square footage of the house skyrockets, with the budget, close behind. We get caught up with all the incredible ideas we see on the internet. The stunning photos of beautiful houses and amazing home decor captivate us. We want to try every idea in our home.
If you are embarking on the journey of planning the perfect home, but you are doing it on a limited budget, here are some of the traps we can find ourselves in.
A Room For Everything
As we consider the various functions we want our home to facilitate, we begin to list the rooms required.
Each house has the essentials like living, dining, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms. In addition, we have a garage, laundry, pantry, study, walk-in-closet, family room and storeroom… because you can never have enough storage.
Our modern lifestyle, now requires most, or all these rooms, to create a level of comfort and convenience. They have become normal and most homes will come with almost all of them.
However, consider if your lifestyle requires all of these functions before you commit to them.
Multiple Rooms with the same function
The next stage, after specifying a room for every activity, is having multiple rooms for the same or similar function. You need a living room to sit with friends, a family room to sit with family, a TV room to sit with friends and family and two patio lounge areas, one to sit with friends and the other with family.
Dining is similar where many homes need a formal dining room for special dinner occasions, a nook for breakfast and a high countertop area for having a snack. With so many designated areas to eat, it’s amusing that we often end up eating in the room that has the biggest TV, and it’s usually not any of those rooms.
As seen on TV
Television and the internet have opened our view on how people live in different parts of the world. In the English-speaking Caribbean, our main source of television shows come from North America. Very often they are our main influence in music, fashion and technology. They also heavily shape our architecture and design ideas. USA and Canada also happen to be the second and third highest countries for average house sizes in the world.
Apart from the regular programmes on television, our exposure to home improvement and do-it-yourself shows are major influences on our design senses. Current and prospective homeowners get inspiration and ideas from such shows. These shows offer a lot of ideas and can have a major influence on our approach to house design. This includes styles, decor and yes, scale. However, they primarily cater to the North American market, where most of the living is required to be done indoors because of the climate and construction cost is generally lower. Oh, and they are bigger, a lot bigger.
Before up-sizing your house design to XXL, perhaps you should give some thought to some of the following.
Mortgage
A bigger house will most likely mean higher construction cost. Higher construction cost means a bigger mortgage.
In the Caribbean, investing too much money into your home can be a risk. For small island states like ours, that have fragile economies that are dependent on tourism, this can be a concern. Our islands are very susceptible to tropical storms and other growing effects of climate change. These can devastate our industries, economies and livelihood.
Having an enormous mortgage that you are stuck paying off for 25, 30 and sometimes 35 years, seem like an unnecessary burden. This can force you into a life of financial hardship. You end up spending most of your time working to pay for your home rather than having the time to enjoy it with your family.
Consider if a bigger house or more disposable income is more important to you.
Furnishing
Unless you are going for the minimalist look, which might have one designer armchair in a large living area, a sparsely furnished space can appear incomplete.
Whether you are furnishing a few large rooms or several little rooms, adding a ton of furniture can be expensive. In addition, many of those extra pieces of furniture end up being unused.
Maintenance
Ever get the feeling that there is always something that needs fixing in your home? From leaky faucets to repainting, a home needs a lot of attention. This is amplified in a big house. There is a lot more area of things that need fixing or refinishing. There is also a lot more space that needs cleaning.
Utilities
Mechanical ventilation systems consume a lot of energy. Luckily in the tropics, you do not need mechanical heating like in temperate countries. If designed properly using tropical architectural strategies, your home may not require air conditioning either.
However, more lights, fans and appliances, like the extra televisions for each additional room, can add up to higher utility bills.
Natural light and ventilation
It is easier to allow airflow from one side to the other side of the home if it doesn’t have a far distance to travel.
Large homes can become a challenge to encourage passive ventilation strategies, that can be found in a well designed house for the tropics. Many of the inner spaces can become difficult to maintain the desired thermal comfort.
Family life
I grew up in a small house with three siblings and two parents. We were always on top of each other and I am not suggesting creating a house too small. However, though that situation posed its share of storage and space challenges, it also encouraged strong bonds among us.
I have been in much larger homes and had no idea where the other members of the family were. Some separation is good, but I wonder if too much separation could be eroding more organic family bonding time.
In addition, as mentioned previously, if you are working all the time to pay for your large home, it probably means you may have to spend less time with your family.
If you are looking to maximize the functionality of your home, without overdoing it in the square area, here are a few things you could consider.
How you live
Spend some time really thinking about the way you live. Consider the things you enjoy doing, the daily task you perform and the places you gravitate to the most. This will give you a clear idea of the rooms that you simply can’t do without.
What you need
Make a list of the things you need to function and feel comfortable in your home. I have often heard people say that the room they never had, to perform a function they’ve never done, would be used if they had it. Be honest with yourself when considering the “I’d use it if I had it” thoughts.
Also, avoid those special function rooms. If you feel the dining room is only going to be used twice a year, perhaps consider doing without it.
Share the space
Think about how you can make the most use of each space in your home. I have noticed a practice in the USA where the formal dining room is used on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving and when they have special guests over.
It would be more efficient if you could find ways to use it for special occasions as well as everyday use.
Do it outdoors
The outdoors in the tropics can be a very pleasant place to be. In the Caribbean, our mild temperature range and sea breezes, are the envy of many around the world. Why not take advantage of that amazing climate.
Making some of your primary functional spaces on patios, terraces or courtyards could be useful and create a stronger outdoor relationship with interior spaces. I am not suggesting dragging your mattress under a tree, though that sounds amazing. However, dining, lounging or a play area for the children, can be functions that can take place outdoors.
Building the perfect home doesn’t have to turn into a huge, expensive project.
They are many ways to pack a ton of function and comfort into a modest size home. While a huge house may be able to perform all the task you can imagine, having a smaller, well-designed home can be the perfect fit for you and your family. Supply it with all your needs, and fill it with warmth, charm and personal touches that will help create bonds and memories that last a lifetime.