designing built-in living spaces

I want an alcove just for me. Kind of like a hideout separate from the commotion in the rest of the house from which to read, write, nap, or just daydream. I want to be aware of the action in the house but be able to turn my shoulder politely and be by myself. So goes the design brief from one of our clients. She's not alone in her desire for personal scale and place-making in home design; this is a common human need.

- BY MARK HUTKER

At Hutker Architects, we create memorable spaces that our clients yearn to occupy to achieve our mission of creating heirloom homes worthy of preservation. We have found that most of the rooms we design are conceived initially as collective areas for family living. Dining rooms, kitchens, family or living rooms, and even studies and libraries are planned for multiple users. Naturally, the scale of these rooms is large, and when only one person uses such a space, it may not be comfortable.