A Vaulted Ceiling And A Higher Purpose

I don’t want to design boxes that people just live in. I grew up going to more traditional, beautiful buildings, and that has stuck with me. Those places shape what I value in design: a connection to the classic tradition and the possibility of lifting the mind toward a higher purpose.

As we move forward with our designs at Den & Burrow, I’m reluctant to move against that tradition. I hesitate over it deliberately. To me, the feeling of being inside a room deserves attention alongside what we need the room to do. I want us to consider its volume and proportions, rather than accept an ordinary box without thinking further.

A vaulted ceiling is the example I keep coming back to. Can I vault the ceiling at least, please? That’s a concrete way to express what I’m looking for: give the space something that invites a person to look up.

For me, that small design question connects to a larger conviction. I value buildings that direct our attention beyond the immediate business of living. That’s something I want to keep pursuing in the homes we design.