When is a Home a Castle?

"Holway House, La Crosse" - watercolour painting by John W. Johnston
Image Credit: jwjonline.net
The personal web pages of John W. Johnston of Northampton, England - JWJ

"Yes, your home is your castle, but it is also your identity and your possibility to be open to others."
David Soul

It’s a very romantic notion: your home is your castle. Some might call it old fashioned, but I like to think of it as never being more relevant than it is today.

Our home is our sanctuary from the world “out there.” Sure, we might have a hi-definition window onto that world, but we watch it from the relative comfort of a sofa, a bowl of comfort food nestled lovingly in our loungewear-clad lap. In moments as these, our home is literally our “happy place.” From romantic nights to family get-togethers; new loves to newborns, the space we live in literally accommodates life’s most cherished people and moments.

It’s no accident that real estate prices increased again in September, with Toronto once again particularly buoyant. Considering the time, energy and money we spend on (and in) our homes, it becomes clear we’re investing in more than just a living space; we’re investing in our own “headspace.”

How do we feel when our space feels “off?” Can we feel we’re standing on solid footing living in an older home with potentially faulty footings? Where is our headspace when our living space was designed for people 50, 60 or even 80 years ago? Is it “our castle” when the walls seem “a little thin?”

Unlike our cranium and grey matter (which we’re more or less stuck with), a complete overhaul of our living space is possible and may be just what we need to overhaul our life! Just think what a total upgrade of your home’s core structures and components will do for your headspace (and heating bills).

Invest in some cool green technology. Build an addition for a home theatre, listening room, Jacuzzi, greenhouse…whatever reflects your headspace right now—or the future. With all the stress “out there,” making your home a castle of refuge for the space “in here” has never been more important.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build