Your Personal Living Space

Homes Fulfill Needs

What is a home…? Where food, clothing, an shelter are provided to keep a family safe, healthy, and happy. A place to relax, entertain, and do what they please. A place that fulfills people’s physical, emotional, and social needs.

Physical Needs One of the most basic physical needs is shelter. A place for protection from severe weather. Protection and safety for a family.

Emotional Needs The need to belong and feel accepted. The need for comfort, and the need for self-confidence. Being able to express your own personality and special talents at home can help you gain self-confidence in other areas of your life.

Social Needs Living spaces in a home should meet people’s needs to interact with others. Shared spaces are those used by all family members and for entertaining guests. Kitchens, dining, living, and family rooms are shared spaces.

Housing Types

Multiple-Family Housing Duplex: Can be purchased or rented. Two living units attached by a common wall, to a large building with many living units. Apartments: Rent is paid. Several living units are in one building. Condominiums: Just like apartments, but they are available for purchase. Town house: 2-3 level homes in a row attached by common walls.

Single-Family Houses Custom-built: designed entirely to the specifications of the owner. Tract: Built using a standardized set of floor plans for each home in a subdivision. Manufactured: Least expensive; built in factories and then transported to the site for assembly. Land is rented, not owned. Mobile homes are an example of manufactured homes.

Designing Your Space

Make a Scale Floor Plan A scale floor plan: a flat drawing of a room’s floor corresponding to the actual room’s size and shape. Traffic patterns: paths you take to get to different parts of your room. You should not have to walk around a chair to get from your bed to the door.