Housing is such a hassle sometimes! It can take a lot of thought to come to an overall design choice. Do you want a home for yourself? Something private to retreat to when the world is to big? Or maybe you want to bring people in, run a shop or a cafe, a hangout spot where people can go to socialize? Or maybe you want to do something else entirely!
This week, I got to see a design that captured my attention pretty quickly. At first, I was not really sure why, exactly. In fact, I went in not knowing what to expect. After looking around, I kept thinking it is a nice spot, but something felt different about it.
A lot of people fancy themselves "model" home designers and they can pull off some impressive feats, using items in unusual ways to recreate something that might not be a housing option otherwise. I am sure if you have looked around homes made like this, you have seen your fair share of flatscreen TVs. They are exciting pieces to be sure, but often these homes feel so... sterile. Like walking into the advertisement photos for a hotel room. They are pretty, but it can be hard to get passed the feeling they are for show.
One of my favorite genres of videos to watch is people building miniature dioramas, usually using materials they have painstakingly created themselves with cardboard, resin, and tiny prints to add some detail. The ones I like the best are the ones set up to look like a still frame in time, actions happening, maybe some books scattered about. I have heard people call this a "Ghibli Aesthetic" and if you have seen those works, you probably can understand. The feeling of clutter, things not being EXACTLY perfect, it can add a ton of personality. And that is what this home felt like to me. It was, indeed, a model home, but one with that sense of capturing life in action. So enough rambling, let's take a look!
The Ashitaka Dojo is a place that, I have been told, is designed to accommodate roleplayers. In keeping with that theme, every room is built to work in the same relative style, though each with a distinct purpose. The entry room is filled with scrolls and adornments, perhaps to show off some of the grandeur of the Dojo to new initiates.
Heading down, we find a large arena, perfect for martial training in large groups. This room is somewhat sparse and clean, which makes sense as it is a place to be respectful. But do not let the idea of "sparse" fool you, it is by no means lacking. Rather, the few items in the room all act in tandem to serve the needs of the theme.
The first off-shoot room is one of my favorites. It is a clinic, where fighters can recuperate after bouts and maybe get other injuries looked at. Shelves filled with bottles really sell the feeling. Any tincture, elixir, tonic, potion, all at most a few steps away. Chirurgeon's curtains let patients suffer treatment without showing off their cuts and scrapes to those coming in.
Next is the Sleeping Quarters, a room that wisely uses separate levels to differentiate. The entrance opens to three paths, a looping ground-level hall that leads to baths and showers, and a lofted area for sleeping mats. While cramped together, the beds convincingly give away the idea that students here are meant to live together to form stronger bonds as they master their skills.
However, everyone does need a space to prepare without prying eyes and to provide such a space, we move into the Dressing Room. Two separate areas with shelves and lockers act as a spot to change into the uniform of the Dojo while keeping a sense of solitude in such a busy environment.
And what would a live-in school be without a Cafeteria? This particular one has a great deal of options, with two serving stalls as well as a full kitchen and fire to grill up, perhaps, so fresh caught trout. Yummy!
The Kyudo Dojo is another room dedicated to training, though, unlike the main Dojo, this is dedicated to target practice. Several stalls house targets that range in difficulty so students can master ranged combat as well.
Moving on, we find the Indoor Garden. While nature has been a part of the place in every room thus far, none were as dedicated to it as this is. A spot to relax and breathe, taking in the sounds of running water, the scents of the various flowers. It is a peaceful place.
And then, as though a juxtaposed placement, we come into the Forge, dedicated to the creation and repair of weapons and clothing for students. With all these offerings, a student could attain mastery without ever having to leave!
Finally, we come to the Shrine, a place to reflect in solemn contemplation as one honors the ancestors or deities they hold in reverence.
Much like the last house we visited, this is one that has picked an idea and followed through with it in every inch of the creative space. Each room is separate and unique but retains the overarching identity the designer wished for it. It is a marvelous Dojo where one could lose oneself with ease.
More than that, though, the attention to detail really makes a difference in this place. Each room is packed with objects, trinkets, you name it, and yet no space feels cluttered or, for lack of a better word, gross. It is not a mess, it is instead the makings of a place that is used. The sense that it could look like this on any day gives it a sense of life that can sadly be absent in some spots. Clean is not necessarily a bad thing, but if you find yourself feeling a little bored, maybe try leaving some things out. Show off your personality not just with your actions but with the wake of your presence. THAT is the difference between a "model home" and a "model" home.
Got a space you want to share with us? Send us the address and we'll be happy to come by!
