On the way to the Street

ideabox - today's dream house!
You have to ask the question...  An ideabox home on the 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams? Aren't Street of Dreams houses like a million dollars? And full of opulent materials, the latest trends, incredible appliances, great design, craftsman construction, amazing sites - you know - really expensive houses that we all dream  to have?


Yes.... But wait a tick.... ideabox has all that Street of Dreams stuff too! Terrific materials, cool appliances, the latest trends (green), great modern design, craftsman construction. And really, isn't the most amazing site the one you have? 


I guess the only thing different is we're not really expensive, and our houses aren't very big. In fact, we're remarkably priced, and we like to think we're right sized! You know, "the right amount of everything!"


We think the reason ideabox was invited to be on the 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams is because we're helping make the point that dream houses come in a variety of sizes, types, and cost. This year's "Street" has an eclectic blend of high-end living experiences; from the large and amazing, to an incredible penthouse condo in the Pearl, to the coolest thing in modern prefab. All represent shifting trends in what dream living is all about.


In June, I was honored to be on the jury for AIA Seattle's Futureshack design competition. The competition looks at what housing is becoming, what we want it to be, what is it going to look like? How can we make it better? There was a lot of discussion by very talented and experienced jurors prompting a lot of thought. Housing will surely be different than in recent years, offer different uses and functions, some resulting from different financial environments and individual capabilities. 


In many ways, those same observations are behind the thinking in this year's Street of Dreams. Today's dream house will take many forms, offering many different solutions, different sizes, and probably be more about the quality of the living experience. I think houses will be more about design, and contribute to how they will be lived in beyond square footage. I also think the definition of  "value" will change - perhaps less about the dollars per square foot and more about the living per square foot.


But that's just me. Come see what your dreams can look like at the 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams, starting Saturday, July 31 thru August 29. 


Prepare to be amazed!