A Happy Home

Janice Randall Rohlf
Editor

WHEN I INTERVIEWED Samyn-D’Elia architect Cris Saloman for the story on page 52 about a house he designed in the White Mountains, one of his comments really resonated with me: “How do we make it feel comfort-able after a long day of skiing?”

Growing up in New England, nothing made me happier than skiing with my friends. We all learned the sport fairly young and were lucky to have a small ski area located an easy 15-minute car ride from our homes.

One of our parents would deposit us in the parking lot, and hours later a different parent would pick us up. When we turned 16, it was a big deal for us to drive ourselves, which we often did after school and into the evening (the slopes were lit).

As incredibly fun as it was to ski, I have equally fond memories of wrapping up the day — stepping into the warmth of home — any one of ours — feeling tired in a good way, with ruddy cheeks and a cold nose. It would usually be dinner-time, so the aroma of a home-cooked meal mingled with the pleasant smell of a fire roaring in the fireplace — back then, we always used real logs that crackled and glowed and popped with harmless sparks.

What Salomon and all good architects know is that a house is more than meets the eye. Turning a house into a home requires a special alchemy that conjures a feeling of peace and comfort from tangible objects. It’s the same for modest dwellings as it is for fancier abodes: They all need to have a soul.

Now, as the year comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on what makes your house a home.

My best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!