” Nesting, homemaking is a major means of personal expression and development.” James Yandell, former president C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco 
How Do You Arrange Furniture in a Round Home?
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Tag Archives: vision
Mandala Open House
The sun blessed us with April warmth, the roads were good and there was a great turnout at the event.
A steady stream of visitors all day. In this photo, you can see the roofs of the Mandala studio and the "carzebo". The house is nestled slightly to the right in the grove of trees in the centre and the greenhouse is behind the main house.
Carzebo
Our dream for this property is to reflect the repeating pattern of round
The way you enter the land is a spiral.
The pathways, hallways, stairways curve around..
And, of course, the buildings are round.
Even the carport!
Nestled in the trees
Among the trees.
From the very beginning of this project,we’ve been getting to know the trees on this land. We’ve identified and mapped different species. We’ve given affectionate names to some. And, we’ve especially gone to great efforts to build around the hundreds-of-years-old Ponderosa pine tree that stands a breathtakingly tall and a breathtakingly short distance from the edge of our new home.“There is potency in the act of including this tree in the architecture of our home.”
“Ponderosa” means ponderous, or large.
Why build around it?
Because it has taken a lifetime for this unique individual to grow from a small seed, a tiny seedling, a young pine tree, to the majestic giant that it is today. Continue reading
First gathering!
Our first “official” party in the new Mandala! Our Mandala Staff Christmas party
It was a bit dusty…. with a ”bring your own furniture” theme…Nonetheless, it was a wonderful success with music , good food, great conversation, camaraderie and sense of accomplishment and connection with the project.
- A home beginning to emerge
Each person in Mandala has played a part in the creation of this beautiful and amazing space. Continue reading
Entry Way
The Entryway speaks "Welcome" to all who come here.
The entry way of a home is a significant building element that affects the experience of a home. When designing an entryway, begin as architect Anthony Lawlor suggests by; “Imagine arriving at your home. Envision the approach, the door and the door surround. Think of the arrivals and departures that will take place here-the daily comings and goings throughout the season, the arrival of mail and packages, the visits of friends and family. Think of entry way shapes, textures, materials and objects that can support soulful arrivals and departures.” Continue reading
Team Building When You Build
Home Builders often complain about subcontractors.
Our Dream Team!
They report experiences of arguing, lateness, inefficiency, sticker shock and miscommunication. All of these are costly in terms of money and relationships.
Knowing the potential hazards, at the beginning of this project, we decided to head off possible problems by calling a meeting with the whole group of subcontractors. Continue reading
Four weeks after the foundation pour
“It’s unbelievable how fast your house has gone up….”
The project is moving along very smoothly. The benefits of building with prefab components really shine in the areas of time and waste. Because the prefinished/precut pieces arrive at the site ready to be nailed or screwed into place, the tasks can really zip along..
This week has been spent focusing on details like the cedar soffits, the covering for underneath the roof overhang. The pieces come from the Mandala shop in large panels and go up quickly. Continue reading
Yin/Yang House Design
“Next to love, balance is the most important thing”~ John Wooden
When you design and build a home, whether you are working with a designer or on your own, it’s helpful to think about two important aspects of home living. I found it helpful to frame these elements using the two ancient Chinese principles of Yin and Yang. Continue reading
Get the plywood down on the floor
“Get the plywood down on the floor, cause then we can sweep it and REALLY play house!”
There are many exciting junctures in the process of building a house.
One of them is when the floor joists are covered with the plywood. Because, once the floor is covered , you can really feel the breadth and height of the main floor of your home space , you can feel what you’ve been imagining …the act of living in this space. Continue reading