Rebuild Your Life, From the Ground Up
BUILDING A NEW HOUSE SHOULDN’T JUST CHANGE YOUR ZIP CODE. IT SHOULD TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
BY MATT ALLYN; PHOTOS BY MICHAEL DARTER
I wanted a home that could make me a better man, not just a trophy house that would prove how many zeros came at the end of my paycheck.
COMPROMISE CONSTRUCTIVELY Any new home requires a series of compromises—some more crucial than others. But Roll realized that compromises don’t always have to involve sacrifice. “My wife loves to lie in the bathtub and I like to sit in bed, reading.” So they put a bathtub in the middle of their bedroom. “It’s conducive to our lifestyle,” Roll says, “and we have a centerpiece for the room.
OUT-ZEN THE ZONING BOARD At first, Roll’s unique design wasn’t well received by his local housing commission. “They’d ask me, ‘Why can’t the pool be kidney shaped like everybody else’s?’ ” Roll stood his ground while at the same time patiently cooperating. He also presented careful arguments until his design was approved. He understood that the more unique your vision, the more difficult it is for others to fully appreciate. But the better you articulate it, the greater the chance they’ll come around.
CELEBRATE EVERY STEP “You have to enjoy every aspect and phase of the process when you’re building a home—the conception, design, permits, and construction,” Roll says. “You can’t be results-oriented or you’ll become frustrated.” Roll had his share of challenges, but he and his wife celebrated small steps to stay positive.
EMBRACE WHITE SPACE Roll’s furniture didn’t fit—aesthetically or physically—with his new digs. So the family cleaned house. “We put everything into storage, and didn’t miss much,” says Roll. He and his wife then slowly acquired new furniture that improved the house, instead of just filling space. You can do the same: Ditch one piece at a time—send it to the basement or the curb—and you’ll find you need less than you have. “It’s hard to know whether you really need something until you’re enjoying the space where it used to be,” says Roll.
REINVENT THE REC ROOM Roll decided to turn his whole home into a playground, instead of anchoring his family to the rec room with a “status plasma.” He throws parties on the roof above the living area, and with an LCD projector shows movies on the west-facing wall of the home. “We hang out in beanbags, eat dinner and popcorn, and watch everything from Fellini to John Waters,” he says. “I never feel like I have to get away from my life, because when I’m at home, it feels like I’m on vacation.” If you’ve been saving for a getaway, consider devoting that cash to the place where you spend the other 50 weeks of the year. There’s no jet lag, and the bed is always much more comfortable.
