I have always held high standards for my living environment. By "high standards," I mean striving to create a home that aligns as closely as possible with my ideal vision, within the limits of my financial means. My pursuit of a better living space can largely be attributed to my minor in architecture during university. While it's not to say that I would have been indifferent to my living conditions had I not studied architecture, the five years of professional education undoubtedly broadened my horizons. Although I don't have the financial resources to build extravagant homes, I understand the possibilities and creative approaches that can be employed in home design.

Although I majored in architectural design, my studies did not include any courses or content on interior design. Despite being a "design" minor, my knowledge of interior design was practically non-existent when I first started planning my home. I could only recall some terms like "boiled linseed oil," which hardly helped. To fill this gap in my knowledge, I delved into numerous magazines, which provided me with a wealth of inspiration and enlightenment. Gradually, the vision of my future home became clearer in my mind. I decided against complicated decorations, ornate moldings, and Roman columns, opting for a minimalist style characterized by straight lines and simplicity. Minimalism has since become the only style I can accept for my own residence.

At first, I want to buy a house that is roughly similar to my dream house, and then make modifications. After visiting dozens of houses, I realized that finding a home that met all our requirements within a few months was nearly impossible. The reason was simple: the kind of house we wanted simply didn't exist on the market. In addition to my preference for minimalism—no unnecessary moldings, fewer interior doors, and no wood cladding—my family had their own requirements. They wanted the house to be in a good neighborhood, with access to nice schools and large shopping malls nearby. While each of these requirements was not difficult to meet individually, combining them all made the task nearly impossible. Consequently, I decided to build my own house.

Once the goal was set, an important task was to purchase building materials. Buying construction materials may seem like an unenjoyable chore, as finding materials that are both reasonably priced and to one's liking can be challenging. However, I found the process unexpectedly fun. Whenever I came across a material I hadn’t seen before, I immediately started imagining how it could be used to achieve a specific effect in the house.

Building a home is far from easy. On one hand, there are legal and regulatory hurdles to overcome. On the other hand, developers and contractors may introduce hidden costs or cut corners if they think you don't understand the technical details. Fortunately, I had a friend with years of experience in the construction industry. He helped me navigate the local legal requirements, such as stamping the structural plans, and provided invaluable advice. There were moments when I only had a vague vision of the effect I wanted but no concrete plan for how to achieve it. My friend introduced me to a builder who not only understood my design intentions but also worked with me to develop practical solutions.

Together, we turned my dream into a reality. As the construction neared completion, one of my neighbors came over to take a look. I showed him around, explaining the innovative features I had incorporated. As his jaw dropped further, my excitement grew. Seeing his reactions and knowing that my vision had been realized filled me with immense satisfaction.

Building a home was a journey filled with challenges, but also an incredibly rewarding experience. It was about crafting a space that truly reflected my ideals and values. The effort was worth it, and I couldn't be happier with the result.