Ask people to describe the home they loved most and they rarely mention its size. They talk about the light in the kitchen in the morning, a window seat, the sound of a particular door.

Proportion over scale

Rooms that feel right are usually the ones whose height, width, and openings are in balance. A well-proportioned room of modest size will always feel more generous than a large one that has not been thought through.

The rituals a space allows

Homes become personal through repetition: where you put your keys, where you drink your coffee, where the family gathers without being asked. When viewing a property, imagine an ordinary Tuesday, not a dinner party.

What to look for

Notice where daylight falls at different hours, how sound travels between rooms, and whether there is a place to be alone. These are the qualities that turn a house into a home.