TASC Housing and Design key terms

The predictable stages a household passes through, from starting out through child-rearing, launching children, and later life, each with different space, privacy, and budget needs.

The basic requirements a household must satisfy in a dwelling, such as shelter, safety, privacy, storage, and room to perform daily activities comfortably.

Desirable features that improve comfort or status but are not essential, such as a fireplace, walk-in closet, or extra bathroom. They are weighed against budget after needs are met.

The life-cycle stage after children leave home, when a household often needs less space and may prefer single-level living, lower maintenance, and proximity to services.

Moving to a smaller or lower-maintenance dwelling, often after retirement or a household change, requiring careful sorting of possessions and realistic space planning.

Design features that let people of varying abilities use a home safely, such as wide doorways, step-free entries, lever handles, and reachable controls and storage.

Designing products and spaces to be usable by the widest range of people without adaptation, benefiting children, older adults, and people with temporary or permanent limitations.

Remaining in one's own home safely and independently as one grows older, supported by accessible features, good lighting, and single-level living arrangements.

A written plan that allocates income among housing costs and other expenses. In housing decisions it defines what a household can afford before and after purchase.

Giving up one benefit to gain another, such as accepting a smaller kitchen to afford a better location. Recognizing trade-offs is central to sound housing decisions.

A written rental agreement that states the rent, term, deposit, and rules, and defines the rights and duties of tenant and landlord.

Money a tenant pays at the start of a rental to cover possible damage or unpaid rent. Its return conditions should be documented in the lease.

The position of a dwelling relative to work, schools, transit, shopping, and services. It affects cost, commute time, and long-term resale value.

Local laws that regulate how land may be used, such as residential, commercial, or mixed use, and may set lot size, setbacks, and building height limits.

A basic visual building block used to compose a space: line, shape, form, space, texture, and color. Elements are arranged using the principles of design.

A guideline for arranging design elements effectively, including balance, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, scale, and unity, to create a pleasing and functional interior.

The visual stability of a composition, achieved symmetrically with matching sides or asymmetrically with different but equally weighted elements.

The size of an object or feature relative to the room and the people in it. Poor scale makes furniture look oversized or lost in a space.

The relationship of one part to another and to the whole, such as the ratio of furniture height to wall height or table width to room width.

The design principle that creates a focal point drawing the eye first, such as a fireplace, artwork, or accent wall, giving a room order and interest.

A circular chart arranging hues to show relationships. It helps designers choose schemes such as complementary, analogous, or monochromatic combinations.

The lightness or darkness of a color, independent of its hue. Value contrast improves legibility and can make small rooms feel larger.

The surface quality of a material as seen or felt, such as rough brick, smooth glass, or soft velvet. Texture adds visual interest and affects perceived warmth.

Deciding how rooms and areas are arranged and sized to support activities, traffic flow, and storage before furniture and finishes are selected.

The paths people use to move through and between spaces. Good circulation keeps routes direct, unobstructed, and separate from work zones.

The open floor area kept free around doors, furniture, and appliances so people can move, open drawers, and use equipment safely.

The path linking the sink, refrigerator, and cooking surface in a kitchen. Keeping its sides reasonably short and unobstructed improves efficiency.

Providing enough well-placed cabinets, closets, and shelving for the items a household owns, sized for reach and organized by frequency of use.

A scaled drawing showing rooms, walls, doors, windows, and fixtures from above, used to judge layout, circulation, and furniture fit.

The ability of a material or finish to resist wear, moisture, stains, and impact over time, influencing long-term cost and maintenance needs.

The final surface treatment of a material, such as paint, stain, laminate, or sealant, which affects appearance, cleanability, and resistance to damage.

A written promise from a manufacturer or builder to repair or replace defective products or work within a stated period and under stated conditions.

Routine care and repair that keeps a home safe and functional, including cleaning, painting, servicing equipment, and fixing small problems before they grow.

Scheduled tasks such as changing filters, testing alarms, cleaning gutters, and inspecting the roof, done to prevent failures rather than react to them.

Legally enforced standards for safe construction and occupancy, covering structural strength, fire safety, egress, electrical work, and plumbing.

A safe, unobstructed way out of a building in an emergency, such as a door or window that meets size, location, and opening requirements.

A device that detects smoke and sounds a warning. Units should be installed on each level and near sleeping areas and tested regularly.

A securely anchored bar mounted in bathrooms or along stairs to provide a handhold, reducing fall risk for children, older adults, and people with limited balance.

Meeting present housing needs without depleting resources or harming health, through energy efficiency, durable materials, water conservation, and healthy indoor air.

Using less energy to provide the same comfort, achieved through insulation, efficient appliances, sealed ducts, and controlled air leakage.

The condition of air inside a home, affected by ventilation, moisture, and pollutants such as mold, tobacco smoke, and volatile chemicals from finishes.