I walked through a freshly renovated house in Madison, Wisconsin and everything looked perfect. New floors. Clean lines. Modern fixtures. Yet the space felt off in a way that was hard to explain.
The renovation focused on appearance but ignored how people actually move through the house. Doorways were tight. Light switches were placed awkwardly. Storage was added where it looked good, not where it was needed.
Good renovation is not just about how a space looks when it is finished. It is about how it behaves when someone lives in it every day. Where you pause. Where you reach. Where you pass through without thinking.
When function is treated as an afterthought, even the best looking renovation feels uncomfortable. The best projects start with behavior, not trends.