From Curb to Counter

In this episode, Lyssia sits down with Dan D’Agostino, founder and principal architect of Plan Architecture, to explore what it really means to design a custom home. Working across architecture and interiors, Dan has built his practice around a “curb to counter” approach, thinking through everything from how a house sits on the land to how someone moves through the kitchen, and his work asks a deceptively simple question: what if your home was designed around the way you actually live?The conversation centers on why true customization goes far beyond choosing finishes, adding square footage, or pulling inspiration from Pinterest. Dan explains why his process starts with more personal questions: how do you want to feel when you pull into your driveway? What do you want guests to think when they walk through the front door? Do you want to wake up with the sun? How far are you willing to walk from your bed to the bathroom at night? For Dan, these details are not small at all. They are the foundation of a home that feels specific to the person living in it.Dan also shares why designing a home can start to feel a lot like therapy. From separate bedrooms and bathrooms to a three-story slide, he explains why the best custom projects happen when clients are honest about what they want, even when those requests are unconventional. The conversation also looks at how social media and AI are changing the design process, why inspiration images can sometimes make homes less original, and why a beautiful AI rendering can still fail when it meets the realities of structure, light, code, and daily life.By the end of this episode, you may realize that the real luxury in a custom home is not having more space or more expensive finishes. It is having a home that understands you.More Room to Think:Plan ArchitectureWebsite: https://www.plnarc.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/planarchitectureRoom to Thinkhttps://roomtothinkpodcast.com/Loved this episode? Let us know!Subscribe to Room to ThinkIf you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with someone who would appreciate a more thoughtful approach to their space. New episodes every week. Build a better life by design.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Instagram