Paintings are a visual feast and music is sublime, but architecture is arguably the only art form that plays upon all of the senses. A really great house is, in short, a very sensual experience.

Sensual. In our sex-crazed culture, the word is likely to conjure up images of a Playboy penthouse. But the term could apply equally well to a Zen meditation room, where the ascetic crispness of tatami mats and rice paper screens is intended to create a specific, stark perception of Is-ness.

Sensuality, in other words, is in the eyes-ears-nose-tongue-skin of the beholder. Sensual experience can be as basic as the mattress you sleep on or as refined as the painting on the wall. There is layer after subtle layer to the Sensual House, and past associations and imagination are key factors. For example, the sight of a smooth-plastered curved adobe detail is likely to trigger an imaginary tactile experience, but while one person might imagine the softness of a baby’s skin, another might fantasize something very sexy indeed.

Obviously this is rich territory for any designer who becomes adept at creating sensual spaces. You could begin with the sense of smell, which is greatly underrecognized in the West. Clearly the first goal is to eliminate the stale or unpleasant odors that typically come from bathrooms, pet areas, or the pile of dirty laundry in the rooms of some teenagers. That being accomplished, a good supply of fresh air is pure gold to the nose. Adding the scent of flowers, incense, or fresh food cooking can be soothing, delightful, or appetizing in turn. It’s the first whiff upon entering a house that has the greatest impact—after that, the nose adapts. Remember, too, that smell can trigger the taste buds: we seldom “taste” our houses in a literal way, yet some homes strike us as appetizing and some as not.

 

Sound is so subtle that it is usually overlooked in house design. Any bedroom is more sensual and dreamy if it is far from the kitchen and den and if there is plenty of fabric to muffle sound. But the opposite effect is desirable in the entry and living room, where a more brilliant set of acoustics is conducive to lively conversation and high spirits. Every feng shui enthusiast knows that the bubbling of fountains and aquariums creates a soothing atmosphere.

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