A brief brings together what the house needs to do: who will live there, how rooms will be used and which constraints the design must respect. You can begin in everyday language. The architect helps turn these wishes into an agreed brief against which design options can be assessed.
Describe everyday life
Explain who works at home, how often guests stay and which activities happen at the same time. Identify where quiet and privacy matter and which rooms need a close connection. Note any needs for step-free access or for everyday rooms to be on one level.
Include furniture, storage and household tasks
List furniture you want to keep, belongings that need dedicated storage and the way laundry and other household tasks are handled. These details help check room dimensions and circulation. Mention foreseeable changes, such as more work from home or longer visits from relatives.
Agree priorities and explain your references
Separate essential requirements from preferences that could change. Discuss the desired floor area, timing and budget, including what that budget is expected to cover. When wishes compete for space or resources, the agreed priorities help guide the choice.
Add a few reference images and explain what appeals to you in each: the light, materials, proportions or connection to the garden. This makes the references useful even when their layouts would not suit your site.
For the first discussion
Write a short description of a weekday and a weekend at home, list the essential requirements and gather a few images with comments. This is enough to begin the discussion. The brief can then be refined with the architect as the site and the project’s possibilities become clearer.