Figure 1. A starter ranch emphasizes "community space" used by the whole family while playing down more formal space. Despite its compact size, it retains the important master suite. mall houses are selling to two markets: first-time buyers, who can't afford larger spaces, and empty nesters, who can often afford extra space but no longer want or need it. For either market, the space you design will be more successful if you first analyze the needs of the homeowners. The component method is a tool to accomplish this. The component method lets you examine the needs of your buyers and emphasize the components that fit their lifestyle. We consider four component zones: • Community: public space
