In my little house, I have three chairs: one for solitude, two for friendship, and three for society. When visitors show up in larger and unexpected numbers, they often make do with the third chair or simply stand up. It’s amazing how many great conversations and meaningful connections can happen in a small space. I’ve had up to twenty-five or thirty people under my roof at once, and even though we might not always realize it, we often leave feeling closer to one another.

Many modern houses, both public and private, have countless rooms, huge halls, and cellars stocked with wines and other luxuries. To me, these houses seem extravagantly large for the people living in them. They’re so vast and opulent that the inhabitants sometimes seem like tiny, insignificant creatures within them.