According to the author of 1 Chronicles, God is saying that even though He has been with the people of Israel everywhere they went, He never asked their leaders to build Him a fancy house. God wants them to know that He has always been with them and hasn't needed a special place to live.
1 Chronicles 17:6: Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?
1 Chronicles 17:6 states that God never asked for a house of cedar, while 1 Kings 8:18 acknowledges David's intention to build a house for God's name.
1 Kings 8:18: And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.