Recommended reading last month included books by Sarah Susanka. Consider her philosophy as you think about the square footage of your home. Here are her ten tips for designing a "Not So Big" home.
1. "Not So Big" doesn't have to be small
There is no one correct size or budget for a Not So Big house. A Not So
Big house focuses on the qualities of the space, rather than sheer
quantity of square footage, to meet the dreams and aspirations of the
homeowners. Susanka provides a rule of thumb - "It's about one third
smaller than you thought you needed, with dollars reappointed from
square footage to characteristics that turn house into home."
2. Make it personal
A Not So Big house appeals first and foremost to its homeowners. It is
like a custom shirt, tailored to fit the homeowners and to provide them
with a sense of livability and comfort they never before thought
possible.
3. Design for sustainable living
A Not So Big house is more than the sum of its parts. It is designed and
built to last for generations and made in an energy efficient and
sustainable way. But most important of all, it is beautiful to look at
and to live in, one of the frequently overlooked characteristics of a
truly sustainable structure; we take care of those items we find
beautiful. A Not So Big house is a reflection of its homeowners,
allowing more time and energy to be focused on those things that give
their lives meaning, rather than impressing others.
4. A good neighbor
A Not So Big house fits into its setting by respecting the views from
the adjacent homes and fitting into the existing streetscape in scale
and character.
5. A better floor plan for today
In a Not So Big house, all the space is used every day. Many of the
rooms do double duty and are used for several of different activities
over the course of the day. Spaces that are rarely used are eliminated.
With a more open floor plan, adjacent spaces benefit from the presence
of each other to give the house greater flexibility and spaciousness
without the appearance of excess square footage.
6. Interior views
A Not So Big house features long, diagonal views through adjacent spaces
to extend the perceived scale of the house. A strategically placed
window or lighted focal point at the end of a view through the house
draws the eye towards the farthest point and accentuates the sense of
spaciousness.
7. Varying ceiling heights
We typically think in terms of a floor plan, which shows length and width
only, but the third dimension of height is an equally useful tool. It
shapes our experience of a space and can help to make less feel like
more. Lower ceiling heights over smaller, less dominant activity areas
contrast with the heights of the now taller, more important spaces,
creating a hierarchy of places, from sheltered and intimate to open and
expansive.
8. Sense of shelter
A Not So Big house uses a variety of visual cues to provide a degree of
separation between open spaces without resorting to a solid wall to
accomplish the task. Sheltering devices, such as a raised counter, rug,
floating ceiling section or beam indicate where one space stops and the
next begins, to provide a sense of shelter around the activity taking
place.
9. Pleasingly proportioned
A Not So Big house features rooms of appropriate proportioning for our
human scale that are designed to feel both spacious and intimate.
Variations in ceiling height and other architectural elements create
rooms that are suitable for groups of people, while still being
comfortable for just one or two.
10. Attention to detail
No matter where you look in a house, everything should be thought
through and designed to perfectly support the needs of the homeowners
who live there. Comfort and functionality are qualities designed into a
Not So Big house to make it both inspiring to live in and a perfectly
crafted container for everyday living.
