Product Description

Simpler lifestyles, higher quality leisure time with family and friends - these and other trends in society lay the foundation for this important, thought-provoking design and architecture book. In it, Sarah Susanka, LIFE Magazine's Architect of the Year, offers thoughtful guidelines for designing homes that more accurately reflect our lifestyles and personalities. The Not So Big House proposes clear, workable guidelines for creating modern homes that serve both our spiritual needs and our material requirements, whether for a couple with no children, a family, a retired couple or someone living alone.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85727 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
When describing a favorite room in the house, do you find yourself using terms such as "expansive," "formal," and "spacious"--a marble foyer or a formal dining room perhaps? Or do the words "cozy," "intimate," and "warm" come to mind--a cheery little breakfast nook or a window seat complete with plenty of pillows and a breathtaking view? More than likely, you--like thousands of other homeowners--are drawn to the more personal spaces in your home, where comfort, beauty, and efficiency meet. In The Not So Big House, author Sarah Susanka, a respected architect and columnist for Fine Homebuilding magazine, addresses our affinity for the "smaller, more personal spaces" and "proposes clear, workable guidelines for creating homes that serve both our spiritual needs and our material requirements." The heart of the not-so-big house--which is not "just a small house ... [but] a smaller house," that uses "less space to give greater quality of life," and is designed to not only "accommodate the lifestyles of its occupants" but also to express "our values and our personalities," is discussed in chapter 1, entitled "Bigger Isn't Better." Susanka's urging for homeowners to get creative with their space as well as loads of ideas to encourage that creativity are covered in "Rethinking the House" and "Making Not So Big Work." Discussions of specific needs, such as a home for one and designing for kids, can be found in "Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous," while "Dreams, Details, and Dollars" gets down to the nuts and bolts of the operation, looking at quality versus quantity, budgeting, and what "low end," "middle ground," and "high end" really mean in home design and construction. Lastly, Susanka looks at the home of the future, which involves simplifying, recycling, reducing waste, and using energy-efficient construction. With more than 200 color photographs, as well as floor plans and Susanka's intelligent and lively dialogue, The Not So Big House is perfect for homeowners ready to rethink their space. --Stefanie Hargreaves

Customer Reviews

Terrific book
If you are building a new house or a remodeling, check this book out. It doesn't show you how to do it, so much as how to think about it. You may discover, on reflection, that the way you use the spaces alters what it is you thought you wanted considerably.

A must read for anyone in the market for a new house.
Grab this book and read the text carefully. Don't just glance at the great photos. It is an excellent guide for anyone who is trying to figure out what they want in a house to make it a personally perfect retreat from the world! It has changed the way I look at rooms and spaces. Interesting and helpful exercises enable the reader to understand and design his/her unique space. This would also be a good book for someone who lives in a small house and dreams about moving to a "starter palace" in the suburbs. Excellent concepts to ponder.

Will change the way you think about homes!
I always thought "bigger is better" when it came to homes- and was depressed because I knew we'd never be able to afford something big. After reading this book, I have a new perspective (and better mood!) Full of great ideas on how less is actually more in a lot of ways. The triangle-matrix (budget vs. quality vs. quantity) is really very helpful- also could add "location" to that equation. The ideas & photos in this book inspired me to think of other ways to save space and make the most of what I have. A great book!