

He says, “If we look at housing as an extension of who we are, then the house should serve us. Galley Kitchen with Peninsula SeatingĬhaden Halfhill, founder and CEO of Silent Rivers Design Build in Clive, Iowa, believes that a home’s value is intrinsically tied to our health and wellness, our personal narrative, and sensibility. The extra funds are devoted to architectural character, features, and materials that enhance the livability of the home and improve its ability to support its occupants’ lifestyle. However, in order to build or renovate a high quality home, the homeowner needs to shift their mindset around budget, especially in regards to dollars per square foot.Īccording to Susanka, in order to build Not So Big, the same investment should be used to build a home approximately 30% smaller than originally planned. Livability is far more important than square footage.

The overarching theme of Susanka’s Not So Big House is quality trumps quantity when it comes to building a home. Some of our clients are now considering large remodels or even starting over because their homes simply weren’t designed for 24/7 use by all family members at the same time.Ī Not So Big Mudroom & Laundry Room MakeoverĪt this moment in history, we have an opportunity to rethink the way we approach how we work with our clients to design their homes. how our homes actually function into sharp relief. For the last few months, families have been experiencing the nuances of our personal dwellings, for good or bad, all day every day with little relief.Īll of this extra time spent inside has brought the contrast between how a home should function vs. Twenty-two years later, as Americans struggle with a global pandemic, we are spending more time together in our homes than we have in decades. The Not So Big House, A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live, by Sarah Susanka, was originally published in 1998. This in no way affects the price you pay for the item and helps me to keep devoting time and attention to producing content for this blog. If you click on an affiliate link in this post, I may earn a small commission from the seller.
