Small Space, Large Style

If you spend much time on Pinterest, or reading shelter magazines or blogs, you know that small space living is a big thing now. It's partially a reaction to the housing and economic downturn that we've been climbing out of, and it's partially driven by people who have had the big house, and are tired of cleaning it, maintaining it, and paying to keep the lights on in it. In my own work, more and more clients are coming to me wanting to downsize. They all want quality over quantity. They want beautiful cabinetry, high end finishes, but they don't want a bunch of rooms they'll never use or echoing great rooms that require a riding vacuum cleaner.

So, I've collected a number of pictures over the past year or so that highlight some great small spaces. They remind me of the kind of spaces you might find in a New York apartment (where even a mulit-million dollar budget means small space living), or aboard a beautifully crafted yacht. Then I took a handful of my favorite inspiration pins and brought them together into one beautifully crafted floor plan that is under 900 square feet.

First the inspiration photos:

This is a detail that I love in any size house...the bed set into a beautifully panelled niche.

Dresser as footboard! Genius! And makes the bed a cozy little cocoon.

Gorgeous but tiny kitchen.

Living room with generous built ins is small but very comfortable.

Who needs a huge guest room that only gets used a time or two each year? Here, a bed is built into an alcove. Great for guests, and a wonderful little reading nook the rest of the time!

 

So I decided to combine all of these inspiration shots into one house...and here is the result:

 

Here's the result. Hard to believe but its less than 900 square feet! In addition to the inspiration spaces, this little gem has a rotunda entrance, a skylit gallery leading to the sleeping spaces, two full baths, and a laundry area.

 

What do you think? Could you live here?

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Making the Most of Your Space--Look Under the Stairs!

A while back, I asked those of you who follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/southgateresidential) for some ideas for my 100th post. Well, scatter brained as I am, the 100th post came and went over the holidays. But there were several requests for ideas about decorating and organizing smaller spaces--appropriate as many of us are seeking ways to better use the space we have, and a renewed interest in quality spaces versus the "quantity" spaces of the McMansion era.

One thing small space dwellers have to do is make use of every nook and cranny. One of the most under utilized areas is the space under stairs. That odd little triangle often becomes a burial ground for "stuff" that gets shoved into the back never to be seen again. But a little creativity can make that space some of the most useful in your house. Check out these ideas:

 This great built in bench is perfect for putting on shoes as you head out the door.

This one has been a favorite on Pinterest, a fully functioning home office tucked in under the stairs!

 How cute would this be in a back staircase? An adorable little playhouse for the kids.

 Built in shelves beneath the stair can house books, a collection, or become a great "drop zone".

Or how about this? A series of pullouts makes the most of ever inch--use them for linen, games, or arts and crafts supplies.

Friends of mine converted the low space under a landing into a "house" for their beloved Golden Retriever, and the space under stairs can also be used in a pinch for a powder room. What other ideas have you seen for this overlooked area?

The Woods Lake--A New Cottage Plan

The latest design in our collection of small homes and cottages is The Woods Lake, which offers fine details and cottage charm in 1,000 square feet of living space.

A variety of materials, heavy timber bracket work, and a rooftop cupola lend charm to the exterior of The Woods Lake.

The floor plan features a host of "just-right" sized rooms, including a beamed ceiling great room, dining space encased in built ins, and a master bedroom with coffered tray ceiling. A convenient office nook and tons of carefully planned storage make the most of the small square footage. The oversized one car garage allows for even more storage and space for hobbies.

For more information or to purchase the Woods Lake plans, please CONTACT US

Small Space Living

The question of how much space do we really need has been on my mind lately. (Not "we" in a personal sense, but the collective "we".) Over my lifespan, the average American house has nearly doubled in size while the number of people occupying it has decreased. My grandparents raised four children in a house that would almost fit in my current master suite. Homes that might have been luxurious 30 years ago now "lack" adequate closet space, bathroom space, and kitchen space.

Even thinking of my own homes, I could live quite comfortably with less.  We have three guest rooms that are unlikely to ever be filled at the same time, a formal dining room that has been used, literally, twice, a morning room that I don't think I've ever sat down for a meal in. The first house I ever owned, though smaller, also had a guest room that was used a handful of times a year (and never by guests who would have been put out to sleep on a pull-out sofa) and a dining room used just as often.

Several times, I've put pen to paper (or mouse to autoCAD) trying to design a space that does exactly what it needs to do, and does it well, but no more. I'm not alone. Professionally, more and more clients are seeking quality versus quantity in their spaces. Part of this change has been driven by the challenging economy of the past few years. But, more than that, I think it's a desire for more intimate spaces, homes that are easier to keep, places where the owner can just enjoy being "home" and not spend all their time cleaning and maintaining spaces they don't need.

There are some extreme examples. CNN recently featured the story of a Japanese house that was built on a plot of land that had been sold as a parking space! There are a number of companies that specialize in tiny homes--some as small as 100 square feet.

For my own exercise, I designed a house that would suit a single person, or perhaps a couple. At just 680 square feet, it's one of the smallest houses I've ever designed. It's fully functional in a footprint scarcely larger than a two-car garage. A fully equipped kitchen (no designated dining area, but the island serves a dual function for prep and dining), a single bath, space for linens and laundry, and a comfortable bedroom with a generous closet. A wall of built-ins in the bedroom allows it to double as a home office. Vaulted ceilings in the main spaces make the house feel larger than it is, and a fireplace flanked by built-ins brings a level of detail to the great room.

Floor Plan

The exterior is a low-maintenance mix of stucco and stone under a standing seam metal roof. Large expanses of glass are seperated by stone piers inside and out, filling the house with light and capturing views.

Elevation