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You
won't find a better advocate for small spaces than architect and author Sarah
Susanka. Seven years ago her first book, The
Not So Big House, was released to an enthusiastic crowd eager to
embrace a more thoughtful, personalized approach to home design. Susanka's message
of quality over quantity has been a refreshing alternative for those who know
a big house in the 'burbs with Sistine Chapel-size ceilings isn't in their future.
In September Susanka will release her next book, Inside
the Not So Big House (The Taunton Press), which zeroes in
on the interior details that make a home feel more substantial than its square
footage.
HGTV.com recently caught up with Susanka to talk about her favorite interior details that transform any home and what she thinks about current home design trends. |
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When your home
is not so big, there are several simple additions you can make to
increase style and function. Susanka calls these high-impact changes, such as
special trim and shelving, "interior details" and focuses on them
in Inside
the Not So Big House that she wrote with Marc Vassallo. "If you were
able to turn your house upside down and shake it, these inside details are the
ones that wouldn't come off, she says. Here are three of her favorites. |
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FANTASTIC FLOORING
My favorite interior detail is a floor that is part wood, part slate that comes together in a random pattern rather than with a hard line, like a threshold. The slate has a random pattern that gradually becomes wood, which is a great integration/marriage of materials.
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SUPER
SEPARATIONS
In a fairly small house it’s really effective to separate spaces, even in an open plan. Different ceiling heights or arches can add a lot of impact. To open up the view between the two rooms, a double archway was added that defines four more feet and helps to link the kitchen peninsula with the dining room. |
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| DREAMY DORMERS
There are lots of possibilities in a small home with dormer windows. A child’s bed can be built into a dormer, creating an interesting ceiling height. With the addition of curtains, the bed resembles a cozy four-poster.
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Where are we in the debate between the megahouse and the “not so big house”? Is the tide turning?
Absolutely. The really big builders are now listening to a new segment of the population who value the character of older homes and the importance of personalization.
The larger homes being built have been responsible for “size creep” and a reduction in quality in order to gain more square footage. More square footage doesn’t mean the home is going to “live better,” doesn’t mean it’s going to feel like a home. A “not so big house” isn’t more space but is more home, with quality and character. |
I like the way you encourage people to add character and function in their homes by turning “wasted space” into useful areas. Could you give us some examples?
You can take a small room and add a lot of character. A couple of great
details I’ve seen over the years include a row of bookshelves going up
the wall of a staircase on a houseboat, which created a library in a very small
area. In a tiny den, I’ve seen a built-in desk under an arch with bookshelves
on each side.
In almost any room you can turn the area between the wall studs into a shelf or special niche for artwork. In a room with a high ceiling, use molding to give it a sense of separation. |
What do you think about the popularity of the open floor plan?
I’m all for open floor plans but there is a piece missing. There still needs to be some differentiation from place to place. Most people don’t understand that you can separate the area without walls. I talk about the “third dimension,” the ceiling, which is incredibly important to the sense of space. One ceiling level throughout makes you feel like you’re in one room, but by differing the ceiling heights in the same room—like suspending a dropped lattice over one area—you get the feeling that it’s two or three places that are visually linked, and that’s what makes the difference. |
When you live in a small space, it can sometimes be difficult to get away from all of the commotion. Your suggestions?
It’s hard to have a cogent thought when you have lots of noise. It monopolizes your attention. When you have children, an “away room” that opens off the main living area with French doors is ideal. I find a lot of people are looking for permission to claim a quiet area in their house, even when the house is not so big. |
How important is lighting in a not-so-big house?
A beautifully lit home is incredibly important. When thinking about where to
place windows and skylights, think about how the light will reflect into the
space, what it will bounce off of, whether it is a flat wall or piece of art.
Deep windowsills are a great place to display a glass collection, which will
catch and scatter natural light. Artificial lighting can also make a significant
impact with spotlights bringing attention to specific areas while creating dark
places or contrasts between rooms to define discreet spaces, much like a panel
screen or low wall might do. |
Who inspires your designs?
Frank
Lloyd Wright and architect Fay
Jones have definitely colored my vision. Fay Jones’ work exemplifies
what architecture can be. He created very spiritual places that are also practical
and very beautiful. Another inspirational person is interior designer John Wheatman.
His books, among them Meditations
in Design and A
Good House Is Never Done, explore the importance of creating a personal
space that evolves over time. |
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