The economy is forcing people to rethink the size of their homes. According to 2008 Census data, for the first time in at least 10 years, the average square footage of single-family homes under construction fell dramatically, from 2,629 in the second quarter to 2,343.
In her book, The Not So Big House, author and architect, Sarah Susanka, writes that the large homes being built today place too much emphasis on square footage rather than on current lifestyles. In order to design a home for everyday use, she writes “In a three-ring binder, start to assemble data about the places in your life that make you feel comfortable and those that make you feel uncomfortable. Document their size, take photos or make diagrams, illustrating what it is within the space that evokes the response. Images of other spaces can supplement your notes–magazines are a great resource for this.”
Interested in learning more? Here’s a link to recommended reading from Sarah Susanka and here’s a link to her other books on Amazon.
–from The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka
