Page 66 - Lighting Magazine - August 2013

How Big is small?

The winner in the ninth Apart-
ment Therapy Small Cool
contest was Garret, who shared
views of his stylishly appointed
340-sq.-f. space. An overhead
light is dressed with a drum
shade, and portables help fll in
for more illumination. The large
wall mirror is the botom of the
Murphy bed.

speech, she discussed her inspiration.
The scale of big is not about size, but quality,
Susanka explains. She posed the question of How
much space is enough? when clients of her frst
architectural frm continuously expressed the de-
sire for 5,000-sq.-f. homes when they only had
1,500-sq.-f. worth of budget. What she discovered
is that people are looking for a sense of home
that is not always satisfed by square footage.
T achieve this through quality workmanship and
The Not So Big concept isn t about size; its a
sensibility. Its about spaces that inspire and that
are used every day, Susanka explains. Her designs
he economy is heating up, building permits are
being issued more freely, and consumers are still
meaningful spaces and among her tools are light
intent on fnding their dream homes even though
and lighting.
those residences are less McMansion and more
We are [innately] programmed to walk to
toward light, Susanka explains. It seems all hall-
humble in square footage.
ways terminate in darkness, however, if there is a
According to the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB), todays median desired home
painting on the wall at the end that is illuminated,
size is 2,266 square feet, yet the latest U.S. Cen-
sus (2010) pegged the average home size at 2,392
also employs layers of lighting in kitchens with adja-
square feet. In the NAHBs recent What Home
cent dining areas (Susanka is not a fan of the formal
Buyers Really Want survey, those age 35 and it changes the entire experience of the space. She
dining room). By changing or dimming certain fx-
younger are seeking a home that is approximately tures, emphasis can be placed on either the task of
2,500 square feet while those age 65+ were looking cooking or the art of dining.
at spaces of 2,065 square feet.
Other developments are also infuencing home The Tiny Trend
size. As the sustainability movement becomes To be sure, small does not mean stark or unliv-
more ingrained and the tough lessons of the Reces- able. Apartment Therapys Small Cool contest,
sion continue to afect the home mortgage market, which just concluded its ninth edition, generates
some consumers are exploring the possibility of hundreds of entries from creative people living in
downsizing their lifestyles. Even among some archi- less than 1,000 square feet. The contest asks en-
tects, smaller spaces are gaining popularity. trants to also give tips on living well. Garret was
Sarah Susanka, FAIA who began the Not So the grand prize winner this year with his 340-sq.-
Big House movement in the late 1990s with a se- f. apartment entered in the Teeny-Tiny category.
ries of books and home plans to prove her point (www.apartmenttherapy.com/garretts-everything-
remains a sought-afer speaker and has expanded every-day-small-cool-contest-189922). The space
her philosophy into entire cities with the Not So Big is outfted with a Murphy bed his favorite small
Community concept. She expounded upon both space solution upholstered pieces, a mix of dark
themes at this years Congress for the New Urban- and light woods, plus a stylish drum shade over
ism (CNU21) in Salt Lake City. During her keynote the overhead light in the living room, plenty of

64 enLIGHTenment Magazine | august 2013 www.enlightenmentmag.com