“The Not so Big House”, by Sarah Susanka

Susanka, Sarah, and Kira Obolensky. The Not so Big House: a Blueprint for the Way We Really Live. Newtown, CT: Taunton, 1998. Print.

This is the seminal work that started the small house movement, so it was necessary for me to revisit it.  I think I even own a copy of the book, but it was in the attic, so I found it easier to get this off the shelf at the library.  (Some irony there?).

The real irony, 12 years after the book was published, is that the houses really aren’t small.  She urges people to build 2,000 square foot houses rather than 3,000 ones, putting the extra money into better design and finishes.  Since I’m currently living in a 1,500 square foot house and planning to move to one that’s only 1,000, I wondered how well her ideas would translate.

The answer seems to be “not very”, at least in my case – but part of that is the evolution of thinking over the past decade.  The idea that a formal living and dining room are necessary seems to have mostly fallen by the wayside for my circle of friends, largely due to Susanka’s influence herself.  I certainly know people who have bought huge houses in Mississauga or Scarborough with an eat-in kitchen AND dining room, and living room AND rec room.  But, I know more people who are buying 700 square foot condos right on Bloor Street and using every inch of their space well.

Either way I slice it, though, this book remains an inspiration.  The beautiful colour photos show houses with rich woodwork and thoughtful detailing.  The principles of “shelter around activity” and diagonal views are not as obvious as items or spaces that do double duty, and it showed me how those principles are working (or usually not working) in my home now.

Possibly my favourite pictures are the ones of sculptor Henry Moore’s kitchen in a London studio (pages 60 and 91); tucked under the stairs, it has lots of drawers and cabinets and looks so inviting, either for entertaining or a quiet individual meal.

There is a decent index and a better bibliography.