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The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live [Paperback]

Sarah Susanka (Author), Kira Obolensky (Author)

4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Taunton Press Inc; New edition edition (4 Oct 2001)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1561583766
ISBN-13: 978-1561583768
Product Dimensions: 25.4 x 25.3 x 1.5 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 291,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #38 in Books > Home & Garden > Buying & Developing Property > Building Your Own Home > House Plans & Building Guides

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More About the Authors

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Kira Obolensky

Sarah Susanka

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

When describing a favorite room in the house, do you find yourself using terms such as "expansive," "formal," and "spacious"--a marble foyer or a formal dining room perhaps? Or do the words "cozy," "intimate," and "warm" come to mind--a cheery little breakfast nook or a window seat complete with plenty of pillows and a breathtaking view? More than likely, you--like thousands of other homeowners--are drawn to the more personal spaces in your home, where comfort, beauty, and efficiency meet. In The Not So Big House, author Sarah Susanka, a respected architect and columnist for Fine Homebuilding magazine, addresses our affinity for the "smaller, more personal spaces" and "proposes clear, workable guidelines for creating homes that serve both our spiritual needs and our material requirements." The heart of the not-so-big house--which is not "just a small house ... [but] a smaller house," that uses "less space to give greater quality of life," and is designed to not only "accommodate the lifestyles of its occupants" but also to express "our values and our personalities," is discussed in chapter 1, entitled "Bigger Isn't Better." Susanka's urging for homeowners to get creative with their space as well as loads of ideas to encourage that creativity are covered in "Rethinking the House" and "Making Not So Big Work." Discussions of specific needs, such as a home for one and designing for kids, can be found in "Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous," while "Dreams, Details, and Dollars" gets down to the nuts and bolts of the operation, looking at quality versus quantity, budgeting, and what "low end," "middle ground," and "high end" really mean in home design and construction. Lastly, Susanka looks at the home of the future, which involves simplifying, recycling, reducing waste, and using energy-efficient construction. With more than 200 color photographs, as well as floor plans and Susanka's intelligent and lively dialogue, The Not So Big House is perfect for homeowners ready to rethink their space. --Stefanie Hargreaves --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

Simpler lifestyles, higher quality leisure time with family and friends - these and other trends in society lay the foundation for this important, thought-provoking design and architecture book. In it, Sarah Susanka, LIFE Magazine's Architect of the Year, offers thoughtful guidelines for designing homes that more accurately reflect our lifestyles and personalities. The Not So Big House proposes clear, workable guidelines for creating modern homes that serve both our spiritual needs and our material requirements, whether for a couple with no children, a family, a retired couple or someone living alone.

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
So many houses, so big with so little soul. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
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Average Customer Review

4.6 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book, 25 Feb 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live (Hardcover)

If you are building a new house or a remodeling, check this book out. It doesn't show you how to do it, so much as how to think about it. You may discover, on reflection, that the way you use the spaces alters what it is you thought you wanted considerably.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Significantly changed the way we will build our new house!, 2 Dec 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live (Hardcover)

. .

The author's perspective will very likely save the reader (who wishes to build) time, money and aggravation.

We highly recommended this informative and handsome book. It has the feel of a coffee table book, but has a well articulated reason for being.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book!, 10 Nov 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live (Hardcover)

This book really points out the inadequacies in suburban houses. Lots of pictures and great ideas to turn a house into a comfy home. Money well spent!

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› See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.co.uk

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› Go to Amazon.com to see all 171 reviews 4.1 out of 5 stars

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice pictures, a few interesting ideas, lacking in substance
A nice book to read with plenty of quality photographs. As with most books the settings seem staged (you never see the occupants in these houses) After the first few chapters one... Read more

Published 8 months ago by Steve Evered

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing
This is my second copy of this book as I lent it to someone and never got it back! It really helped me when designing my last house and I need it again for my next one... Read more

Published on 2 July 2004 by Ms. S. Enmarch

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely
This is a wonderful book; beautifully written and full of excellent illustrations and photos. It's clearly aimed at a US audience, but it equally applies to other parts of the... Read more

Published on 6 Oct 2003 by Mr. M. Wilson

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone in the market for a new house.
Grab this book and read the text carefully. Don't just glance at the great photos. It is an excellent guide for anyone who is trying to figure out what they want in a house to... Read more

Published on 14 Jun 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Shows You How to Have a Big House in Less Space
I bought this book as a Christmas present for my parents. My Dad grew up in a small house and insists on keeping their big house even now that he is retired and they have an... Read more

Published on 20 April 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Will change the way you think about homes!
I always thought "bigger is better" when it came to homes- and was depressed because I knew we'd never be able to afford something big. Read more

Published on 13 April 1999

3.0 out of 5 stars Delightful but not for everyone
From coast to coast, today's suburban landscape is littered with badly designed "trophy houses"- mini mansions that have two negative distinctions: From the outside... Read more

Published on 17 Dec 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book about spirit, beauty & values at home.
This is a wonderful book. First I was drawn to the pictures which tell their own story of how our homes could be - for a wide audience, not just the rich and famous. Read more

Published on 14 Oct 1998

› See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.co.uk

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