The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live (Susanka) |  | Authors: Sarah Susanka, Kira Obolensky
Publisher: Taunton
Category: Book
List Price: $32.00
Buy New: $26.98
as of 11/21/2009 18:23 CST details
You Save: $5.02 (16%)
New (8) Used (10) from $19.17
Seller: vana11
Rating:  154 reviews
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Expanded, 10th Anniversary ed.
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.6
Dimensions (in): 10.2 x 10.1 x 1
Dewey Decimal Number: 728.37
Publication Date: September 23, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com 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, respected architect Sarah Susanka and coauthor Kira Obolensky address our affinity for the "smaller, more personal spaces" and propose "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, the authors look 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 and Obolensky's intelligent and lively dialogue, The Not So Big House is perfect for homeowners ready to rethink their space. --Stefanie Hargreaves
Product Description
Ten years ago, Sarah Susanka started a revolution in home design with a deceptively simple message: quality should always come before quantity. Now, the book that celebrated that bold declaration is back in a special anniversary edition. In this landmark home design book, America's superstar residential architect provides homeowners the guidance and language to get what they want: a house that is better not bigger and one that emphasizes comfort, beauty, and a high level of detail no matter how small it is. Featuring a new package and introduction by Susanka as well as 16 additional pages that explore three new Not So Big Houses, this 10th anniversary edition is very big news.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 154
Building Small September 21, 2009
Crow Woman (Northeastern US)
I was impressed with the excellent photographs demonstrating building and decorating techniques in smaller homes. It is a marvelous springboard for your own ideas and designs.
 The not so big buget! August 31, 2009
M Chabot (GA USA)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Overroll I liked the book, however it was not still for my budget. Let's explain: The wirter is arquithect, so the world were she works is big still. I am a reader looking for a samll design house ideas and it was desapointed.
If you want to design a house with a really low budget ( less then 300.000 ) better to choose another book.
What amazes me is arquithects their daily basis customer are not medium class but high class so is what they are use to. I agree on the aspect of s better to have less space and ,more refined details, I could't agree more on that.
CChabot
 Susanka's Not So Big is ostentatious May 3, 2009
R. Perelmutter (Lawrence, KS)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
Like many others, I was drawn to the "less is more" philosophy announced in the title of this book. The content disappointed me.
Here are my issues.
1. Size. Susanka's "not so big" is at least 2200 sq.ft and usually more. That is huge in my book. Yes, I live in the Midwest, but most people in my university town do not live in McMansions - they live in reasonably sized (1200sq.ft-2000sq.ft) homes.
2. Cost. The houses are not affordable for the average person. I don't have 500k lying around to spend on a 2300sq.ft "detailed" house that is "not so big" as ... what, exactly?
3. Visual clutter. The custom detailing, which Susanka advocates, is excessive and often lends her houses a cluttered look. This is further enhanced by the countless heirlooms and "personal touches" the owners display - nothing wrong with this in moderation, but if some of those interiors look cluttered for the photoshot, how would they look with actual daily clutter (newspapers, teacups, toys, discarded sweaters)? Frank Lloyd Wright was the master of the complex interior with lots of detailing - his houses come together like symphonies. I am not convinced that Susanka has the talent to pull this off.
4. Dissing modernism. Susanka is not a fan of modernism, and even says that it didn't catch on. That is emphatically not true. Modernist houses still continue to be built, not to mention the fact that many Americans live in 1950-60's houses. For modernists, less-is-more really means that - less square footage, less visual clutter, more creative solutions. You don't have to wait until you save 500k to have that.
The book was written in 1998. It's 2009; times have changed. Maybe it's time for a different book.
Not So Big House February 7, 2009
Izzie (St Petersburg, Fl USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I did learn a lot by reading the book but would have liked more diversified styles. My traditional, European style wasn't at all portrayed and too much modern for my tastes. She has a lot of good ideas but illustrations, pics, etc to show different tastes, would have helped a lot.
 A Homeowner Classic January 26, 2009
Nuknuk (Springfield, VA United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book changed the way I look into houses. We live in our second townhouse and we cannot figure out what is missing or what is wrong with it . Somehow we just felt not as comfortable and attached as compared to the smaller and older house that we have sold. At first we were excited to have everything bigger - higher ceiling, more space, walk-in closets, etc., but we forgot something very important. A house needs to be homey and cozy. It should be something that you will feel relaxed when you come home from work, just short of cuddling you.
The book stresses that it is not the quantity that is important but quality. A house should be practical and useful and not just something to show. This is why a formal dining room is really not necessary. In time you will realize that it is one the most unused parts of the house; so true. It also says that the things that you want to have in your house should be useful or beautiful to you; if not, discard it. These are just a few of the many great ideas for a homeowner or future homeowner.
This is another book that I want to keep on my shelf - a real keeper.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 154
|
|
|
