Rowan - Compact Houses

Most of us dream of having a place of our own. Some of us dream large, but more and more of us are dreaming of something small.

Perhaps we long to own our first house something on the smaller side because were just starting out. Perhaps we are empty nesters, downsizing into more practical space. Perhaps we want to build a little place of our own, with our own hands. Perhaps we want to build small in order to live mortgage-free. Perhaps we want to minimize the impact of our home on the environment.

Whatever the reason, a compact home offers advantages across the board: reduced building time, reduced use of building materials, less impact on the environment, smaller carbon footprint, and less maintenance once its built. With these savings, a compact home also allows for quality materials, solid craftsmanship, and even a few touches of luxury. These characteristics would appeal to any homeowner.

Some potential homeowners may object to the idea of a small house, perhaps equating the concept of small with cramped, crowded living quarters. But with good design, a compact home is a comfortable one. It feels welcoming. As with any home, its particular character depends on its designers and owners. Some may want their compact home to be warm and cozy; others may prefer a more spartan aesthetic, with neatness and efficiency the ruling principles. The point is that design, not square footage, determines a homes worthiness. And good design is the focus of this book.

This book is intended for folks who want to have a hand in designing or building a compact home that fits their needs in a simple, affordable, ecologically sustainable way. Whether you are a home designer, builder, owner, or some combination of the three, youll find useful advice here on the criteria for critical house elements, such as room layouts, power sources, appliances, furnishings, and space-saving (or space-enhancing) design features. Each element plays a role in the aesthetic and functioning of the home, but most important is the way in which all the elements work together. Successful small-space design is a gestalt process. Gestalt describes a group of components that function as a unit and are so integrated that the units properties are not derivable by a summation of the components. In other words, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Thats the beauty of a well-designed compact home.

In this book youll find dozens of original home designs in a range of styles and a variety of sizes, from around 800 to 1,400 square feet. But this book is not just for those looking to build a new home. There is a vast range of compact homes already in existence, from bungalows and ranches to Capes and condominiums. Many are in dire need of renovation and thus are available cheap. With a little forethought and consideration of the design imperatives for small-space living, you can readily transform these houses into comfortable, efficient, stylish homes. You can convert a cookie-cutter Cape into a quirky, modern abode; retrofit a dark, dingy ranch into a sleek, open-plan green dwelling; or renovate a shabby old farmhouse to make it the warm, welcoming home it was meant to be.

All advice notwithstanding, I hope to encourage you to draw on your own creativity, building on the concepts developed in this book to arrive at a home plan that is both personal and well designed. Our home is a part of our identity. It is our launching pad and our refuge. To truly serve us well, it must clearly reflect our lifestyle and values. That makes it important to choose the design ideas that are best for us. We are all anxious to jump into our house project, get our hands dirty, and move in as soon as possible. The time we spend up front in the design phase will pay off in a number of ways, reducing building time, helping us avoid mistakes, and adding to our long-term satisfaction.