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I have been following this discussion and am also acquainted with the "Not
So Big House" book. I am planning to sell my "overly big" suburban house
and build a "not so big" energy efficient home and have been thinking about size
and design issues a lot. I agree that there seems to be a tendency to
build a monster house, if you can afford it. I think some of that has to
do with our culture in which one of the ways that affluence and power is
measured is by the size of one's house. The bigger it looks, the better it
is. I live in a Dallas suburb and that has certainly shaped the way houses
are built here. Also, we fall prey to the dictum that for a house to be
marketable it must have certain features, namely formal living rooms and dining
rooms, rooms that are rarely if ever used but occupy a large amount of space and
decorating dollars. I have heard this over and over again. In the
past, I have accepted it and allowed it to shape my choices in housing. A
final thought - As one's financial means grow, it becomes more affordable to
have more single use rooms and appliances. Stories I have read about
monster houses describe rooms dedicated to such purposes as wrapping
gifts. (Another sign of wealth, not only can they afford to have a room
used only for gift wrapping, but the implication is that they are so wealthy and
generous, they can afford to do a lot more gift giving (and wrapping) than most
of us do.) Gourmet food magazines offer us specialized food preparation
tools, items that will rarely be used but will need to be stored (...more space
requirements generated).
My personal experience tells me that Susanka is right. Sole purpose
rooms, especially if off the beaten track, will rarely be used. Most
activity will take place in a few areas of the house, even if that wasn't the
original design plan. So, while I am not a fan of very large houses, I
think the real issue has to do with how the house is designed. Space that
is rarely if ever used is a bad investment for the owner and the
environment. Space that is not comfortable for use or that doesn't meet
the owner's needs may also be a poor investment in that it won't be enjoyed and
will probably be stimulate the owner to move or add more space onto the house in
an attempt to make it more comfortable. Ironically, while additions often
times do create more useable space, I think what often really happens as a
consequence is that use patterns shift and the original space in the house
becomes unused. Such an interesting topic... Meanwhile, I continue to
strive to optimize the design of my "not so big" house to be. Thanks for
an interesting and thought provoking discussion.
Mary Ann
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