By Susan Susanka
Newton, Connecticut: Taunton Press, 2002. 160 pages; $22.95 paperback.
Reviewed by Lynne M. Carter
Sarah Susanka, the well-known author of both The Not So Big House and Creating the Not So Big House, has again provided a wealth of ideas to support her innovative concept of personalizing your home and making the spaces uniquely fit your needs. Her new book is made up of 30 articles that she originally published in Fine Homebuilding.
The text is divided into six sections that address numerous aspects of designing and building a home—from the selection of the site and your house style, to attention to detail such as making spaces for cherished objects, appropriate lighting, and remodeling that fits your needs and style.
The introductions to each of her sections help you to better understand her thought process in suggesting that you build your living space more wisely rather than just bigger. "By rethinking how you use each space, you can create a house that simultaneously functions better; is more efficient, more beautiful, and more spacious; and yet is often surprisingly smaller than you thought you needed." (pg. 29)
For anyone planning a building or remodeling project, I would highly recommend this book. Her suggestions and comments about things to think about such as a welcoming entry or ways to make your daily routine flow more easily—which might include thinking about a place to sort mail and recycle—come not only from her experiences as a residential architect but also from mistakes that she has seen. This is a book that offers useful, affordable, doable, and practical solutions for everyday living. She has convinced me that, if done with thought and care, less really is more!
Lynne M. Carter holds a Ph.D. and is an environmental consultant. Her specialty is global climate change.
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