Small Thinking on a Grand Scale...

Small Thinking on a Grand Scale...

‘Small is the new big’, is the catch cry of the small or micro house movement.

Our first reaction is usually that it does not fit our lifestyle, and goes against the norm where bigger is better. What it does do is it forces us to re-think and ask questions. What does size and space really mean to us? What is the essence of what we 'need' to make us spatially happy?

If we take a closer look, there are some great principles at play and this opens up opportunities for us to get down to the nitty gritty of what our personal requirements are, and what is possible if we don’t default to the typical expectations of size and prestige.

Having lived in a well-designed small inner city apartment, I found that I was not thwarted by compactness, instead it liberated my lifestyle. I discovered a new and greater engagement with the city, where my neighbourhood began to function as my living room.

When taking the 'big' step to small living, stripping down to the essentials is the starting point, not an end in itself. Once the space is simplified, building it back up again we find creative and exciting alternatives in thinking about living inside a space with the discovery that less can be more.

With compact spaces everything needs to be considered and creative problem solving and design become essential. Every junction, surface, nook and cranny must go through questioning its purpose and what it adds, or detracts from the picture.
Here, there is little room for gimmicks. To work, small spaces need to generate architectural detail, where every joint aligns beautifully and materials & textures add a rich sense of volume and rest. It's this interior detailing that adds the quality experience to a space, and enhances your interaction with it.

Whatever your current situation is, small thinking helps us reconsider sustainability, where less crowding and wasteful use of materials become conscientious choices. When these things are considered honestly, smaller houses equates to less time maintaining, cleaning or working to pay mortgages… less stress and more time for life’s pleasures, social engagement and environmental responsibility.

Thinking small may not be for everyone, but you cannot deny it begs the question, is big better?