“Currently we think of the house as a place for living to take place in,” says architect and author Sarah Susanka in today’s Wall Street Journal (preview). “Our future house will be a place for accessing the world around us.”

Architect Sarah Susanka began sharing ideas about not-so-big houses during the late 1990s. Her concepts and designs have picked up steam ever since, as people seek to right-size their homes and lives. (Sarah Susanka)
When considering the future, Susanka moves beyond having highly functional and well-designed spaces. She also envisions a not-so-big house which fully supports our expanding lives:
- Refuge – real beauty to “feed the soul”
- Ease – interconnected “devices, appliances and control systems”
- Longevity – needs met today and “for the long haul”

This North Carolina mountain home reveals a jewel box entry that’s defined, open and calm. Architects Sarah Susanka and Tina Govan received a 2013 Fine Homebuilding finalist award for the refuge. (Fine Homebuilding)
The good news? Smaller-sized living is already seen as a viable option. In a 2013 Gallup poll, one-third of surveyed homeowners said they would move within 10 years. Of these movers, some 47% would buy smaller, 32% buy bigger, 13% rent, 2% buy the same size, and 6% had no opinion.
Surely there are financial, environmental, lifestyle or life stage considerations influencing U.S. homeowner plans. What’s interesting is that nearly half of would-be sellers plan to reduce their primary living spaces. Are you part of this group?
7/10/14 Update: For readers asking about the North Carolina mountain home beyond the entry area, it does feature Sarah Susanka’s principles writ large. Designed for a retired couple and their frequent visitors, the not-so-tiny place showcases efficiency, flow, comfort and nature.