Embracing smaller spaces

Yes, small is trendy right now. And sometimes here in greater Boston, it's your only option. But, as I've mentioned I'm sure, I like small (not tiny).  I lived in a very small place (for three people and a dog) in Cambridge and am now in a relatively small (although feels large to me) deck house in Carlisle.  

There are so many great ways to embrace small.  And so many benefits of it as well.  

What I have found, living in a "large" (2700 sq ft), "medium" (1900 sq ft) and "small" (777 sq ft) homes is that you use what you need, not what you have.  They often say, the more money you make, the more you spend.  For me, that doesn't follow with space.  When I lived small, I used every nook and cranny I had, and it worked well.  Now, in my "medium" home and previously in my "large" home, there were rooms I just didn't use. Occasionally when I have a house full of people, they'll spill over, but in general, rooms get furnished (or not), get vacuumed and get passed through.

Small spaces force organization and thought.  Limited storage forces thought about needs versus wants.  Small spaces make you think about how to creatively store things, because clutter can make small spaces feel smaller.  Big spaces absorb stuff differently than small spaces, so thought and organization become paramount. 

Small spaces thrive on multi-function.

Remodelaholic - 25 Clever Closet Offices

• A dining space that is also a craft and/or homework space.
• An extra closet that becomes an office with a door or curtain that hides the details neatly out of sight.  
• A living room with a Murphy bed to make a first, second, or guest bedroom.  A great example was highlighted in this Apartment Therapy article on the fabulous use of space in one tiny Manhattan apartment.

Less maintenance and expense.  For an obvious example... you can design and build a super fancy new kitchen in a small space for a lot less than you can in a large home and not have to give up function or features or even counter space.  And fewer rooms mean less furniture.  But smaller rooms can also make furniture hard to find.  In my Cambridge condo, I couldn't fit a queen size bed and a dresser in the room, so I found a bed with drawers underneath. Problem solved.  When I bought mine they were hard to come by, now you can find them everywhere from IKEA to DWR at all kinds of price points.  And as spaces have gotten smaller, more companies are complementing their lines with smaller scale furniture.  

It isn't all about square footage... small or large, it's about how a home feels and works for you. Everything from lifestyle, to cost and location.