Too Big ... Too Little ... Just Right
More and more houses are coming with more and more rooms, but that doesn't always mean they're practical. The right-sized home utilizes the right amount of space for your lifestyle
By Patricia V. Rivera CTW Features

Gregory Johnson's decision to move out of his 2,000-squarefoot home to one that is less than one-tenth that size didn't happen overnight.

Like most people, Johnson didn't just wake up one morning and decide to move into a 142-square-foot cabin. In fact, the Iowa City, Iowa, resident really liked the extra space his 2,000-square foot home once afforded him. It gave him places to put his home computer, store his books, install a home gym and entertain overnight guests.

A divorce, however, left him staring at the four walls of an efficiency apartment, the idea of living small slowly started to appeal to him.

While Johnson's decision to move into a tiny cabin may seem extreme to most people, it reflects a gradual shift away from mega-houses that are so expensive to maintain and so pricey. The National Association of Home Builders reported in 2006, for example, that even though the average size of new homes expanded by 50 percent in the last three decades, experts don't expect the trend to continue. Square footages are expected to drop slightly from the current average of around 2,450.

Another industry pulse taker, the American Institute of Architects, revealed in its most recent annual survey that more residential architects are being asked to design smaller residences.

AIA spokesman Scott Frank says homeowners seem to be placing less attention on the amount of space in their homes and are, instead, focusing more on how the space they have will be used.

"We're seeing better use of existing space in homes, which reduces the need for more square footage," he says.

Sarah Susanka, a North Carolina architect and author of "The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live" (Taunton Press, 1998) has long advocated for sensibly sized homes that won't bankrupt a buyer at closing or drive a new homeowner into the red when it comes to paying heating and cooling bills.

Her book drew enough attention to warrant the more detailed books that followed. Over the last two years more people seem committed to downsizing.

"People have bought houses that are bigger and bigger. Now they're realizing that size doesn't create a home with warmth and personality," she says.

She suggests that buyers ask themselves just how much space they really need.

"If a formal living room isn't getting used what is the point of having it?" she asks.

Instead of a room that may get used twice or three times a year, she suggests buying or building homes with rooms that can do double duty with a few pieces of adaptable furniture.

The key: Focus less on ego-satisfying (but bank-account-draining) square footage and more on actual needs.

"Look to create a sense of comfort, which comes from tailoring a home to the way you live. Then fill it with personal details," Susanka says.

Johnson, meanwhile, found more support than he expected to when he formed the Small House Society, an organization that actively promotes tiny residences. The homes of members range from less than 100 square feet to 5,000 square feet. What they share, despite the disparity in their sizes, is the interest of owners in finding ways to reduce environmental footprints.

Johnson has found that today's relatively low-cost technology makes his choice of residences all the more easy to live in. His former library, filled with books and CDs, now fits into an iPod and a laptop. The main floor of his cabin works as his office, living room or kitchen. He climbs a ladder to a loft for sleep.

It helps that he lives in a community that provides him with services to replace the space he surrendered when he moved out of his 2,000-square-foot home. For example, he now goes to a local gym instead of going to his private workout room. When he has guests that are staying in town overnight, he directs them to a quaint B&B since he no longer has a guest room.

Clearly drawbacks exist, but another benefit to downsizing that Johnson appreciates is the extra money in his pocket. That is an obvious benefit at a time when homeowners are experiencing double-digit increases in their energy bills.