Now available in paperback, the expanded 10th anniversary edition of Sarah Susanka's The Not So Big House is ready to inspire a whole new generation of homeowners and builders. Though a decade has passed, her deceptively simple message remains as powerful as ever: when it comes to our homes, quality should always come before quantity. With comforting guidance and clear language, America's favorite home architect shows how to create a house that emphasizes comfort, beauty, and a high level of detail. This anniversary edition of a contemporary classic features a new introduction by Susanka and 32 bonus pages that explore three additional Not So Big houses.
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About the Author
Susan Susanka is a best-selling architect and cultural visionary. Her approach to design has attracted vast media attention and she has appeared on numerous television shows, such as the Oprah Winfrey Show. She is a former principal and founding partner of Mulfinger, Susanka, Mahady & Partners, Inc., the firm chosen by LIFE magazine to design its 1999 dream house.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is disappointing because what she refers to as a not-so-big house is only not-so-big when compared with a McMansion. The rooms pictured in her book look so spacious ... because the rooms are big. She seldom actually admits in her books how big her rooms are, or the square footage of her houses. I can tell you that her rooms are huge compared to the ones in my 1500 sq. ft. house, which accommodates a family of four plus multi-month stays by extended family. She does not deal with the real world, like, for example, children. She uses a lot of built-ins, which make a room really inflexible when you want to repurpose it. She goes for cuteness, like little window seats, which no one will sit in for any length of time because they are so uncomfortable. She likes the craftsman style - which is nice, but it does not fit well with the basic design of every house that someone might already own. She does not deal with real issues with small houses, for example that they also come with small yards. Not all of us can just put a window anywhere on the wall to look out on a beautiful view. It took me quite a while to figure out that her houses are not really not-so-big. What a waste of money her books were. I'd like her to give me my money back for selling under false pretenses. Don't buy these books for real construction ideas. They are really for the guilty rich who want to convince themselves that their 2000-3000-sq. ft. house is not-so-big, and justify spending a lot of money inside it for custom built-ins that will be torn out when their current lifestyles change.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book changed the way I look into houses. We live in our second townhouse and we cannot figure out what is missing or what is wrong with it . Somehow we just felt not as comfortable and attached as compared to the smaller and older house that we have sold. At first we were excited to have everything bigger - higher ceiling, more space, walk-in closets, etc., but we forgot something very important. A house needs to be homey and cozy. It should be something that you will feel relaxed when you come home from work, just short of cuddling you.
The book stresses that it is not the quantity that is important but quality. A house should be practical and useful and not just something to show. This is why a formal dining room is really not necessary. In time you will realize that it is one the most unused parts of the house; so true. It also says that the things that you want to have in your house should be useful or beautiful to you; if not, discard it. These are just a few of the many great ideas for a homeowner or future homeowner.
This is another book that I want to keep on my shelf - a real keeper.
The book stresses that it is not the quantity that is important but quality. A house should be practical and useful and not just something to show. This is why a formal dining room is really not necessary. In time you will realize that it is one the most unused parts of the house; so true. It also says that the things that you want to have in your house should be useful or beautiful to you; if not, discard it. These are just a few of the many great ideas for a homeowner or future homeowner.
This is another book that I want to keep on my shelf - a real keeper.
20 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
1. Many pictures of very beautiful, inspiring houses. Fantastic views looking out the windows. A buildable lot of this size and with views of this quality, within commuting distance of a major U.S. city, will cost at least $1 million.
At this moment in time the U.S. is exiting a housing bubble and entering a deep recession. Americans have an unfortunate lust to purchase far more house than they can afford. Must architect Susanka feed this lust?
2. This is a book about a design philosophy: Design every room to be a comfortable, informal, frequently used, multi-purpose space. Design every house with an optimum traffic pattern, with no wasted space. Design a house proportioned on a human scale. In this aspect, the book is inspiring.
3. Many pictures showing very beautiful, very expensive custom woodwork, expensive custom windows, etc. Here again, pursuit of this ideal would bankrupt every American middle-class worker. Some reviewers have offered the excuse: "An architect-designed house must necessarily be very expensive." But this excuse won't fly: architect Susanka explicitly offers the houses in her book as an alternative to the $500,000 super-sized tract house.
4. Beautiful spaces with none of the clutter of daily life. No children live here, no dogs, no messy adults, no artists immersed in their projects and raw materials. Apparently the owners are busy professionals who only use the house for entertaining.
The only sign of life here is the professional photographer, employed by an architecture journal.
Architect Susanka really should view a few programs on HGTV, to see how humans actually live.
At this moment in time the U.S. is exiting a housing bubble and entering a deep recession. Americans have an unfortunate lust to purchase far more house than they can afford. Must architect Susanka feed this lust?
2. This is a book about a design philosophy: Design every room to be a comfortable, informal, frequently used, multi-purpose space. Design every house with an optimum traffic pattern, with no wasted space. Design a house proportioned on a human scale. In this aspect, the book is inspiring.
3. Many pictures showing very beautiful, very expensive custom woodwork, expensive custom windows, etc. Here again, pursuit of this ideal would bankrupt every American middle-class worker. Some reviewers have offered the excuse: "An architect-designed house must necessarily be very expensive." But this excuse won't fly: architect Susanka explicitly offers the houses in her book as an alternative to the $500,000 super-sized tract house.
4. Beautiful spaces with none of the clutter of daily life. No children live here, no dogs, no messy adults, no artists immersed in their projects and raw materials. Apparently the owners are busy professionals who only use the house for entertaining.
The only sign of life here is the professional photographer, employed by an architecture journal.
Architect Susanka really should view a few programs on HGTV, to see how humans actually live.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoying the ideas very much
The concepts in "The Not So Big House" have been great for us as we have worked through a downsizing from a larger house to a smaller house.
Published 1 month ago by Mark Waite
5.0 out of 5 stars
The insights you need to know :D
Just read some of the online pages and you'll immediately see why I rated 5 stars. If it works for you, this book WILL save you time and money, and you get your (not so big) dream... Read more
Published 1 month ago by MarkMaya
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not so big house
The houses are still way to BIG for my taste. The ideas were helpful. The author is helpful and experienced.
Published 2 months ago by Thomas C
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rethink Space
This book, and the rest of Sarah Susanka’s books, changed my life. After spending a lifetime buying into the suburban notion of how a house should be designed, I read Susanka's... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Linda Crume
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good for our remodel
I bought this book to get ideas for a remodel we are doing. It is layer out in an organized way, the pictures are very clear and detail oriented. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Patricia Z. Willitts
5.0 out of 5 stars
NOT SO BIG means not small, but JUST RIGHT
I see some complaints that people are quantifying the square footage of the Not So Big House. YES, some of them are still big... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alfred Racho
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eye-Opening and Versatile
I first heard of this book when I saw an interview with Charlie Rose and the author in 1999. When I bought the book, I was disappointed at how large the houses were. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Jason M. Waskiewicz
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Not So Big House
This book is fantastic! Lots of practical ideas regarding constucting or remodeling to suit the way we live. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Karen
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Not So Big House
The Not So Big House is a beautiful and inspiring book for people who appreciate unique design built to scale. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Joyce Evelyn Nilsen
4.0 out of 5 stars
All her books are good
I have all of Susanka's books except the "Remodling..." and "Outside the Not So Big House". I recently bought the Expanded version of this book new because I've already re-read it... Read more
Published 8 months ago by M. Reynolds
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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