Custom home in Bryan / College Station, by Stearns Design Build. Creating a sense of community is something we strive for everyday. 

Custom home in Bryan / College Station, by Stearns Design Build. Creating a sense of community is something we strive for everyday. 

Yesterday’s blog highlighted the importance of tailoring our homes to our needs. Part of this involves focusing on the quality not quantity of space for all aspects of a home, including its site and its community. Sarah Susanka, an architect and writer, exemplifies this in her most recent Not So Big Showhouse. Here are some of her thoughts about working on this project–

“With all the challenges in the housing market, it’s clear we need a new vision for the way we design our homes, our communities—and even our lives. This is the first time I’ve designed a showhouse that’s located within an existing small town and in a new walkable community that’s just off the town’s main street. In many ways this combination reflects the heart of what Not So Big is all about . . . The [Showhouse demonstrates] how Not So Big can apply to every level of design—from the smallest detail inside the house, to the street, neighborhood and community as a whole. When all these ingredients are mixed together, the experience is truly more than the sum of its parts.”

I think that we can learn from this idea in College Station and Bryan by continuing to focus on quality over quantity and by fully utilizing spaces in our homes and out communities. This will require some creative thinking and in some situations a willingness to change, but will result in homes, neighborhoods, and cities that suit our needs and improve our lives.

We’ll continue tomorrow with some ideas about how our homes and communities can be tailored. We encourage you to share thoughts with us as well!