Petit Spaces
Small Spaces are DA BOMB!!
And for soooo many reasons!
Sure ....things like lower utility costs, less square footage to clean, lower mortgages (generally) etc....the list goes on and on. This is where my Save vs Splurge post ties in (yes, I can definitely be thrifty at times).
As most of you know, I have my cottage in the city....my almost 800 square foot place I call home............
I LOVE every single inch of it, because in a space that size, you LIVE in every single square inch and utilize it to it's full advantage! I will admit, I also have a basement that houses my laundry, workshop area and storage and I utilize literally every millimeter of space down there too.
It's just Charlie and I...how much room do I/we really need?
I'm sure you have seen on Pinterest or Instagram the saying, "LESS HOUSE - MORE HOME" and I know you have 'heard' me use it before in other posts....
In this society of absolute excess, of over-the-top everything, of people living well beyond their means, why do we feel we need 6000, 7000, 10 000 square foot homes for families of 4?? To each their own I suppose, but what I will say is, when you lose that home to something like a fire (heaven forbid), it's not how big that house was...the number of stair cases, fireplaces, bathrooms etc.....it's about what that house contained to make it your home. The memories of Christmas stockings on a mantle and decorating the tree, birthday candles being blown out at the kitchen table, movie nights curled up on the couch, family pictures hanging on the wall, Gramma's antique wash stand in the bedroom.......
If a 10 000 square foot home doesn't contain and hold memories, it's nothing but a shell people sleep and exist in. How do you make memories, spend time with eachother etc when each family member has their own 'wing' and you communicate over intercom??
To me...this photo above is home...
A Saturday morning cupcake and a latte, reading mail from a friend, enjoying being surrounded by fresh flowers at my dining room table. I'm much more inclined to remember and enjoy rituals like this than remembering how many stairs were in the back stair case or how many cars were in the 8 door garage....It's not about 'how many' or how much', it's simply about 'how'....
How do you spend your time in your home, how (in 100 words or less) would you explain your home to a complete stranger using only emotions and feelings vs material expressions or examples..... and most importantly..... how do you make your house a home?
Magazines like Style at Home and House and Home are fantastic resources, full of practical and clever ideas about where to start with decorating a small space and how to truly utilize every bit of area you have. Remember....take your space...whether it's 500 square feet or 2000....and make it yours! Only bring in items you feel are a reflection of you...because the less space you have, the more important it is that you truly, truly love what you bring into it!
Apartment Therapy sure does get it right too, especially if you feel you may want to add on a wee bit more space to your already small space. I'll admit, I'm looking into the possibility of 'adding up' into my attic space, like the Apartment Therapy article speaks to. The thought of a master retreat sounds heavenly...and it would also then allow for a true guest room for my out of town friends/family to visit with their kids. Am I happy with my space right now... 100%! Would a master retreat add to the value of my home, for more than purely re-sale value, yes......Do I absolutely need one...no. Again, it's just something I'm investigating....and I'll let you know what my final decision is! ;)