This video captured my attention when it appeared last week on AOL. A family of three living in 320 square feet? Intentionally? While I admire the desire to downsize, I can't help but think this is borderline crazy. "Would it have killed them to have sprung for 500 square feet?" a friend wondered. Good point. Or at least a bedroom in which their son can stand up straight?
I'm pretty sure that dollhouse-sized homes aren't at the top of new trends in housing, but this video made me wonder what is. And what I found out is that as far as housing trends go, these homeowners got it right in a lot of ways. In other ways (surprise!), not so much.
What they did right
Less square footage - A house roughly the size of my kitchen/dining room is probably taking the concept a little too far, but smaller homes (a median of 2177 square feet) are definitely in, according to data from the National Association of Home Builders. That makes sense since smaller homes are less expensive in every way, from market cost to utility usage.
Single story homes - Other than a defined separation between bedrooms (in particular teen bedrooms) and living spaces, buyers are realizing there's not much to miss about two-story homes. One-story homes are less expensive to heat and cool, easier to clean, and allow homeowners to live comfortably and safely in them for longer periods of time.
Multi-use spaces - The "living room" area that doubles as a guest room is a good example of a multi-functional space. (Although the comfort level I'm not so sure about.) Spaces that can easily serve dual purposes include formal dining rooms, bonus rooms, and home offices.
Storage galore - So maybe "galore" is an overstatement in this case, but you have to admit she has some creative storage solutions. The broom behind the curtain - genius! Walk-in closets, built-in cabinets, and usable attic space are all part of the current housing trend for ample storage space.
What they missed
More amenities - Granite countertops, top-of-the line appliances, custom cabinetry, high end flooring and anything resembling luxury is missing from this home. Intentionally, of course. But while the new trend in housing may be less square footage, most home buyers are still looking for plenty of amenities.
Energy efficiency - I could be wrong, but I'm guessing the teen-age son's claustrophobic cozy loft bedroom is stifling during summer months. And it's unlikely that the rest of the house has any of the energy efficient features popular with cost-conscious buyers such as insulated front doors, low-E windows, programmable thermostats, high-performance appliances and energy-efficient lighting.
Accessibility - The narrow passageways and loft area make this home off limits to anyone with physical challenges. Wide hallways, doorways and staircases (or no stairs at all), walk-in showers, and open living spaces are the new trends in what's referred to as "universal design."
Outdoor living space - Patios and decks add valuable extra living space to a home, making up on the outside for less square footage on the inside.
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