When thinking about new homes, I often hear people say “I just can’t make my house plan any smaller”. The average house size in New Zealand has increased by 50% since 1900. However, I have noticed recently a renewed interest in living simpler and smaller. If you are passionate about making your house both more affordable and more environmentally friendly, making it smaller is a great place to start.
Here are a few thoughts about what you may be able to do. The first thing I would suggest is not to compromise your plan by trying to squeeze too many rooms in to too smaller space. It’s much better to remove a room which would seldom be used, than to make each room too small for its purpose. One reason people often build houses bigger than is needed is a concern for resale. While this is something to think about, it pays to think hard about how long you would like to live in your house and what you really need. There will always be some demand for houses with 2 or 3 bedrooms, particularly with the average household size in decline in New Zealand. One of my personal pet peeves (and please excuse the ranting) is ‘Christmas bedrooms’ – a bedroom which is only used when the grown up children return for a few days or weeks a year. Often economically this makes little sense – unless you are also running a bed and breakfast. Once you add up the additional cost of the build, and the rates (and the extra vacuuming!) it might be worth looking at paying for a motel unit for that one week a year where you need five bedrooms. An easy option for reducing size is the second living area. While many families make good use of two living spaces, just as many find they seldom use that formal lounge that looked so pretty on the plans. Many people, particularly of an older generation, prefer a separate toilet. However, you can save a couple of square metres if you are able to incorporate the toilet in with your main bathroom, particularly if you are also planning an additional ensuite. Another space saver is considering a shower over bath in the main bathroom. Think about how you intend to use your master bedroom. If it will act as a living space, and a retreat from those rowdy teenagers, you might like a bit of space for comfy chairs and a little table. But if you only need a bed in this space, and have a walk-in robe to store all the clothes, it may be possible to trim the size of this room. Do think about the size of your bed though – obviously a super king needs more space than a queen sized bed, and most people also need space for bedside cabinets. Speaking of walk-in robes, this can be a wasted space. A large walk-in robe is a wonderful luxury, but a narrow space with barely room to hang a rail and walk down is not a great use of space. Consider 1, or even 2, standard robes for the master bedroom instead. I would say 1.6m is the minimum width for a useful walk-in robe. People often ask about minimum sizes of rooms. For bedrooms, excluding the wardrobes, I wouldn’t recommend going smaller than 3m x 3m. After this, the room is really only good for one single bed and a bit of furniture. Hallways less than 1m feel pokey, and are difficult for wheelchairs to navigate. I would say 810mm was the minimum width for a door (again it is also the minimum for a wheelchair). Bathrooms with a bath can be 1.8m x 3m, but I would recommend a minimum of 2m x 3m to give a bit of space to move. Also have a look at my blog about room sizes, from 2015. One area I would suggest you don’t compromise on is storage. Often the hallway cupboards are the first to be trimmed when people are trying to save space. No matter how much you declutter and minimalize your lifestyle, you will still need somewhere to store the vacuum cleaner and a linen cupboard. Attic stairs can be a useful way of using that empty roof space to store the suitcases and Christmas tree. And finally, cavity sliders can save considerable space in a house. While they cost about twice as much as a swing door, they can often save you a square metre or two, making them an economical choice. Where to from here? While I am enthusiastic about Tiny Homes (20m² or less), I realise this size is not for everyone. However, there are also great examples of smaller homes which are beautiful and functional. One New Zealand source of inspiration is a book called “Small House Living” by Catherine Foster. She has written a companion volume called “Apartment Living” which is also worth reading.
1 Comment
2/16/2018 03:05:04 am
Yes, it is good to reduce the number of rooms rather than making smaller rooms. Like exactly, what you said is correct that everyone demands for 2 or 3 bedrooms in their new house which are sufficient enough than increase the number of rooms in a small area.
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AuthorBronwyn is a residential Architectural Designer based in Marlborough New Zealand. All comments should be treated merely as the rantings of an opinionated designer and verified elsewhere! Categories
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