Sarah Susanka Bücher

Ten years ago, Sarah Susanka started a revolution in home design with a deceptively simple message: quality should always come before quantity. Now, the book that celebrated that bold declaration is back in a special anniversary edition. In this landmark home design book, America's superstar residential architect provides homeowners the guidance and language to get what they want: a house that is better not bigger and one that emphasizes comfort, beauty, and a high level of detail no matter how small it is. Featuring a new package and introduction by Susanka as well as 16 additional pages that explore three new Not So Big Houses, this 10th anniversary edition is very big news.

The Not So Big House created a movement that is changing the way people think about the American home. That groundbreaking book proposed a new blueprint for the American home: a house that values quality over quantity, with an emphasis on comfort and beauty, a high level of detail, and a floor plan designed for today's informal lifestyle. Creating the Not So Big House is the blueprint in action. Focusing on key design strategies such as visual weight, layering, and framed openings, Sarah Susanka takes an up-close look at 25 houses designed according to Not So Big principles. The houses are from all over North America in a rich variety of styles -- from a tiny New York apartment to a southwestern adobe, a traditional Minnesota farmhouse, and a cottage community in the Pacific Northwest. Whether new or remodeled, these one-of-a-kind homes provide all the inspiration you need to create your own Not So Big House.

Offers a new approach to home design, presenting thirty important design concepts that can transform any house into a warm, comfortable, original space.

Ten years ago, Sarah Susanka ignited a revolution in home design with a simple yet powerful message: quality should come before quantity. This special 10th anniversary edition celebrates that message, featuring a new introduction and 16 additional pages exploring three new homes. Since its original publication in Fall 1998, nearly a quarter-million copies have been sold, sparking a movement in home design that encourages homeowners to expect more from their living spaces. Architects and builders across the country have noted that clients often arrive with well-loved copies of the book, eagerly referencing their favorite sections. The text delves into why we prefer smaller, more personal spaces over larger ones and why we gravitate towards kitchens rather than formal dining rooms. It provides clear, actionable guidelines for creating homes that fulfill both spiritual and material needs, catering to various lifestyles, whether for couples, families, empty nesters, or individuals. In 1999, Susanka, then an architect with Mulfinger, Susanka, Mahady & Partners, brought Frank Lloyd Wright's human-scale design principles to contemporary architecture. By reflecting on the rooms we use and enjoy most, we can grasp the essential principles of this transformative approach to home design, which offers comfort, calm, energy, and activity for every mood.