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McMansions and the Small House

November 14, 2011 at 9:26 am by Claudia

my house – 1200 square feet

Good morning! Another Monday has rolled around. How do the weeks fly by so quickly? Time really does seem to go by more quickly these days. I’m not sure I have a lot to show for it, but there you go.

I’m so excited about the new series that Brenda and I are starting, “Defending the Small House.” My neighborhood consists of quirky, individual houses, many of them quite modest, along with some McMansions. The quirky and small have the edge, thank goodness. There was a building boom around here a few years ago. As more and more New Yorkers either sought a refuge away from the city or could no longer afford to live in the city, the population in our neck of the woods increased. There are a few newer McMansion communities that are unfinished. No one can afford these houses. Construction has halted.

We have 3 of these newer homes across the road from us. One of them, which is huge, is only used on the occasional weekend. While I am impressed by the money this young couple must have, I can’t help thinking what a waste that is. Really? You need all that space for the weekend? Hard to believe.

I grew up in a very small house. It was part of a suburban community of bungalows that sprang up after World War II. The houses all looked alike. I was young and school filled my days but I still knew that every house looked like the one next door. I longed for something different.

Nevertheless, my parents managed to raise 4 children in our tiny bungalow. That’s not to say we wouldn’t have loved more space. But none of us grew up traumatized from living in a small house. And I loved our modest, middle class community, which now, after 60 years or so of existence, looks old, established and has beautiful tree-lined streets.

Brenda’s House – 1010 square feet

Many of us are downsizing for a variety of reasons; empty nests, the economy, a too-high mortgage. And in the end, do we really need all that space? How many trees are chopped down so that the land around these new houses can be flat, boring and clear of any natural beauty? How many animals have lost their natural habitat and are displaced because everyone has to have a bigger home?

There is a movement happening. Much has been written about the small house. Sarah Susanka has been a strong advocate for the small house and its smaller footprint. For an even tinier footprint, visit Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

I’ve really never had a choice as to the size of my home. Modest income = modest house. I’d love a wee bit more space for a laundry room and a downstairs bedroom. It may never happen. And we’ll be just fine. We have learned to live in a small space that leaves a small imprint on the land. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about living comfortably in a small space.

Our house is small and charming and unlike any other house I’ve seen. It’s cozy.

That does it for me.

Our series starts tomorrow. Please join us!

Enjoying the Porch While We Still Can

November 13, 2011 at 2:00 pm by Claudia

Lap it up, my doggies. Enjoy the warmth of the sun before the winter snows come. That pretty stone floor will be covered in snow and your favorite place won’t seem quite as welcoming.

Watch the cars and motorcycles go by. Bark at the occasional jogger. Make sure the deer and chipmunks and squirrels know this is your territory.

I love your ever-vigilant, house-guarding attitude. But today, take a deep breath and enjoy.
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My dear friend Brenda from Cozy Little House and I are starting a series. We’re calling it Defending the Small House. Thanks to Casey for giving us that title – she used those very words in a comment on my Living Comfortably in a Small Space post. Brenda and her two little dogs are living in just over 1000 square feet and Don and I (who are both tall) are living with our two big dogs in 1200 square feet. Each week, we’ll give our take on a particular small space topic. And we’ll ask for ideas from you, as well. Hope you’ll join us.

Turning a Buffet/Sideboard into a Kitchen Island

November 12, 2011 at 6:00 am by Claudia

Since I’ve had my kitchen island for over 3 years, I tend to take it for granted. Then it will appear in a post, like it did this past week, and it will get lots of comments. I think it’s time to talk about it again and share some more details on just how the transformation came about.

I wanted an island and I had this idea. I was on the lookout for a vintage buffet or sideboard. I wanted one rather like the one in the photo below – long, with drawers and cupboards. I’ve had to use this photo from Pinterest because for some reason, I didn’t take a photo of the sideboard in its original state.

source

Mine was much like this, but not nearly as pretty. It had a very dark finish. What this one has in common with mine is all the wonderful detail and carving that really pops when it’s painted, as well as the decorative carved piece at the rear of the top surface. I found it on my local auction’s website, measured to make sure it would fit, then bid and got it for $60. It is a very heavy piece. When Don and I first brought it in the house, he thought it was going to be too big. But I knew he only thought that because it was so dark and appeared bigger than it really was.

I took off the old, dark hardware, cleaned it and immediately slapped on a coat of primer because I wanted to show Don that it would work in the space.

Once the primer was on, he relaxed. Mission accomplished. You just have to be able to visualize what a piece can become. A couple of coats of primer later and I was able to start painting the top coat. Meanwhile, here was the back:

Not a problem if the piece was being used for its original intention – then it would have been placed against a wall. What to do? I immediately thought of beadboard. I love beadboard. I went on a little trip to Lowe’s, had two pieces cut to fit the back, and bought some trim. I nailed it on with finishing nails and then cut the trim to fit.

You recall there was a piece of decorative trim at the back of this piece. I didn’t want it there, so I took it off. That piece of trim (which was awfully pretty) became this:

Reuse. Recycle. One old, dark piece of furniture became two pieces – a beautiful island and a chalkboard.

I replaced the old hardware with glass knobs. See how painting it this creamy color really makes the details pop?

Here it is today. The paint gets chipped from all the banging around the kitchen we do. So every year or so, I give it another coat of paint. Then I don’t let Don touch it for a while. Eventually, I give up being the “island monitor” and Don can relax once again.

It also separates the eating area from the rest of the kitchen. I painted the kitchen table the same color. (I’m not sure why the floor appears to be slanting down and to the right in this photo, but I assure you it isn’t.)

And there’s all sorts of fun decorating possibilities with the beadboard backing. Like this banner. Or you could hang a chalkboard on the back. Or a yard-long rose painting. Or a sign.

I’ve seen this type of sideboard everywhere. Often, you’ll find them at Goodwill or the Salvation Army. I found mine at an auction. Because they look dark and heavy to the average shopper, they are passed by. So, you benefit! You can get one for very little money.

It’s one of my favorite transformations. And it’s pretty darned easy.

McMansions and the Small House

Enjoying the Porch While We Still Can

Turning a Buffet/Sideboard into a Kitchen Island

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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