Not So Big Solutions for Your Home by Susanka, Sarah -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Copyright Page Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction ONE - The House on Its Site Site Selection: Avoiding the Pitfalls

Legal constraints that affect siting After the legal hurdles, check for the natural ones Turn drawbacks into advantages In the Northern Hemisphere, look for south-facing lot

Selecting a Site for a New Home

Identify a site’s characteristics Get the architect involved before you buy a building site

Composing the Exterior of the House

Older homes have integrated exteriors Get back to thinking in three dimensions Consider window placement

How Roofs—and Now Roof Trusses —Influence the Look of a House

The roof gives us our first style clue The paradox of truss-built roofs Take advantage of trusses while minimizing the impact of the garage Toward balancing proportion and technology

The Garage/House Connection

A detached garage can be more interesting A breezeway keeps the rain off Garage doors don’t have to face the street Where should you put the door between the house and the garage?

TWO - Rethinking Living Spaces Designing a Gracious Entry

A gracious entry starts at the street The entry continues inside Use a checklist to avoid omissions

Mudroom Design

Location is crucial Specific places for the coats and the boots Mudrooms are for pets, too Personal lockers for additional storage The sports cupboard

The Kitchen/ Family Room Relationship

Managing the mess

Designing a Family Room That Works

Accommodating multiple activities Prioritizing focal points A place for everything

Designing with Furnishings in Mind

Make an inventory of your furniture What should you do with heirloom furniture that doesn’t suit your lifestyle? Let’s look at some examples

Putting the TV in Its Place(s)

Survey family viewing habits Put the survey results to work

THREE - New Places for Not So New Things A Porch for All Seasons

The screen porch with glass panels The porch with combination doors The sunroom with removable double-hung windows A manufactured porch-window system

Designing a Mail-Sorting Place

Where does the mail enter the house? Identifying possible locations for the new mail-sorting place The kitchen island or peninsula The kitchen desk If you want to be alone... If your clients come to the house... The everyday entry Designing the place itself

Home-Office Design: Where to Put One

If you have small children... If the refrigerator is hard to ignore... Don’t forget ambiance

Making a Place of Your Own

A divided office conquers two needs Adding inward to create a window seat The simplest approach

Designing a Pantry

The pantry closet The pull-out pantry The fold-out pantry The cabinet pantry The hallway pantry The stud-pocket pantry

Planning Makes Recycling Easy

Locate receptacles close to the source Guidelines for recycling setup

FOUR - Attention to Detail Understanding the Effects of Ceiling Height

What kind of space appeals to you?

Using Tile to Personalize a Kitchen or Bathroom

So many tile choices, and so many places to use it Selecting a focal point Generating a design strategy Thinking in color Careful alignments require planning Other alignments to consider

Designing a Window Seat

How will you use your window seat? Comfort is in the proportions A window seat can be used for storage

FIVE - Lighting That Works Window Placement How to Use Skylights for Maximum Effect

Skylight pros and cons Is a skylight the answer? Put the skylight in the right place

What to Expect from Light Fixtures

Focusing on four broad light-fixture categories The recessed can Wall sconces can reflect light from the wall or the ceiling Surface-mounted ceiling fixtures are tough on ambience Track lighting is a good remodeling option Good lighting design is worth the investment

Locating Switches and Outlets

Make switches handy but unobtrusive A good plan integrates outlets and finishes

SIX - Remodeling and Adding On Simple Floor-Plan Changes Can Revitalize an Older Home

Separate rooms, waiting to break out of their isolation What happens if we add a little more square footage to these two kitchens?

Making the Most of Your Remodeling Budget

Stay within the existing walls Pinpoint the major problems Identify underused areas Often-overlooked strategies

Getting the Most from a Ranch without Adding On

Open the kitchen to adjacent spaces, and replace small windows Get rid of the boxiness by varying ceiling heights Get rid of ranch-style casings

Expanding a Ranch: Adding Up or Adding Out?

First, know thy setback rules Deciding whether to build a new second floor or to add out

The Art of Adding On

Find a designer who will ask a lot of questions Sometimes, the space is already there

When Adding On, Let the Roof Be Your Guide

Expanding a Prairie-style house Adding some style to a plain little house Preserving warmth while expanding a small house

Afterword

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