I’m not going to offer my opinion on whether having a kitchen table that doubles as a bed is a path to domestic bliss, but I will say that when you have an opportunity to enjoy more by having less, you’d be crazy not to consider it.
Enter downsizing. The concept is all the rage in today’s housing world, and for its advocates, smaller quarters mean less cumbersome, more wallet- and earth-friendly living. Of course, smaller is relative. For some, it means a tiny house on wheels. (Yes, that’s a loo in the shower.) For others, it means trading in a seven-bedroom home for one with three—plus a Murphy bed in the office. No question, interest in smaller dwellings is growing and even for those who favor larger houses, the integration of smaller cozy spots into their rooms is on the rise. Convenience, conscience, cost and comfort—whatever the motivation, it appears that size really does matter.
 
In “Perfect Fit,”For Dallas Davis (“A Perfect Fit, page 80), it wasn’t a desire to live little that drove the 720-square-foot footprint of architect Dallas Davis’s home, but rather the pint-sized property. Fortunately, deft space planning and savvy details make his wee house a massive success.
 
In “Winning Recipe,” the design team took a divide-and-conquer approach, splitting the large kitchen into separate work and pantry spaces. “If you break it up, it feels more intimate and homey,” designer Caitlin Creer explains.
 
“Why Be Shy” demonstrates design’s power to turn four petit powder rooms into huge style statements. Smaller intimate spots enhance this issue’s larger homes.
 
In “Ranch House”, a bantam banquette offers a cozy spot to dine in a spectacular Wolf Creek Ranch kitchen.
 
In “Elegance & Ease,” charming window seats provide intimate retreats infused with bright light and views of the home’s lush gardens.
In “ Home is Where the Art Is,” a welcoming sitting nook is inset into the backside of a grand fireplace of a magnificent Mount Pleasant home.
 In the end, it’s the allure of style and livability that defines all of this issue’s homes. I invite you to enjoy the magazine from the comfort of yours, large or small.
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