Survival means adjusting our lifestyles to fit a new economy.  Everybody has had to confront how to live in a challenging economic time.  I think it's important that we come up with solutions that will work for homeowners across the country.

Homebuilders are looking for ways to decrease the size of the home without having a major impact on buyers.  The average home size is down 20%.  Mortgage payments that people can afford means adjusting lifestyles to accommodate a smaller home.  My challenge as a designer is how to make that smaller home as comfortable as a larger home.
     
(c) 2009 Scott Hargis Photo

A few things to consider:

Forego formal living and dining rooms and instead design a more livable, usable space such as the "Big Room".  This design eliminates hallways for a smaller footprint that costs less to build.  Select smaller furniture with straight lines and use fewer but larger accessories and pieces of art.

Color creates ambiance and value.  Grays are replacing beiges.  Accent colors that are "in" this year are purple and yellow.  We're seeing a lot of blue in the design palette and white is making a comeback on furniture and furnishings.

Many new communities have a rec room or clubhouse that can be used for entertaining.  If you have input, recommend that your rec room be outfitted with upgraded surfaces such as cork or bamboo floors and a kitchen with quality energy-efficient appliances and anti-bacterial counters.

Your outdoor area can act as an extension of your home's living area and with the right planning can add valuable square footage.  Kitchens and baths are the most expensive parts of a house but with an experienced eye and knowledgeable purchasing they can be functional, beautiful and eco-friendly.

As we design homes and offices to complement the owner's lifestyle, flexibility in the design is critical.  The home has to be comfortable, well lit and functional.  People are staying home and entertaining more so kitchens and outdoor areas are even more important now than a year ago.

It is very important that the owners, architect and designer work together from the beginning of the planning stage in order to come up with an eco-friendly plan that does not have to be changed once work has started.

What other ways have you found to live large on a small budget?