SMALL SPACE LIVING
PRINCIPLES:
THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE EFFICIENT!
WALL SPACE IS VALUABLE.
Smaller spaces take less resources and energy to build, heat, cool and maintain.
Some people choose small spaces, others have it thrust upon them. Comfort with small spaces depends a lot how much utility can be wrung out of a compact space. This can be accomplished by using all of the available volume.
The Encarta dictionary defines efficient as "well organized, able to function without waste,"
Some people choose small spaces, others have it thrust upon them. Comfort with small spaces depends a lot how much utility can be wrung out of a compact space. This can be accomplished by using all of the available volume.
The Encarta dictionary defines efficient as "well organized, able to function without waste,"
Same footprint:
For example a table next to a wall provides a certain usefullness.
But empty wall space above and below could be put to use for storage thereby maximizing the usefullness of the volume above the table's footprint.
For example a table next to a wall provides a certain usefullness.
But empty wall space above and below could be put to use for storage thereby maximizing the usefullness of the volume above the table's footprint.
Use vertical space (up to the ceiling and down to the floor).
Use limited space flexibly for different purposes.
Use mirrors to visually open a crowded space.
(Make use of room corners.)
(Use ceiling shelving and hooks for storage within normal reach.)
Use limited space flexibly for different purposes.
Use mirrors to visually open a crowded space.
(Make use of room corners.)
(Use ceiling shelving and hooks for storage within normal reach.)
"Nothing too much."
-- Ancient Greeks
Enough is plenty.
Efficiency, like beauty, is where you find it.
The future belongs to the efficient.
Efficiency is it's own reward.
"Waste is the enemy."
-- J Edward Deming
Whatever works.
Pragmatic, not dogmatic.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
(The keyboard is mightier than the gun.)
Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.
-- Paraphrase of Plutarch
-- Ancient Greeks
Enough is plenty.
Efficiency, like beauty, is where you find it.
The future belongs to the efficient.
Efficiency is it's own reward.
"Waste is the enemy."
-- J Edward Deming
Whatever works.
Pragmatic, not dogmatic.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
(The keyboard is mightier than the gun.)
Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.
-- Paraphrase of Plutarch
RELEVANT APHORISMS:
THIS IS NOT NEW INFORMATION,
BUT IT IS SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN INFORMATION.
BUT IT IS SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN INFORMATION.
What is the difference between actual and perceived need for physical space?
The difference could be feeling satisfied with what you have or feeling frustrated with it.
This web site is not about style or decorating. Style comes and goes with the fashion of the time. Efficient design is timeless even when it seems to go out of style.
The difference could be feeling satisfied with what you have or feeling frustrated with it.
This web site is not about style or decorating. Style comes and goes with the fashion of the time. Efficient design is timeless even when it seems to go out of style.
"Need" more elegance?
Same princliple:
Use wall storage units or their stand-alone equivalents.
Styles and materials are available for all tastes and budgets..
Use wall storage units or their stand-alone equivalents.
Styles and materials are available for all tastes and budgets..
USE VERTICAL SPACE
USE SPACE FLEXIBLY
SAME SPACE, MULTI-USE.
Use the space you have.
Rather than requiring more rooms with single-purpose names (exercise room, dining room, media room, etc), efficient use of wall storange and existing floor space will maximize the utility of available space.
The popularity of the "great room" validates the "not so great room" of small space living, such as a studio apartment.
Rather than requiring more rooms with single-purpose names (exercise room, dining room, media room, etc), efficient use of wall storange and existing floor space will maximize the utility of available space.
The popularity of the "great room" validates the "not so great room" of small space living, such as a studio apartment.
Updated 2016-05-26
USE MIRRORS
Marine designs are highly evolved towards efficient use of space.
Mirrors, shiny objects and light colors bounce around the light and create "negative space", or visual openings for the illusion of deeper space.
CORNER SPACE IS OFTEN WASTED.
MAKE USE OF ROOM CORNERS
Especially useful is the space towards the ceiling that is within your arms' reach.
Kitchen pot racks and garage storage are two examples of using ceiling space, normally an unused asset.
Ceiling lights, fans and built in ceiling speakers are examples of common practical use of ceiling space.
(Floor storage space is harder to accomplish but allows for more storage density for a given floor space. This would complete the use of all available vertical space.)
Kitchen pot racks and garage storage are two examples of using ceiling space, normally an unused asset.
Ceiling lights, fans and built in ceiling speakers are examples of common practical use of ceiling space.
(Floor storage space is harder to accomplish but allows for more storage density for a given floor space. This would complete the use of all available vertical space.)
CAN YOU USE CEILING SPACE?
CEILING STORAGE
Use corners of rooms that are often underutilized.
Use of corner tables or shelves can help round out a square or rectangular room to suggest an octagon. The octagon evokes Buddha's eight-fold path to enlightenment and also the eight cardinal directions of space-time (right, left, forward, backward, up, down, future and past).
(Tower speakers, lighting and screens also work well in corners.)
Use of corner tables or shelves can help round out a square or rectangular room to suggest an octagon. The octagon evokes Buddha's eight-fold path to enlightenment and also the eight cardinal directions of space-time (right, left, forward, backward, up, down, future and past).
(Tower speakers, lighting and screens also work well in corners.)
