Our first house was 1700 sq ft. I thought it was much larger until we got ready to sell it and someone actually did measurements. It lived very large. Basic 3/2. We designed it with input from architect friends. And used every inch after 2 kids. No halls much (close to none…), I can’t think of any wasted space in that house .Big rooms, big closets, big garage (over sized for its time) and huge easily accessible and usable attic space
Our second house now is considerably larger but based on the first one. On paper it’s 3500-4000 but not really usage wise (partly due to codes–I can’t use space for storage like I want). With teens we used every single space for years both inside and out. We have porches front and back–love them both. Good outside spaces are wonderful.
People who don’t utilize outdoor space probably don’t have that space maximized. (Or just hate the outdoors).
We actually designed our present house to block off entire sections for energy efficiency for when the kids left. So we’re good still. And I love it. Basically a multi-story that lives like a single level when you need it.
Our first house had a tiny dining area but we had a table that fit four people great but could get eight friendly people around. Loved that! and echoed it in our bigger house–the dining table is larger but the actual dining area is still pretty small.
We also have a nook.
I personally think that if you can find furniture or have built-ins (with a BUNCH of forethought) to fit your spaces and needs that any house will automatically feel larger and more livable independent of square footage…
Three years ago, we “right-sized” (for us). The entire single-story house was designed for heavy use and opens to the outdoors, both front and back. To us, the outdoor space is as important as the indoor space as AZ has fantastic weather about nine months/year. When the front and the back of the house are opened up, the center of the house becomes one flowing, usable space. We entertain frequently and host a lot of visitors during the winter so, although the house is larger than it needs to be for two people’s daily use, all of the space was well-chosen for how we live year-round. Our kitchen definitely gets the most use, the guest suite the least (in the summer). We can set up a dining room if/when needed, but I agree with others that permanent dining room space is probably wasted space for most people these days.
@Midwest67 – Be proactive. You’ve listed what you don’t like and that’s actually half the battle. Good start!
If you like the location and don’t want to move then think about what you would do next to make the biggest improvement.
Your house size isn’t that big in the larger picture. But it is an old house.
If utilities are a huge problem get someone out from the utilities company to do an analysis. Look up any energy programs your state may have through the utility companies.
My D did this–her state had huge rebates for having the analysis done. And she not only got great recommendations and rebates but saved big bucks on utilities after having some work done. Not a big deal time-wise but huge savings in the long run.
“. And I love a kitchen that is just a kitchen and not open to other rooms. It would drive me nuts to have the noise of H’s tv or time on the phone or whatever - leave me be in my kitchen!!! (that said when people come over everyone tends to hang in the kitchen - no matter how crowded - it would be LOTS of red dots on the heat map! “
Amen! Stay the heck out of my kitchen. And no I dont want you to help me clean up. Not kidding. Not just being nice. Stay out of my kitchen!
Ah…the formal living room. We have one…and we have made it far less formal. It’s more like a sitting room with comfy couch, and chair. Our piano is here too. We have brass tables with glass and I’m going to paint the brass this winter to make it look less formal.
I actually like the room…no media…just a quiet place to sit and read.
We also have a finished 1000 sq ft basement. It was great when the kids were teens, but now is used only by DH as an office area, and place to do his hobby stuff.
My next house doesn’t need a basement. All it does is collect “stuff”.
I didn’t use our outdoor patio because the mosquitoes got so bad. Hence the screen porch which I love. Our old house had a front porch with a porch swing, I think the bugs were less bad back then, because we often sat out there and watched the world go by. I’d put one on our current house, but the setbacks don’t allow it.
I forgot to say that we also have a small office which is where I do all my work, so it of course gets used every week day, and most weekends too.
I know I should downsize. 2500+ feet for just one person! But I’d like to move nearer to the ocean, and the condos there are well over 1M. If I rent in downtown area, not by ocean, the rent would be more than I pay to live in my current home. I’ve looked. I like my butterfly garden. I like my dips in the pool.
I like my incredibly homely HOA. For example, the team of painters who did my house originally were at my neighbors. They had time to do my place end of that week. I asked the head of architectural review board to check out my color, and we knocked at neighbors door who is on committee. It was approved on the spot. There is so much comraderie during hurricanes. I drove my elderly neighbor to voting site. It’s hard to imagine moving into a condo, not being in control of the noises from neighbors.
I’ve got the same issue, @bookworm, would want to live by the water. Were not technically far, but I mean in sight of it or a minute away. But staying in this house, even with problems, even with property taxes and higher car insurance, etc, is so much less expensive than renting. I decided staying opens up longer travel opps.
Plus, like many, we all like this house, the location in a walking corner of town.
I wish I could just lop off the 2nd story of our home. I love the downstairs floor plan, and the 2nd floor is now mainly for guests or when the kids come home. We may downsize eventually, but I like a little space. We’ve been married a long time, and when people ask what our secret to a long marriage is, I used to say his and hers TVs, but now I say his and hers computers (with separate work space).
It rains a lot in my neck of the woods. Well designed, spacious indoors can be a sanity saver. It seems that only recently builders discovered that covered porches are a good thing. House1 had a large, covered front porch. It was one of the features we really wanted in the next house. House2 has a back porch/deck/outdoor space which we use a lot. Ate our breakfast there today and will likely have our dinner there, too.
Another person here who loves the larger space. I could definitely live with less space, but every time we look at alternatives, we keep coming back to our current home. Plus it is SO expensive to move. Realtor fees at both ends, financing fees, moving fees, decorating costs (unless the new house is exactly what you want), etc. I also love the history of our home. I tell others it is ‘haunted’ with our own happy memories.
We moved from 1400SF to 2400SF when the children were small. I found the larger house much easier to clean, which was a surprise. I think because all the clutter could be out of sight, or literally just spread out, it always felt cleaner to me.
It is technically 3 bedrooms, but has 3 “other” rooms which have been used in multiple ways as our needs changed (den, office, guest room, exercise area, play space, etc.). Our dining area is really just an alcove off the living room, so it makes both feel more spacious. There are double doors between the dining area and the kitchen, so we can close or open the kitchen depending on what we want.
What I love most is our first floor family room, that can also be closed by doors. We’ve used it for neighborhood meetings, scout overnights, kid-camping, guest room, movie room, etc. I love having at least one large space. The problem with most smaller homes we have considered, is that all the rooms are also small. I could care less about the sizes of bedrooms, bathrooms, or even the kitchen. However, I really like having that one large space that can have multiple uses.
I’m confused by some of the terminology. Maybe regional?
Aren’t all porches covered by definition?
And so many of you have breakfast nooks which don’t seem very common in my area. I always think of breakfast nooks as those corners with built-in benches. Is that how it is being defined here?
I think of a breakfast nook as sort of an alcoved area on the end of kitchen - often near the windows - where the kitchen table/chairs goes.
Porch to me can be covered or uncovered. For instance we have a front porch - just one step up from the sidewalk and a wide flat porch that extends probably at least 5 feet on either side of the door. But no cover, just porch. Other porches have an awning or an actually ceiling/roof. Sometimes with erected sides on the porch (like a screened in porch) or like the great front porches on older homes.
Our outside space was the clincher for our home. Deck that runs along the entire back of the house and has a big area on one end for a dining table, chairs, chaise lounge etc. Down the deck steps we have a flagstone patio with Adirondack chairs, fire pit, lots of planters and benches. Side yard enclosed where we built a “treehouse”, slide, swings and sand area for the kids (still stands!) and then all our grassy areas. Feels like a little park!
We have a front covered porch and a glass enclosed back porch which we call the sunroom). I agree with the above that a breakfast nook implies a small area off the kitchen for informal dining, with or without built in seating.
Never thought about the regional differences in terminology. Interesting!
We’ve always had a kitchen table both growing up and in my adult years but have never considered it or referred to it as a nook. To me, it’s just an eat-in kitchen. But, that explains why so many of you have nooks. Reading through the posts, I was imagining you all live in quaint cottages with banquettes in cozy little corners.
