Product Review

Smaller is big, says architect and author Katie Hutchison, whose book The New Small House shows those looking to downsize how they can live smartly, economically and environmentally friendly in elegantly designed homes.

With 275 gorgeous photographs and 30 detailed illustrations, The New Small House takes the reader on a tour of North America and spotlights small houses in rural, coastal, and in-town locations. The book presents fundamental small-house design strategies, complete with whole-house case studies for homeowners eager to simplify.

Creating a great small house is illustrated in the opening chapter with 10 approaches, including:

• borrowed view and daylight


• multipurpose spaces


• privacy pockets


• using quality materials

Twenty-five stunning small houses are profiled in the second part of the book, organized by the nature of their locations.