Smaller Economic Growth Translates to Smaller Homes

Americans have shunned the "McMansion" for smaller, more appropriately proportioned homes, a trend which has benefited from the economic recession.

1 minute read

March 10, 2011, 2:00 PM PST

By Shay Kahen


Jennifer Goodman writes:

"Americans' love affair with the McMansion is over. What's in now is smaller, highly detailed, long-lasting dwellings, all tenets of architect Sarah Susanka's vision of 'right-sized' homes.

Susanka, who has advocated for smaller, more personalized homes for the past 12 years through her Not So Big House series of books, said she sees more interest in the movement than ever before.

'I feel like what I've been writing about for the past 12 years is really perfectly suited to this point in time,' she said during a recent GreenExpo365 webinar. 'With people's budgets being tight I think there is more of an interest in approaching building and remodeling in a Not So Big way.'"

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 in ecohome

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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