Houzz TV: Fun Family Living in 980 Square Feet
Despite designing Texas-size homes (often topping 15,000 square feet), designer-builders Mark Schatz and his wife, Anne Eamon, are used to living in smaller homes. For 14 years they lived in a 700-square-foot house that they designed and built by hand. Now they and their two young daughters live in a 980-square-foot home that they also designed and built.
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It is so easy for an architect and designer to go all out and live in some house that is a sprawling massive showstopper, yet this couple chose to do the opposite.
He may be anti-garage, but in NJ, I am happy to have one when there are nasty winter days. :)
As for no garage, down here in Texas we don't have to worry about long winters. All you need here is a great shade tree to park beneath. :)
I thought the comments about windows not being dressed were funny. About 10% of the people that walk into my home exclaim, "there are no curtains!". Not sure if it's a privacy issue or a thinking that windows look bakes without being dressed. lol
As for a separate play room so e people suggeseted that's ridiculous. I have a 12 year old son and I have always taught him he needs to put away toys no being used. I think play rooms enable irresponsibility. And mandate the perceived need for larger homes.
What is the material on the roof?
Is it a standing seam?
@missfifi - I agree with you about garages. Additionally, I live in a transitional area, not a garden oasis. My garage opens directly onto the garage and since there is no official dining area, I've mulled over finishing the interior of the garage and installing French doors so it can become additional entertaining space. It has three skylights, since it was a carport when I bought this place and the city allowed us to enclose it without windows, since it is built right up to the limit line.
I am not a big fan of wall paneling and metal bed frames and so the master bedroom does not appeal to me that much. Everything else about the house is exceptional.
We go thru each at least once a year and keep everything organized with shelving/cabinets/drawers. Nevertheless, both are quite full. Where do they store holiday décor/tableware items? I have 1, 4-drawer dresser that holds Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter table linens. What about drills, circular saws, toolboxes, a wheelbarrow, et al? Please, Houzz, the truth...there are homeowner basics that must have a space to hold them. One would have to contract out to a 3rd party for simple repairs, or have a massive storage unit to store the family silverware, holiday décor, or extra bedding for guests. Oh, yeah...no room for extra family. Hotel Up. Really?
That said, the house is gorgeous.
I would love to see floor plan, kitchen details, core space design.
Great job!
- I believe the recent interest in efficiently designed small spaces derives as much from a wake call to the diminished long term investment potential in most residential real estate in most places. After smoothing out the booms and busts, the average annual price appreciation on homes in the US is about 3% over many decades. The 25 years or so that preceded the housing bust beginning in 2006 was an aberration in the long sweep of history...steadily declining interest rates and a massive expansion in credit. The idea one can buy more square footage than he needs because there will be a payback at selling time made sense in 1982; not so today or for any foreseeable future as interest rates have only one way to go and that's up.
With more modest expectations regarding price appreciation, I think it is sinking in that housing is, in many respects, a depreciating asset. Maintaining long term value entails significant investment in repair, maintenance, and updating. And if your neighbors are not spending that money you'll be wasting yours trying to hold your value.
- Several folks have commented on the necessity of a garage in the lands of snow and ice. It is a necessity in the north, along with a paved driveway. Snowblowers do not work very well on gravel.
- Storage sheds are, of course, common. And where do people typically put them? At a back corner of the lot, often without a building permit and not respecting the zoning setbacks. How pleasant is that for the backdoor neighbor? In this case it appears the yard is fenced which would hide the shed...if one is going to comment on the architectural unpleasantness of garages, one should also make a point of saying efforts should be made to hide the shed for the benefit of the architectural pleasantness of one's neighbors.
- Floating the house is an open invitation to critters. If there isn't an inset "fence" under the pad that we cannot see, there will be one sooner or later. Whether it's racoons, rabbits, possums, et. al. in the north or snakes, armadillos, scorpions, burrowing owls or whatever the heck they have in this part of Texas, they will find this to be an ideal living arrangement for unwanted guests.
- "The floor is ipe wood that the couple saved from about seven houses they built." I don't know about anybody else, but with the three houses I've had built I've told the GC that I expect him and his subs to leave behind all open box finish materials and a pack of roof shingles. If my fridge water line leaked, for example, I'd want to have some spare matching ipe planks in my basement to make a repair and if a few shingles blow off at some point, it would be nice to have some spares. Is it the practice of these builders to take it all with them?
- "Schatz says he came to the conclusion over the years that the ideal operational size for a bedroom that has a queen bed, a desk, side tables and a closet is 13 feet by 13 feet."
That depends. I don't see any dressers in these pictures but I do see drawers in the closet. Most folks might need sufficient wall space for said dressers while accounting for the position of windows and doors. When you have a master bath (absent in this case), the door takes up wall space and also requires space for ingress to the bath. If one designs around some 13 x 13 ideal, one might end up cutting off his nose to spite his face. 12 x 14 or 11.5 x 14.5 might work infinitely better given other design considerations that don't involve a collectible chair.
I don't know what the second home is used for currently, maybe guest space? It definitely makes sense from an ecological point of view. You don't need to heat or air condition the secondary spaces unless they're being used. It's a lovely way to go if you have a larger lot! I think it's a wonderfully done project and brilliantly thought out; would love to see the second house!
All that said, if one just focuses on the largest house featured here (#3, 980 sf), I think the design and construction choices are spot-on -- for all the reasons previous commenters have stated. But one thing that really makes this build a brilliant example for the small-home movement is that despite the parents each having careers in design & architecture, it took them 3 tries to really dial-in a comfortable, fully-functional small house with all the expected amenities. This kind of dwelling takes practice, people. You start with a tool shed or work studio to de-bug your design and gain hands-on experience with your tools and materials, and you learn as you go BEFORE you start your final project. It's like earning a 4-year college degree in home design and construction. If you're willing to invest the time to truly learn what building a COMPLETE house entails, you'll have brilliant results like this home, instead of finding yourself using a garden hose as your water supply, or having to avoid plugging in 2 electric appliances at a time, or relying upon your friendly landlord to make his toilet available to you.
"The house sits on one of three 50-foot by 100-foot lots that Schatz and Eamon have acquired over the past 14 years. On one lot is their first house (the 700-square-footer), a 900-square-foot one-bedroom house that they turned into their office and a 300-square-foot garage that acts as their metal shop. The middle lot is a shared garden."
Like sailnmuffin said, this should be considered a 700+900+980 = 2,580 square foot house!
Some people are nitpicking here. We all have a tool shed or workshop that we don't add to the sq ft of our house.
I have 5 children, and need some space to be alone to unwind, so could not have raised my family in a space like this, although the family I grew up in, 9 children, had much less sq footage per person. There was no space for an office in that home until the family size was pared down. My parents, both school teachers, graded papers at the kitchen table or with homemade lap desks sitting in an easy chair in the living room. Like others, I think that the fact that they don't need office space in the home should be considered in just how efficient this space is. I guess they could put a small office in the library, but would they be able to have everything they needed in there for both of them if they didn't have their business space so close? As has been pointed out, they have space elsewhere for their office and for storage for seasonal and less used items with the other buildings on the property as well as room for guests in the smaller home. If I want them, which I do, all of these things have to be incorporated into my larger home.
Along with others who have commented, I'd like to see the kitchen. Is it workable for entertaining? When we built our home, that's something we are glad we were able to address with lots of family nearby and aging parents who were not as able to host family holiday dinners, especially as those dinners have expanded to close to 40 people for Thanksgiving. I know our situation isn't typical for most people but having that space is important to us, so another reason I could not live in a space this small. And, like every other article I've seen on small-space living, where would I put my 5' grand piano?
I love my downsize (still large by European standards) where I walk to my local fish monger, cheese shop, bread and fruit shops.
I liked their small house though, even though I would not personally feel comfortable in so few square feet. Lots of great ideas anybody can use.
Oh, and those iitala birds are just gorgeous. I would love just one (maybe three) of those.
i, too, would love to see the floor plan and more info on how the "hub" was designed and how they calculated all the outlets, electric, etc
I think anyone could live in a tiny house if it had plenty of windows and land all around. I hate curtains, drapes, and any wall covering. I'd rather just turn out the lights if I worried about people looking in. But this home is in the woods on a large amount of land. Only deer might peer in.
I love the high windows and all the light that is brought in.
Great use of space w/high ceilings and lots of glass contributing to a spacious feel. Thank you for posting an exceptionally well-done use of space and materials!
One question: is the high wooden fence louvered or is it a good-neighbor style w/narrow wood strips over the gaps between the wider boards? We have been looking for a solution to a privacy issue around our tub. Yours appears to allow a little bit of view up & out, with no view in? We also would like to allow some air passage. We live in Virginia in an area subject to hurricanes.
Thank you for any info you can share. Laurie
---> especially if they are not wired and plumbed for bathrooms & bedrooms,
The owner has come on here and said that they use one of the buildings as a business space where at least 6 people of staff work.
The house they previously lived in is rented out to a tenant. Still want to add that to the sq ftage of their own living quarters ?
What if they rented their business place 100 yards from their home, would that make a difference ?
You have a home office, I know more people that don't than people who do. For an awfull lot a laptop and a kitchen table (even a kitchen cabinet for files) is sufficient for home admin.
"They have a studio building which likely has more amenities than ...." Maybe. We don't know as it wasn't said in the article. In any case it is presumptious to think it has more amenities than any other studio/shed.
At the end of the day they do live in a compact house. They have no large hallways or foyers, they have a familyroom/kitchen all in a small sq footage. They have no basement, etc etc. No need for an ostentatious drawing room and whatnot.
For me it is simple : credit where credit is due and in this case this family and their modest but well thought out home deserve a place on this site.
That's all I'm going to say on the matter. We're probably never going to agree on this anyway. ;-)
I was wrong in saying that they have a studio. In looking back over it I realize that was taken from another comment, not the article itself. A "studio" implies a much different space than what they are using and it shouldn't have been called that. They do have a garage that they use as a metal shop so that's the creative space that I would need and would be similar to the space where my husband keeps his tools, so not included in the sq footage. But it is included in my consideration of whether this home would be workable for me, personally. Plus I kind of like not having to scrape ice and snow off my windshield all winter so repurposing the garage is not an option I'm willing to take, even though I know that is an option many do choose in order to have something they would not otherwise be able to have.
This space is well thought out for their needs, and does deserve to be seen here. Their learning from previous projects what they really needed and wanted in their home and how to best go about getting that is part of what does make this home so efficient and noteworthy. My home is nice but I don't know that anyone would call it ostentatious. In designing the floor plan, I took into account what I liked and didn't like in other homes we've lived in, just as they did, and there are still minor things I kind of wish I'd done differently. So I do appreciate the thought and work that went into this space. I also have no hallways and just a small entryway on the main level in my home, as well as an all-in-one kitchen/family/dining room so I also appreciate putting the space to its best use. The hallways in our basement are minimal but necessary both as weight bearing walls and to put in the number of bedrooms and other areas we wanted for our large family, as well as extended family. I just don't think it's right to claim that someone is making an "issue" when they are pointing out things that were kind of glossed over in the article. Those are points that make a difference in how well some who are looking at this and considering cutting back on their space would be able to be comfortable in a home like this, especially without having those other buildings available which fill some of those needs I've mentioned.
http://www.savvyhomestore.com/small
Now 2200 sq ft., I think I would prefer smaller next time around. But the key is efficiency! They custom designed and built and had the luxury of doing it themselves and getting a lot of materials free. The average person would spend a lot of money creating this. You don't find small homes with spacious and functional spaces already built. Loved it!
I love the home highlighted and would love to build a modern home like that one.
We are an easily "brain-washed" species as humans - we tend to aspire to what we are shown repeatedly. When megahouses are featured repeatedly, people think that's what they need/want. Houses like this one change the paradigm and i believe our world and its people need that change for our survival.
I would love to see more of this. Thank you.
wow!
Great job M+M. . You guys always do fantastic work.
Not my style but this is beautiful. They did a great job!!!
When you do have to come up with your next version, can I have this one????
Great house! Who is the manufacturer for the large sliding glass and aluminum doors please?
This is a perfect example of large not equalling better. The design of this home makes it feel large despite its square footage. The architects did an absolutely fantastic job. Wow!
I always enjoy reading these articles about small homes...myself, I'm in the process of building a 684 square foot passive solar cottage. Got the foundation poured, can't wait until spring to start framing it!
Smile on my face the entire time I watched this. This family is adorable, and those girls are so fortunate to have their creative, thoughtful parents. Love this.
Maybe someone's already commented, but the kitchen is shown in the third photo in the article. Really like the house.
i love it ... i thought its a container house at the beginning ... amazing .. big like
Such a fun, well thougthout home! As a designer from Finland I love to see all the Finnish design elements in Texas!
Pretty much perfection. Absolutely love the connection space and bookcases! Would love to incorporate something like that in my house.
Truly amazing! This house isn't small, it's just the right size based on its incredibly well conceived design. Kudos, thanks for sharing, and enjoy!
Brilliant and charming. The absolutely most genuinely livable - and interesting - small, small home that has been set out here on Houzz. I would trust these folks to design for any location. Smashing use of many different materials, making the surfaces a textural delight. The elimination of unlived in corridors and the like is such a key pice of this as well.
That said, I loved the way the owners focused on a few style details that really popped, like the chair and birds in the master BR. Nice to see you don't need to sacrifice style in a "small" space.
Also, a huge thumbs up to the owners for acknowledging that their house is usually a "mess" with Legos or whatever. It is refreshing when professionals and homeowners featured on Houzz do this, as opposed to implying that their houses always look like this!
One more thing - that fence - it encloses the outside space but doesn't seem to make the space claustrophobic.
960 square feet of infinite possibilities of living and less house cleaning! You can't beat that!
YOU are the architects I would be if I were an architect. I live in a small house from the 1940s and my only wish is "if I could just re-design the room layout, this would be a perfect house." Your house brings to life what is in my imagination. Your river rock on the bathroom floor - I have that in my 2x4 half bath. Small homes can have "luxurious" materials affordably. Simply beautiful. And smart.
Creative, inspiring and beautiful family home.
Beautiful!
Es ideal para una familia con 1 hijo, pero cuando venga el 2 y 3er hijo, la casa no se ajustará. ¿Cuanto durará esto? Enorgullecerse de un proyecto donde cabe solo 1 hijo me parece sobreponer la materia por sobre el espíritu. Es para reflexionar sobre las prioridades del ser.
It's ideal for a family with one child, but when the 2nd and 3rd child comes, the house will not fit. How much will this last? Proud of a project where only one child be overcome I think the matter over spirit. It is to reflect the priorities of being. (GoogleTraductor)
Love, love, love the library space. So many good ideas for such a small space.
Lovely and bold at the same time! I loved it!
Love it, so perfect for this family. At 2:35 in this video I see that the bathroom floor near the washer/dryer has a whole stone type floor. I have one of these in my shower and clearly it has not been installed correctly. Water does not drain right, mold is accumulating. How are these floors best cleaned, and/or how much of a project is it to tear out and redo? Thanks so much for any advice from anyone!
Good use of space.
I grew up in a 3 bedroom home about the same size this is an amazing house and well done
I love it!
Interesting roof and I was wondering how the rain drops along the exterior wall to the ground on the wrap around side of the roof. Normally roofs extend beyond the wall to give the exterior cladding some protection and get water away from the foundation. Here the roof is essentially a part of the outside wall. How is that exterior wall and the foundation holding out? Thanks
It's a very nice space, but as an architect I prefer less materials. For me there are too many different changes.
Fabulous use of space & I personally like the mix of materials. The master bedroom's continuation of the concrete flooring up the wall to chair rail hgt especially. A terrific balance to the fully wood clad wall. Might be just me, but I find this house a contemporary take on mid century modern.
M+A great designing. I was speaking to a client several days ago about this house. Mitchell, so happy that you featured them in this video so we could learn a little more about the concepts that were used. Seamless transitions between spaces(the lack of hallways/corridors) is the result of a thorough and meticulous study of floor plan, flow, and function.
Quite possibly the most well conceived home that I've ever seen.
To Studio 01: non-architect speaking. Schatz & Eamon mentioned they like "playing around" so perhaps that was the spirit of the multitude of materials? Sort of a showcase they can get experience with? I would have probably 50% of the different materials they used if it were my home being built.
Love it. When can I move in?
Stunning! Love the idea of less stuff!
Simply, spectacular. Thank you for sharing!
A sweet-switch of a home located in Texas where anything Bigger is Better is gospel.
Their home is well thought out in concept and design! Proof you don't need "McMansions, Big Hair" or a 10 gallon hat unless you have identity issues – giddy-up.
Why do people think that the girls can't continue to share a room as teenagers? It is possible.
WOW! I love the use of different textures - rich materials - light/dark, windows - beautiful space that makes you feel like you are part of nature. Well done!
I'd be so happy there...
Loved the feel and look! Very calming and comforting.
Re drbarbara's complaint on the photography making a small space look larger. As a photographer and when photographing architecture, a wider angle lens is so important in order to show the space of a room, so while it may 'look larger' it gives the viewer a better perspective of that room.
As for the need for a garage - I TOTALLY AGREE - with three kids, their toys, bikes, sports storage, etc. This is a necessity. Is there one and it's just not shown?
Revolutionary! I think that Mark and Anne turned all small house disadvantages into the advantages. This is a 100% functional space and 100% not-in-use stuff free.
There is nothing I don't like about this house!! I could be very happy living in it. It's perfect.
what a perfectly thoughtful home!
so fantastic! incredible use of space and tastefully done! love it!
Wow! Love this house! You guys are so clever! Really inspires me to want to live small, in a nice cozy way.....
simple and perfect to live
this is one of the best built, most creative homes i've seen-very talented professionals
I love it but As I am dreaming I am also trying to figure out where the rain water goes. I would want gutters and drains all around the house and I don't see those. Then I would put kitchen/bath facing the street so the plumbing/sewer pipes don't go under the slab of the house. Then, where do you find the person to design and build this sort of place? I would sell my place quickly for that.
A happy veteran of small spaces, I love this place! My solid-walled yurt is 720 sf with loft and tons of bookshelves. (BTW, I'm selling it--10+ acres in Vermont.)
The design is awesome, I am a buff on small living, coming from 4300 sqft to a 1100sqft abode, I am loving it - the design is clean, fluid and certainly appeals to small livers!! Love the addition - you can add to mines, less than 100sft.
What a delight! Great colors! May steal that walnut wall idea . . . I would much rather see a small house full of cleverness than a big house that is like a furniture showroom. This is the best on HOUZZ yet. More of these, please!
Parkerwms38
This home is absolutely beautiful! Well organized and thought-out!
Brilliant home and living concept. I'm life-long fan of smart small space design. I hope they come up with another small addition that stays true to the original idea. The micro housing movement is fine for bachelor living but impractical for families. Your home is a much more versatile and practical space for the long term. Congrats on a beautiful home.
Beautiful, love it.
So beautiful. Many wonderful ideas for those of us who are moving toward living smaller. It reminds me of the old train cars and/or a single wide mobile, which is what I'm going for. There is no reason not to do something like this which is outside the box. I'm excited! Thanks. Lynn
Oh, one more thing. I too would love a floor plan. No, need!
Sensational house, which will undoubtedly enrich the entire family. I think the architecture is brilliant (I've always preferred smaller than larger), so too are the materials, finishes and furniture. The video is lovely - seems like a very happy house.
Excellent design and execution. Well done!
I love this house.
Very clever design
Beautiful. Can't get enough of it!!
I LOVE IT!!! I love everything about the house: fantastic use of space, brilliant use of windows to bring more light and nature indoors, the best Finnish design: Iitala, Marimekko, Alvar Aalto, Toikka, Eero Saarinen etc.
Extraordinary !!!!
It's beautiful! I love all the windows. My plants would thrive! Wonderful space.
How energy-efficient is it?
Great a great house. I love the windows. They are doing such great things with windows in modern prefabs in this style. Just hasn't made it's way into most normal construction yet.
It appears people are missing the point here! Obviously, an architect can come closer to achieving such a multi-functional space with his skills to design it. But it should be appreciated that he has shared the concept of small living and demonstrated to what degree it can be taken, and to encourage others to re-evaluate their idea of acceptable home standards and to move in this direction with their 'own version' of smaller living. Also their choice of using left over materials vs having to buy new themselves shows humility and ingenuity - again something we can learn from. My hubby and I have always lived in small spaces and loved it (and despise the common day mega mentality.). Our current home which was an available good deal on a larger reno project has taken us to 1150 sq ft plus a single attached garage and separate 12 X 20 shed and we find it more space than we need and are now looking to go back to the 750 sq ft range which was easier to care for and all we needed. Feedback from viewers is love the style but it's too small, which begs the question of how much space do 2 people really need? It's a mentality that needs to be challenged and articles such as this should provide inspiration. I hope Houzz will continue with more articles on small living ideas so that more people will embrace it as a future trend (vs so much of the oversized excessive glam that people really can't afford but feel compelled to buy)!
Very liveable. The sliding bookshelves is a great idea apart from playing hide-n-seek.
Extraordinary! I deeply appreciate everything about this house.
Small is better! Now please, some one take this concept and build it for retirees instead of the mini mansions that seem to be going up every where!
You don't need a big house to be happy. Simple. Cozy. Warm. Close to the people you love the most. I love it!
Gorgeous! Love! Love!
Wonderful wonderful design. reading through the comments people ask the same questions. How much did it cost. If you read the article it tells you how much it cost them.
also they have three children and not two as is stated at the end of the article. I cannot see signs of where a baby would sleep so either they took out the cot for the pictures or,the baby sleeps with them in their bed. Not so uncommon. There is a picture of the family with their three girls.
Also it is a small well designed house and the other buildings are not part of the house. The architect explained this. And person after person questioned this.
This house seems so much larger than 1000 sq. ft. It is everything anyone could need in a house. If they had a boy, they would need more space, but with 3 girls, it seems perfect. The quality of materials also makes this house special. The many windows give so much light and also make the home seem larger. I love the master bedroom because light comes in with whole walls of windows, but there is still privacy with the garden wall just a few feet away.
As someone else said, I so wish builders would use this model as an example of what a quality, senior small house could be. But the reason mega mansions are built, is that they use cheap materials and hope the fact that the house is huge will sell the home. Would a buyer pay $500,000 for a 1000 sq. ft house or $500,000 for a 3,000 sq. ft. house even thought the smaller home was better built with more quality./?
Nice work!!! We love this home!! :)
Really, though (my 3rd comment re this house I love): How DOES a community move to this type of build in the presence of majority "templates:" 1) old, old homes (mine) that are small but not smartly designed with limited maneuverability to alter/re-arrange room placement even with reno ; 2) new homes being built that are huge or new townhomes that are the same old square box. Counting on you "revolutionary" architects :)
I designed this based on a small home I found on houzz
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/4276209/list/houzz-tour-a-family-of-4-unwinds-in-540-square-feetOne bedroom, one bath with a loft over the bedroom/bath, 684 square feet, and designed with passive solar features. The foundation is poured, just waiting for spring to start framing/building it. I can hardly wait!
I would love to be able to get the floor plans on this house. I absolutely love the house!
Awesome!
There are actually millions of families, living on a budget, in 980 (or less) square feet. The difference is they were built by mass production builders, and they are located in low-income areas.
Very inspiring - love to see the passion that comes out through personal design projects. All which reflect the personality of the owners. Unique and personal! Nice! Love to feature some of these adventures in our blog posts. http://goodshomefurniture.com/?p=3088
Is it possible to get blueprint
Thanks
Love this small house. I have great admiration for designers that make efficient use of smaller spaces. Its easy to have a place for everything with unlimited space - much more careful thought is needed when space is at a premium! And this house dose not feel cramped! Clever design!
Since you've had another child, did you build onto your house like you mentioned in the video? I'd love to see a follow up article!
it is beautiful nice small house.