At a glance
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Homeowners planning to build, buy, or renovate who feel the pull of more square footage but suspect their ideal home has more to do with how a space feels than how many rooms it contains.
Worth it if
You want a clear, accessible framework for thinking differently about residential space — one that gives you the language to communicate meaningfully with architects and designers about quality over quantity.
Skip if
You're looking for a step-by-step technical construction manual with detailed specifications, or you're already a practising architect or committed small-footprint advocate who will find the central thesis familiar from the outset.
What readers & critics say
Barnes & Noble describes the book as "a powerful, inspiring argument" against oversized homes and calls it the one book to buy if you are planning to build, remodel, or rethink your living space. The Storygraph's reader community notes that, unlike many books on smaller spaces, Susanka gives readers genuine reason to prefer compact living over larger homes, and recognises her 1998 publication as ahead of its time in the movement away from McMansions.
Sources: Barnes & Noble, The StoryGraphLook inside the book
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- Is it worth reading?
- For anyone planning to buy, build, or renovate a home — especially those who feel the pull of larger square footage without being entirely sure why — The Not So Big House is an essential read. Its greatest achievement is translating professional architectural thinking into terms accessible to non-specialists, giving homeowners the language they need to communicate meaningfully with architects, contractors, and interior designers. The book is most rewarding in its early chapters, where the central philosophy is laid out with the greatest freshness; readers already committed to smaller-footprint living or with professional architectural backgrounds may find diminishing returns. Barnes & Noble describes it as 'highly recommended reading for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in interior design.'
- Similar books
- Readers who connect with The Not So Big House will find natural companions in several titles focused on intentional, livable spaces. Myquillyn Smith's Cozy Minimalist Home and The Nesting Place both share Susanka's emphasis on designing spaces that feel authentic and purposeful rather than impressively large. Joanna Gaines's Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave similarly explores the emotional and practical dimensions of making a house feel like a true home. For those interested in small-scale living specifically, Whitney Leigh Morris's Small Space Style offers practical strategies, while Maxwell Ryan's Apartment Therapy brings a comparable philosophy of thoughtful, livable design to urban and smaller dwellings.
- Who should read this?
- The Not So Big House speaks most directly to homeowners planning to buy, build, or renovate — particularly those who feel drawn to larger square footage but sense that their ideal home is really about how a space feels and functions. Design enthusiasts, students of residential architecture, and anyone curious about the principles that make a house feel like a home will find Susanka's framework durable and clarifying. Barnes & Noble specifically recommends it to 'the non-specialist general reader with an interest in interior design.' Readers seeking detailed construction specifications, or professionals already deeply versed in residential architecture, may find it less revelatory.
- About Sarah Susanka
- Sarah Susanka is an English-born American-based architect, an author of nine best-selling books, and a public speaker.
- What is this book's cultural significance?
- First published in 1998, The Not So Big House arrived at a moment when the McMansion had become a cultural norm, positioning it as a counter-cultural touchstone in residential design. Over more than two decades, it catalyzed what Susanka has called the 'Not So Big Revolution' — a broad shift in how homeowners, architects, and designers think about residential space. Its enduring relevance is reflected in the expanded edition, which adds a new introduction and chapter to keep the argument current for new readers. As a foundational text in its field, it is credited with translating architectural thinking into terms accessible to non-specialists and sparking a lasting conversation about design priorities.
- What design strategies does the book teach?
- The Not So Big House is structured around key design strategies drawn from Susanka's work and from material she originally developed for Inspired House magazine, giving the book a practical, illustrated orientation. Rather than prescribing step-by-step construction methods, the strategies are frameworks for thinking about detail, craftsmanship, and how spaces function in daily life — connecting concepts to visual examples in the expanded edition's illustrated format. The book's focus is fundamentally philosophical: it equips readers with a way of seeing and articulating what makes a home feel right, rather than delivering a technical specification guide.
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Adult
Reading level
Adult
Skip if you're looking for a step-by-step construction manual or detailed technical specifications for a renovation project.
Editorial Review
Sarah Susanka's The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live is a landmark work in residential architecture and home design, making a powerful, practical case that homeowners are better served by thoughtfully designed, smaller spaces than by oversized, inefficient ones. Now in an expanded edition from The Taunton Press, the book remains the definitive articulation of its central philosophy: quality before quantity.
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