Never Too Small: Vol. 2: Reinventing Small Space Living

by Joel Beath, Camilla Janse van Vuuren

Small footprint design that proves living better doesn’t have to mean living larger.

Following the success of their first book, the second volume of Never Too Small showcases 30 new and outstanding homes from around the world that explore small space living.

Framed by five small footprint design principles, the book features beautiful photography, detailed floor-plans, and accessible architectural commentary on each of the 30 homes.

Championing the work of award-winning architects and designers, Never Too Small offers an inspiring model for the future of housing—one where sustainability and style, comfort and affordability can coexist.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Architecture, Interior Design

304 pages, Hardcover

Published April 9, 2024

About the author

This author is a dedicated writer and passionate advocate for sustainable living and innovative apartment architecture and interior design. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to reducing our environmental footprint, their contributions to our website provide valuable insights into creating beautiful, eco-friendly living spaces.

Reviews

[Mai M Ibrahim · Rating 3 out of 5]

الجزء التاني من السلسة دي ف صور وملون اكتر من الجزء الأول
لطيف ف المجمل ..

@mai.designer92 أشوفكم ع انستجرام 😎

[Kytana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up both this book and its predecessor Never Too Small: Reimagining Small Space Living (Volume 1) because I am a huge fan of Never Too Small’s YouTube channel. They champion a variety of architects across the globe and their ideologies/ practices in reimagining and reinventing small space living in a time when urbanization and population are at an all-time critical rise. Not surprisingly, more households are practicing small living, and the channel can’t always feature every project. Therefore, they produced these volumes, to take the opportunity to highlight more projects that could not be put into video production.

Broken up into six sections: Addition & Subtraction, Multifucntical Spaces, Adaptive Reuse, Experimental Approaches, Sustain Solutions, and Family -family-friendly homes, this volume showcases thirty homes, with detailed breakdowns of floor plans, images, and written walkthroughs. If you're an avid follower of the YouTube channel you will see some homes repeat from the video in this book but rest assured you will see most homes not featured on the channel.

Overall this was a great sophomore volume that expands on the philosophies of small living. As someone who lives in a small space, it's nice to have a series like this in physical form not only for reference but to inspire me to not just want more space. I'm learning there is always an opportunity to be strategic yet creative in the space I already have.

Some of my favorite Never Too Small spaces were as follows:

- Casa Cabo by Arqs. MichatekSkarstad, Parque Chacabuco, Buenos Aires
- Limit House House by Republic Design, DaTong District, Taipei City
- Home in Akatsutsumi by Small Design Studio, Setagaya, Tokyo
- Ilioupoli Apartment by Point Supreme Architects, Ilioupoli, Athens
- Monolocale EFFE by Archiplanstudi, Mantova, Lombardy
- Casa Gilla by Gon Architects, Sol, Madrid
- House for Cosimo Piovasco by Mariana de Delas, Rastro, Madrid
-Paris Duplex Extension by Archibien, Porte d’Ivry, Paris

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The photo on the back cover is the only "maximalist" minimal space in the whole book, and pretty much the only place I'd be able to spend time in without dying inside. I guess if you are using your apartment as a sleep chamber and only as a sleep chamber, some of these might not be so dreadful. At least you'd be asleep. I am a person who adores a tiny space, and tidiness (in case you thought I just want more mess), so this is a pretty brutal review. Also I think you can tell the editors dislike writing copy as much as I would have if I were them. Two stars because there is a consistency to the monotonous designs they've selected (except for the back cover one), which I respect.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly for architects, but lots of great pictures and floor plans of small homes from all over the world -- categories of addition/subtraction, multifunction, adaptive reuse, experimental, sustainable, and family-friendly. A plus for this reader: a number of small homes with lots of books! A minus which was neutralized: one home said to be designed for the owners' cats without any pictures of said cats, but then other pictures and a couple of floor plans with cats. Volume 1 is now in for me at the library; will it be similar or not?

[M Shomaker]

Big takeaways:
-Clean lines
-Limited hardware
-Built-in storage with doors
-Double-duty furniture w/o bulk

[Ontario Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoy the YouTube channel. Ingenious ideas, but where would I store all my books?

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same review as volume 1: I love this series, also on YouTube! I would’ve loved to have the photos next to the text though; makes it easier to understand and visualise things that are explained.

[Sulayman Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fav coffee table book. Their YouTube channel is absolute flames

[Laura Haske · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the first volume so much, I went right into the second volume. Each space was unique and very small. I enjoyed the floor plans and creative design solutions.

[Ana Fantini Hoggett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed looking at the different spaces and imagining the potential for my own "small space".