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Not So Big Remodeling: A Better House for the Way You Really Live
More Big Ideas from Sarah Susanka including hundreds of Not So Big ideas that can beautifully and affordably transform any home. Sometimes small changes can have a big impact. But many homeowners looking for more living space still insist on building expensive additions or completely rebuilding their home. In the latest groundbreaking step in the Not So Big revolution, Sarah Susanka and Marc Vassallo demonstrate how carefully chosen tweaks and simple additions can make a home seem much larger and more inviting. They avoid high-end architectural solutions, focusing instead on how Not So Big ideas can dramatically improve even the most modest home. The authors show readers how to think like an architect, so they can accurately assess their homes shortcomings, apply Not So Big principles to their remodeling plan, and phase in their project incrementally over time.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 17, 2008
7 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Susanka
42 books82 followersSarah Susanka is a bestselling author, architect, and cultural visionary. Her "build better, not bigger" approach to residential architecture has been embraced across the country, and her "Not So Big" philosophy has sparked an international dialogue, evolving beyond our houses and into how we inhabit our lives. In addition to sharing her insights with Oprah Winfrey and Charlie Rose, Susanka has been named a "Fast 50" innovator by Fast Company, a "top newsmaker" by Newsweek, an "innovator in American culture" by U.S.News & World Report, and is this year's recipient of the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award for "outstanding individual achievement, a spirit of initiative, and work that exemplifies great dedication toward making positive contributions to our world."
Sarah is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects, and a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council. The author of seven books, Susanka resides in North Carolina.
Sarah is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects, and a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council. The author of seven books, Susanka resides in North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 25, 2018
Tons of in helpful depth discussion about why things work— really getting into the nitty gritty of space design. It’s almost like a design textbook. Unfortunately, the budgets and home styles were not similar to our own project so not useful for me.
January 24, 2025
I'm baffled by remodeling. How do you know what to change? How do you know what to keep? How can you visualize what a space will look and feel like if you take action? (I'm particularly terrible at this.)
I think the author had some good points and I like her approach; Work within the existing footprint if you can. And if expansion is necessary, don't be tricked into thinking that larger is always better. She made her points and suggestions pretty well and addressed some of my questions above. I think the main issue I had is with the photographs. I couldn't always tell which was "before" and which was "after". Many of the photos were taken from different perspectives so that I wasn't always convinced it was the same space! There were floor plans included, but I find them difficult. Also, the rooms in this book seemed to be of much more regular places than the glamorous photos that were included in "Home by Design."
In the end this didn't give me anything actionable to move on, but it was fine.
Physical copy from Springville
I think the author had some good points and I like her approach; Work within the existing footprint if you can. And if expansion is necessary, don't be tricked into thinking that larger is always better. She made her points and suggestions pretty well and addressed some of my questions above. I think the main issue I had is with the photographs. I couldn't always tell which was "before" and which was "after". Many of the photos were taken from different perspectives so that I wasn't always convinced it was the same space! There were floor plans included, but I find them difficult. Also, the rooms in this book seemed to be of much more regular places than the glamorous photos that were included in "Home by Design."
In the end this didn't give me anything actionable to move on, but it was fine.
Physical copy from Springville
July 14, 2010
I read Susanka's original book, The Not So Big House, a long time ago and really enjoyed it, but haven't read anything else she's written. However, the idea of a Not So Big House has stuck with me all this time, and I have mentioned it to more than a few people.
Then several months ago, I was checking items out to a patron at the library when I saw this book in the stack. I discretely put it on hold for myself after he left (something I do more often than not - how do you think I find all of the great books to read?!) When it came in, I was excited to sit down and read it.
Usually when I'm reading a nonfiction book on how to do something, I am not captivated by it. I'll start to read it, browse through some pages, stop to read a couple pages in the middle, flip through the pages at the end to see if there's anything that catches my eye, and then call it good. I don't need to read a how-to book from cover to cover and study every page because I'm normally just reading them for general knowledge.
But this book happened to come in right in the middle of me buying a house and planning a large remodel of it before we even move into it. It could not have been more perfect timing. Consequently, I read every page, studied every drawing, and looked closely at every photograph. I wouldn't quit talking about the book with Hunter (my boyfriend) and I keep telling him that he needs to read it too (which SO will not happen, but I like to bug him anyway. :-))
The photographs are gorgeous and I loved how every remodel included a before and after photo and a before and after drawing of the floor plan. Nothing is more frustrating than to read how the owners rearranged the layout of {whatever} and that the new layout is so much better, but then not have any way of seeing what it was that they did. How did they rearrange? What did they do? That is a flaw that shows up in many decorating/remodeling books, but not this one.
I also really appreciated how the book started off with smaller changes, and then worked through to the more elaborate changes, helping me understand how to mentally tackle a project. If you're going to remodel your home, I cannot more highly recommend this book. Or if you're just one of those people who love looking at remodel/decorating books, be sure to check this one out. I virtually never want to buy a decorating book (since decor gets dated so quickly) but this book is the exception to the rule. I would adore to have this one on my shelves.
Then several months ago, I was checking items out to a patron at the library when I saw this book in the stack. I discretely put it on hold for myself after he left (something I do more often than not - how do you think I find all of the great books to read?!) When it came in, I was excited to sit down and read it.
Usually when I'm reading a nonfiction book on how to do something, I am not captivated by it. I'll start to read it, browse through some pages, stop to read a couple pages in the middle, flip through the pages at the end to see if there's anything that catches my eye, and then call it good. I don't need to read a how-to book from cover to cover and study every page because I'm normally just reading them for general knowledge.
But this book happened to come in right in the middle of me buying a house and planning a large remodel of it before we even move into it. It could not have been more perfect timing. Consequently, I read every page, studied every drawing, and looked closely at every photograph. I wouldn't quit talking about the book with Hunter (my boyfriend) and I keep telling him that he needs to read it too (which SO will not happen, but I like to bug him anyway. :-))
The photographs are gorgeous and I loved how every remodel included a before and after photo and a before and after drawing of the floor plan. Nothing is more frustrating than to read how the owners rearranged the layout of {whatever} and that the new layout is so much better, but then not have any way of seeing what it was that they did. How did they rearrange? What did they do? That is a flaw that shows up in many decorating/remodeling books, but not this one.
I also really appreciated how the book started off with smaller changes, and then worked through to the more elaborate changes, helping me understand how to mentally tackle a project. If you're going to remodel your home, I cannot more highly recommend this book. Or if you're just one of those people who love looking at remodel/decorating books, be sure to check this one out. I virtually never want to buy a decorating book (since decor gets dated so quickly) but this book is the exception to the rule. I would adore to have this one on my shelves.
June 3, 2010
I agree with Castiron. The homes pictured are gorgeous, but there was very little I could use for planning my own remodel.
I am not sure how 2400 sf for two people is Not So Big, even if they work at home. The small urban homes house singles. The family homes are all on huge suburban lots in the midwest and south. There is nothing for families trying to carve out a little more space within a compact urban lot.
Bumping out is not possible on a tight urban lot. The smallest lot they showed was still >30% bigger than my lot. There are no walkout basement possibilities in poured slab country. So many of the designs for vertical storage are not earthquake safe and hence not suitable for my LA area home.
The only solution is to carve out attic space. But, the only examples shown are homes with steeply pitched roofs. Roofs in the southwest are much flatter than the ones she shows. I wish she spent more than one page on listening to your roof.
If anyone knows of a good book about roof structure and various strategies to raise the roof, please tell me.
I am not sure how 2400 sf for two people is Not So Big, even if they work at home. The small urban homes house singles. The family homes are all on huge suburban lots in the midwest and south. There is nothing for families trying to carve out a little more space within a compact urban lot.
Bumping out is not possible on a tight urban lot. The smallest lot they showed was still >30% bigger than my lot. There are no walkout basement possibilities in poured slab country. So many of the designs for vertical storage are not earthquake safe and hence not suitable for my LA area home.
The only solution is to carve out attic space. But, the only examples shown are homes with steeply pitched roofs. Roofs in the southwest are much flatter than the ones she shows. I wish she spent more than one page on listening to your roof.
If anyone knows of a good book about roof structure and various strategies to raise the roof, please tell me.
August 28, 2009
I enjoyed browsing this book, and some of the ideas were worth storing away. Lots of interesting design, attractively photographed. I may yet buy this book just so I can enjoy the photos whenever I want.
My main issue with this book and with Susanka's Not So Big series as a whole, though, is that Susanka's idea of "Not So Big house" seems to be my my "Quite Big house, certainly much bigger than where I currently live!" This is a great book if you're trying to make a 2000 square foot house a more pleasant space for a family of four; it's not so helpful for how to make a 1200 square foot house into a pleasant space for that same family of four, unless you really do plan to put that So-Big addition on.
My main issue with this book and with Susanka's Not So Big series as a whole, though, is that Susanka's idea of "Not So Big house" seems to be my my "Quite Big house, certainly much bigger than where I currently live!" This is a great book if you're trying to make a 2000 square foot house a more pleasant space for a family of four; it's not so helpful for how to make a 1200 square foot house into a pleasant space for that same family of four, unless you really do plan to put that So-Big addition on.
October 3, 2024
Took the original Not So Big House book out of the library mostly for the pictures, which I enjoyed, not being in a position to build a home. I expected this one to be similar but comparatively it's really much more of a textbook. There are before and after diagrams to study, to notice what small changes make a big difference. The content was more relevant than I expected - things I have taken for granted in my house might actually be things that we could update or fix. Renovations? In this economy?? Perhaps! Lots to think about, really enjoyed the book.
I'll add that houses have clearly stratified in the years since this book came out in 2009 (right at the start of the recession), to Much Larger and Much Smaller than the ones described. The two houses my chosen family shares across two adjacent lots are both well smaller than the examples, and we are not on a budget that allows for hiring an architect. However there are improvements we could make within the footprint of each house that had not occurred to me at possible. So it's great for generating ideas.
I also appreciated the chapter on sustainability! In 2024, the advice for improving home energy efficiency is still, start with an energy audit. I was delighted to see the blower door test in a book from this era, as well as her recommendation of solar hot water systems (which, at the time, were the economical choice - now it would be solar electric panels and a heat pump water heater). I've been working in clean energy and energy efficiency for many years and it's always nice to see people getting it right well before the zeitgeist had shifted.
I'll add that houses have clearly stratified in the years since this book came out in 2009 (right at the start of the recession), to Much Larger and Much Smaller than the ones described. The two houses my chosen family shares across two adjacent lots are both well smaller than the examples, and we are not on a budget that allows for hiring an architect. However there are improvements we could make within the footprint of each house that had not occurred to me at possible. So it's great for generating ideas.
I also appreciated the chapter on sustainability! In 2024, the advice for improving home energy efficiency is still, start with an energy audit. I was delighted to see the blower door test in a book from this era, as well as her recommendation of solar hot water systems (which, at the time, were the economical choice - now it would be solar electric panels and a heat pump water heater). I've been working in clean energy and energy efficiency for many years and it's always nice to see people getting it right well before the zeitgeist had shifted.
October 6, 2018
I was sucked in and couldn’t put the book down! Great ideas then you think yeah that’s for higher paying people. But I was wrong the book shows and tells you how to do it yourself and shows you before and after. Then in the last of the book shows you little things that make big difference. So you can start small to larger projects and above all to use the space you have. There is spots on how to bump things out(walls) to add more room or light to a room. Very useful! Better if website to locate trusted architects in my state. Otherwise awesome!
April 25, 2023
Lots of great illustrations and food for thought, but I have trouble imagining how many of the ideas would translate in our home, or if I’d even want them too. (For example, she’s very big on opening the kitchen to the rest of the living space and then having a separate “away room” for when you need some quiet space. Absent such a room, I LIKE that my kitchen is a bit separated from the living room/play area.) I can’t imagine messing around with ceiling heights either. But it does offer some inspiration for rethinking how to use the space you already have.
June 22, 2020
I have liked all of the Susanka books on the "Not So Big" architectural ideas and this one on remodeling was still interesting, even though I haven't read any of her's for quite a few years. The ideas I've learned have helped me make some small changes in our own home, even though we haven't done very much building or remodeling over the years. If I ever did decide to build or do a major remodel, I'd definitely use these books and an architect!
November 16, 2025
As always, Sarah Susanka provides creativity, thoughtfulness, and plenty of examples for making a space more useful AND more Home. Most of us aren't in the market to build or move, and this is the perfect solution to staying put and getting what you want. I especially enjoy the thought that we can behave more like those in "old" countries ... making a meaningful impact that can be passed on for the future, rather than being torn down to make new.
A satisfying read.
A satisfying read.
August 30, 2020
I wish there was a more recent version of this book. The “not so big” ideas are great (even though I wouldn’t call these small remodels), but the dated pictures were distracting. So much changes in ten years!
I would refer to this for the ideas.
I would refer to this for the ideas.
January 3, 2023
Plenty of useful tips and inspiration included, but it felt like this stayed very surface-level. Good for sparking creative thought when planning/designing a reno, but not much help with the brass tacks of budget or time concerns.
August 6, 2017
Lots of creative examples and beautiful pictures of ways to improve the space you have.
February 6, 2022
Lots of lovely pictures, and issues to consider when planning your renovation. Very useful.
April 19, 2022
It's rare I read a nonfiction book from beginning to end. Lots of before and after pictures.
October 30, 2022
Dnf 26%. Awesome content. Would love to own a copy. Held onto my library loaned copy for about 4 months.
Read
March 30, 2024Logging this now even though it's a book I'll read and reread many times.
Edit: A month later, I read it again, slower this time. Terrific book.
Edit: A month later, I read it again, slower this time. Terrific book.
January 15, 2015
Yes, 5 stars.
>Our neighborhood is going on 20 years old, so people are remodeling, getting a new roof etc. We just redid a bathroom which turned our really well because we had a good contractor. He had lots of ideas and so did we.
>So I have no real interest in remodeling anything now, but I like reading Sarah Susanka's books in my easy chair with my coffee in the morning, so got this one from the library. It was amazing.
>Sarah takes you from the minimum amount of change to your home, to bigger and bigger changes. She talks about baths and kitchens, and a "place of your own" or poyo. One lady had a tansu chest built with hidden stairs behind it to go up to her poyo under the roof. It's cool!
>The other home I found fascinating was a 700 sq foot home that was remodeled with "an air of Zen calm". It includes a Japanese garden that you can see from the kitchen and through a glass wall in the bathroom. The glass is made to change from white to clear by running an electric current through it. Wow!
>You also get to see where the author lives and what she has done to her home in the "Not So Big" way.
1-1-14
I reread the bathroom section because we are redoing a half bath this month or next, and later a large bathroom. I have 2 really good ideas now, one for each bath. In the half bath I want to carve out a niche for magazines and a can of air freshener, because these now live on the back of the toilet, and in the upstairs bath I want to extend the walls beside the toilet so I can put up a compression rod and have curtains that the user can close if they want a bit of privacy. Also a niche for reading materials, TP, and a reading light. Lower the ceiling above the shower and above the toilet. Got some fabric ideas on Fabric.com. Off and running! Thanks, Sarah. Always an inspiration!
>Our neighborhood is going on 20 years old, so people are remodeling, getting a new roof etc. We just redid a bathroom which turned our really well because we had a good contractor. He had lots of ideas and so did we.
>So I have no real interest in remodeling anything now, but I like reading Sarah Susanka's books in my easy chair with my coffee in the morning, so got this one from the library. It was amazing.
>Sarah takes you from the minimum amount of change to your home, to bigger and bigger changes. She talks about baths and kitchens, and a "place of your own" or poyo. One lady had a tansu chest built with hidden stairs behind it to go up to her poyo under the roof. It's cool!
>The other home I found fascinating was a 700 sq foot home that was remodeled with "an air of Zen calm". It includes a Japanese garden that you can see from the kitchen and through a glass wall in the bathroom. The glass is made to change from white to clear by running an electric current through it. Wow!
>You also get to see where the author lives and what she has done to her home in the "Not So Big" way.
1-1-14
I reread the bathroom section because we are redoing a half bath this month or next, and later a large bathroom. I have 2 really good ideas now, one for each bath. In the half bath I want to carve out a niche for magazines and a can of air freshener, because these now live on the back of the toilet, and in the upstairs bath I want to extend the walls beside the toilet so I can put up a compression rod and have curtains that the user can close if they want a bit of privacy. Also a niche for reading materials, TP, and a reading light. Lower the ceiling above the shower and above the toilet. Got some fabric ideas on Fabric.com. Off and running! Thanks, Sarah. Always an inspiration!
October 19, 2014
I've always like the "Not So Big" books, and although I'm not planning a remodel, I picked the book up since I've liked the other ones. I think people would "get" her philosophy from just looking through this one, but you might want to read through the original "Not So Big House." I don't necessarily agree with all her points (I dislike soffits, for example, and she uses them extensively in her buildings to change the ceiling heights), but I like her mindset of building beautiful things, as well as many of the "catch phrases" such as "walking toward light" and thinking of the long angles of things. Some of the photos seem pretty dated, so I was surprised about that, since the book is only a few years old. Just reinforces how certain elements that may be popular today can quickly looked dated. On the other hand, one of the kitchen remodels was so beautiful it made me want to remodel my kitchen immediately to look like the picture, ha ha. Anyway, I will probably keep picking up her books as long as she keeps writing them.
February 10, 2019
I think this will be on my currently reading shelf for a very long time. I really like the way the author thinks about space and traffic flow while designing a beautiful and liveable environment. After flipping through and spot reading this book, I turned the island in my kitchen 90 degrees and it is as if the entire room grew larger and became more workable. Total cost of renovation: $0.00.
The same thing happened with the garden at our front door. About two days of work on my part and $0.00 in materials and we had an entirely new and inviting approach to our front door.
Seriously though, we have more work to do, and as we move from room to room my husband and I spend hours looking through this book to spark our creativity. And every time we find surprises inside the covers of this book.
The same thing happened with the garden at our front door. About two days of work on my part and $0.00 in materials and we had an entirely new and inviting approach to our front door.
Seriously though, we have more work to do, and as we move from room to room my husband and I spend hours looking through this book to spark our creativity. And every time we find surprises inside the covers of this book.
July 27, 2011
The two main things I took from this book are:
#1--hire an architect
#2--hire a designer or interior decorator
The author doesn't push those points, but I realized that I don't possess the knowledge to, for example, renovate my kitchen without some professional help. I love that she includes a lot of lists of questions to ask yourself so you can understand how you use a room, and whether a big remodel or just a small fix-up is in order. She really emphasizes that you should first try to renovate within your current footprint and keep appliances and wiring in their places to keep costs down. If that doesn't work, move up to a small bump-out. Only as a last resort should you consider a major home addition.
#1--hire an architect
#2--hire a designer or interior decorator
The author doesn't push those points, but I realized that I don't possess the knowledge to, for example, renovate my kitchen without some professional help. I love that she includes a lot of lists of questions to ask yourself so you can understand how you use a room, and whether a big remodel or just a small fix-up is in order. She really emphasizes that you should first try to renovate within your current footprint and keep appliances and wiring in their places to keep costs down. If that doesn't work, move up to a small bump-out. Only as a last resort should you consider a major home addition.
November 21, 2011
This was interesting, but not ultimately all that helpful for me--and I was planning a remodel when I read it! Actually, I should say "browsed" it. I tend not to read every word in books like this, but to look for the ideas I can use and read only those parts. I liked the concepts, but Susanka's idea of a "not-so-big house" doesn't mesh with mine. My house is smaller than the ones she used as examples, and it's not a cottage. If you have a four-bedroom Victorian or new build, this could be helpful. If, like me, you live in a '50s- or '60s-era brick rancher, then not so much. Also, her ideas, though stopping short of major overhauls, are pretty expensive. There's a lot you can do to improve your house considerably without going as far as she suggests.
August 1, 2014
After reading her Not So Big House, I launched right into this one and for some reason hit a plateau. It took me over 50 renewals at the public library to finish it. (Who knew I could get 50 renewals at the library?!) I suspect that is more due to my schedule and interests than the book, because when I finally returned to the book, I really enjoyed it. I like how Ms. Susanka breaks down different architectural concepts so that us lay-people can understand (somewhat) the overall pattern to why some things look good and feel good to be in. I would recommend this book to anyone considering a remodel or to someone looking for a different home that they plan to live in and love for some time. 4/5
June 4, 2009
I am loving this book for the way it helps you think deeply about what you really need in your space. You may not necessarily need many more square feet if you can find ways to make the most of the square footage you have, with extra storage or a tiny-to-modest addition.
I confess I am new to Susanka's fan club, so I am still marveling over concepts like the place of your own (POYO) and wishing I'd been the one to think of it.
Now, the ideas for our own square footage are flowing like mad!
I confess I am new to Susanka's fan club, so I am still marveling over concepts like the place of your own (POYO) and wishing I'd been the one to think of it.
Now, the ideas for our own square footage are flowing like mad!
July 10, 2009
I really like Susanka's approach to home design. This was a thorough look at how you can improve your current home to make it more useful for the way you live. In today's economic climate, with so many people staying put instead of moving up, there's a big audience for this kind of remodeling. We especially liked her chapter on basements (we're hoping to work on ours), and the way she steps you through the process of evaluating a space, confronting potential problems, and then figuring out a design was excellent.
June 13, 2012
I don't know if I've outgrown this series or if this book wasn't as good as Susanka's others. I think one of the reasons I loved them so much was that I liked the craftsman style so much and it was used extensively in her houses. And although I still love craftsman, my style has definitely changed towards more modern and eclectic looks. I guess while I still like all the design principles in this book, the pictures feel very dated. There were loads of good ideas though, and I am a firm believer in the Not So Big principles.
Read
February 4, 2010this is more applicable to what I could actually do do our existing home, since building our "dream home" isn't likely anytime soon. It's also new this year so is very up-to-date with current trends/options out there. She uses her own home as an example to start of which I find very real and refreshing. Not that we're planning a major overhaul of our home anytime soon, but it's "therapy" for me to have an idea in mind of what I'd like to do whenever the money becomes available! : )
May 2, 2012
Has some very good ideas, especially about re-organizing your home based on how you live.
The book does assume for the most part that you have a fair amount of money. Also, many suggestions are not good for very small dwellings (such as our own small two-bedroom townhome). I'd love for Susanka to come out with "The not-so-big condo/townhome." It's needed.
The book does assume for the most part that you have a fair amount of money. Also, many suggestions are not good for very small dwellings (such as our own small two-bedroom townhome). I'd love for Susanka to come out with "The not-so-big condo/townhome." It's needed.
January 19, 2010
The pictures show gorgeous results, hence a bit daunting for an apartment dweller. But there are great ideas and concepts! I recommend it if you're thinking about interior design and/or remodeling. I look at this type of book for concepts and ideas but tend to pick a bit here & a bit there & don't follow any set theory.
February 23, 2014
Love Susanka's books. There are great ideas in here for using the space you have better so you don't have to do excessive remodeling. That being said, she also helps you think about remodeling projects in an out-of-the-box way. Love her ideas! I read this (or at least browse)it each time I tackle an issue with my newish-poorly designed house.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews