The Little Book of Living Small

by Laura Fenton

A comprehensive guide to small-space secrets and real-life solutions for living in 1,200 square feet or less.  The Little Book of Living Small shows readers how to make the most of limited square footage—with grace and style—and serves as the cheerleader readers need to help themselves feel satisfied and proud of their choice to live with less. In addition to exploring both the motivation behind choosing to live in a small space, as well as the practical, everyday advice for managing a tight footprint, The Little Book of Living Small also includes case 12 style-savvy, small-space dwellers open their doors and share their design secrets. Author Laura Fenton covers a range of homes including studio apartments, one- and two-bedroom houses, a tiny house, a co-living space, and even whole houses. Stylistically these homes range from urban, rural, minimalist, and country, with the unifying thread that they are all real homes of less than 1,200 square feet that offer clever solutions that readers can use in their own homes.  Laura Fenton is the lifestyle director at Parents magazine. With more than fifteen years of experience, her work has appeared in major publications including Better Homes & Gardens, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, and on leading home websites including Remodelista.com, HGTV.com, ElleDecor.com, HouseBeautiful.com, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Through her writing she has explored the topic of living small for more than a decade. She lives small with her husband, a photographer, and their son in Jackson Heights, Queens, in New York.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Interior Design, Adult, Architecture, Coffee Table Books, Reference

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 8, 2020

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally. A book with homes we might actually live in, with furniture we might actually buy and with rooms of a size we might actually decorate. A breath of fresh air in the home decorating book sphere.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living Small is a thoroughly enjoyable book with lots of expressive photos that made me feel like I just stepped through the door into a cozy , pretty room. It is well written in a friendly manner full of happy ideas for living more compactly. I poured over the pictures as the inspiration filled me up:) I feel ready to tackle my own house blindness and turn out the junk and let in the elegance!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have lived in a tiny NYC apartment since 2001, and in 2012 rather than find a bigger one, I bought some new storage items and some smaller furniture in order to add my husband to the mix. Needless to say I am always looking for solutions just to control the mess. As important to me—beauty, and the ability to host my book club gracefully. Ms Fenton’s book provides wonderful inspiration and ideas for improving our surroundings (and the gorgeous photos seriously make me want to up my game in the decor department). Just love this book.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read for downsizing your space and living 'small' or at least, smaller! I enjoyed the suggestions given as well as the photographs of different homes and their interiors. I skimmed the children's sections as well as any reference to space renovations (#thatapartmentlife).

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a practical guide to living in small spaces, with a collection of case studies (complete with photographs) followed by tips and tricks for every area of the house. The author was more concerned than I am with having beautifully designed spaces (in addition to being functional), so some aspects were more relevant to me than others, but I appreciated all the tips. Fenton and those she profiles also put a lot of money and energy into getting custom solutions (custom-designed shelves and organizers, architects and contractors redesigning whole areas of a home), which she justifies via how much money you'll save by living in a smaller space, but that rests on the big assumption that you could afford a larger home and you're instead choosing a smaller space and putting your extra money toward customizing it. Still, in many cases she provides off-the-shelf alternatives to consider. Even if you don't have lots of money to spare on optimizing every inch of your space, the variety of options showcased in this book will likely give you at least a few ideas. And if you're not already living in a small space, it may inspire you to reconsider your current living situation. (Be aware she goes super hard on your obligation to the planet to have a small footprint, etc.) I don't remember where I saw this recommended, but I'm glad to have picked it up!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is finally helping me embrace my
longtime choice of a small home and a “living small” ethos. I am working on maintaining gratitude about the space I have, remembering the reasons I picked it, and tuning out the noise around me that says I should desire the insatiable “more and bigger.”

This was validating and humbling to read, and featured inventive and inspiring approaches to homes.

[Amanda Hunsberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially enjoyed studying the houses that are about the size of mine & getting ideas.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t say this often, so pay attention.

I want a hard cover book of this pronto.

Dog-eared pages and highlighted passages, come to Mama.

[Elizabeth Strauch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved Laura's newsletter for years and this book is a great overview of the principles she shares each month, with plenty of photo inspo and resources. Perfect timing for my winter urge to clear out cupboards and closets and make our small spaces more functional.

[Ew Lake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both practical and inspirational tips. I want to remember some of the quotes shared throughout the book while we embark on our remodel :

The home should be the treasure chest of living.
- Le Corbusier

Make your home as comfortable and attractive as possible and then get on with the living.
Design is coming to grips with one's lifestyle, one's real place in the world. Rooms should not be put together for show but to nourish one's well-being.
- Albert Hadley

The details are not the details. They make the design.
-Charles Eames

I believe in plenty of optimism and white paint, comfortable chairs with lights beside them.
-Elsie de Wolfe

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photographed and well-organized book with 12 "case studies" of living in small spaces of 248-1200 square feet. After the house tours are ten short chapters packed with solutions and "committing to tiny." This is one of the rare tiny-space books that has not one but two homes with pianos (still a commitment of mine). Inspirational and more within reach than some books in this genre.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful pictures and a nice guide for (mostly) millennials who can't afford homes the sizes of our parents. it's definitely for the middle- to upper-class, nothing in it was budget except the size of the home. I appreciated the sustainability values behind it.

main con: 90% of the homes look so DULL!!! omg white walls, small pictures in wooden frames, drab linens... c'mon, add a little colour if everything is going to be so sparse. Only one home had any flair with black walls (mayyyybe a lil too much imo but loved the green velvet couch) and the black and white studio apartment had some drama. otherwise everything was bland, but I guess if that's your look then there's lots of inspiration in the pages. and lots of little tips. Though I still recommend reading Marie Kondo's tidying book if you really wanna jettison half your belongings and live a life truer to your heart.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely SPECTACULAR book on living minimally and living small. Having lived (and blogged) in 400 square feet for a while, I scaled up to 1200 square feet in the home I purchased. Now, wanting to move into a new life stage (but not wanting to change homes), I'm looking for creative new ways of utilizing the space that I have.

This book is a total gem full of cheats on how to eke out more space without renting a storage unit or upping your square footage. I loved the examples and photos throughout, and placed nearly all of the "additional resources" on hold at the library. Great great stuff!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not just another pretty face.
It has three things going for it beyond the nicely done photographs. 1. It features only homes that are primary residences regardless of size. No vacation only properties or experimental sheds. 2. They are photographed without major staging or editing to make them look other than they actually are. 3. They are actually small by American standards and so contain useful and adaptable solutions to daily living.
And
The projects are all thoughtfully chosen and explained.

[Niniane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressed at these 250sqft apartments in NYC, where the tenant still manages to fit in a kitchen, bathroom, desk, and bed.

Compared to the Japanese minimalist styles, these spaces still felt a bit cramped and claustrophobic to me. They had decorative items and lots of (smaller) furniture.

I liked the tips for how to style each room in a space-conscious way, especially the kitchen and bathroom.

I enjoyed reading this as a counterpoint to the huge homes in other design books. I wish there were more styles covered in this book. All the apartments seemed to have a similar style.

[Rebecca Pappas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book from Young House Love and immediately checked to see if my library had it.

I wasn't disappointed. This book is full of beautiful photographs and tips that not only teach you how to live spaciously in a small space, but are also inspiring.

I don't know if I could ever be comfortable in a tiny home of only 300+ square feet, but the homes featured range up to 1,200 square feet - very doable.

Even if living in a smaller home is not for you, the space saving tips and furniture featured make it worth picking up this book

[Deborah Carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Between 2-3 stars, a gift, reads as if to and coming from a NYC world view, nice pics, not enough depth for anyone beyond beginner beginner. Lots of wasted space in each of the highlighted homes and not very many "hacks" if you are looking for a deep-dive into living small. Some info interesting to me, some resources that may be useful. I am speaking from the perspective of someone with a LOT of tiny living experience, so this may be more useful to you than to me.

[Jen K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! I hardly ever read these types of books, I almost always find I look at the photos and move on with my life…. But this book was genuinely great and I found myself reading every page.

Perfect book of you are interested in realistically living small, living a little more minimalistic, or love to see what others have done with their homes.

I want the author to know I didn’t buy it but requested that my library would and they bought 10 copies :) thanks for a great book.

[Mandy Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it was inspiring to see so many different homes and how they utilize their spaces to fit their family’s needs. Many things I read about “living small” tend to be geared towards folks without children, but this one has great tips for storing kids toys. Also the photography was really well done.

[JH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable read on a dreary afternoon! This book is heavy on the photos, heavy on the inspiration. There was not a whole lot of extreme, tiny-house living. Just real people who decided to avoid the American trope of living in a house much bigger than you need. There was even a family of 4 living in a one-bedroom in Manhattan bc they chose location over space- the kids shared the bedroom and the parents slept on a Murphy bed in the living room after the kids go to sleep. I love the message, I love the fact that these people have less to clean and spend less on super-custom renovations bc they’re living in smaller spaces. Just very cool!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. Lots of practical tips and design inspo, grounded by a philosophy of sustainability and practicality. Much common sense here.

“I believe that living small is more than just choosing a tiny space: it’s about living lightly on the Earth and being mindful of the resources you use.”

[Erica Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crisp, clear photos is the magic behind this little gem. I learned much more than just the tiny house revolution. I learned about the value in changing our mindsets over to “minimalism” rather than thinking we have to keep everything or buy things just because we can.

The author also gives great tips for cleaning and redecorating, along with amazing resources and tips at the end!

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much, but this little book surprised me. These are smaller homes with realistic design ideas, affordable furniture, and a friendly atmosphere. Well organized with a realistic approach to design, not stuffy at all! Really appreciated the list of resources at the end of the book.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent! The homes featured were very well designed but also realistic. I loved the flow of the book, the introduction, the home features, the breakdown of spaces provided the right information and visual appeal. I definitely took away tips to use in some of the smaller spaces of my home. One of the best home design books I’ve read in a long time.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the generosity of the families who allowed their homes to be photographed. I was hoping to feel inspired. Mostly I just felt claustrophobic. Maybe reading about tiny homes in the middle of a pandemic lockdown wasn’t the greatest idea?

[Luba Ulybysheva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, both beautifully presented pictures and the accompanying text. I wish the author had included the floor plans for the featured homes though, especially the smallest ones.
I hope there will be a Volume II in the future with more beautiful images to pore over!

[Hannah Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource if you are into living in a small house or thinking about downsizing. I got some beautiful design ideas and practical tips for better living in our 850 sq ft. house with a family of 5. Highly recommend.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m on a mission to visit the library more often and pick out books on a whim. I’m also making it a goal of mine this year to learn more about home organization and editing our belongings. This book met both of my requirements!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

*What needs to be done versus what would be nice to do someday*
We live in an apartment and trying to get things right can be difficult.
This book was full of inspirational ideas and had all the cogs turning in my head.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the idea of living small but realise that it's not for the faint-hearted. You need to be dedicated and persistent in not allowing clutter to accumulate, to honestly be happy with tiny spaces and potentially sharing a tiny space.