Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: very small/ compact housing

[Maggi Rohde (maggi]

On Jan 17, 2006, at 3:13 PM, Lynn Nadeau wrote:

> What is the smallest  2-3-4 BR housing in your experience that can 
> "work"? "Work" meaning people don't then feel the need to build 
> storage buildings, garages, or move away for lack of space. Do you 
> live in a house that's particularly compact?

At Touchstone in Ann Arbor, Michigan, we have two very small units that 
are one floor finished (about 475 sqft) and one floor unfinished 
(either a walk-up attic or a basement).  We finished our basement and 
now have about 800 sqft of living space for myself, my partner and our 
baby.  The other very small unit is occupied by a single man and, 
sometimes, his two sons.

In my short time living here, the things that make our space work are:
- an open floor plan (sitting room attached to kitchen
- high ceilings (9' -- makes it much more spacious, plus we can get 
extra-tall cabinets in the kitchen and bath)
- closets and other storage in every possible nook and cranny

People who walk through say, "This isn't as small as I thought it would 
be!"  =)

-Maggi
Touchstone Cohousing, Ann Arbor, MI
http://www.touchstonecohousing.org/