I'm at it once again...downsizing! And it feels so good! We once had a house full of kids, toys, animals, friends...to name a few! But as time has gone on, my babies have spread their wings and left the nest, taking all things associated with them. I'm left with the animals...! Well, that's not exactly true. I still have my "baby" and of course my other half. But if I'm being honest, in this day and age of busy schedules, much of the time it's the animals left in charge!
But downsizing isn't just for empty-nesters. It's for families too. In a time when bigger must mean better and bigger means more successful, I encourage you to seek comfort in a more meaningful way. Your family can have everything it needs but nothing you don't need. Functional space, lightness and a reflection of nature. Comfort without compromise.
I've always admired Sarah Susanka and her Not So Big House series. An architect by trade, Sarah emphasizes the idea that your home is your haven, in scale and proportion to need. It's a place where space is used according to purpose. In her own words, when writing about designing her own home with her architect-husband, "We wanted our house to express the way we actually live." So, it's not about moving to a postage stamp, it's about creating a home with each room serving a real purpose. Less can truly be so much more. "Comfort has almost nothing to do with how big a space is," she had once said.
Sarah Susanka's "Not So Big House" philosophy embodies what I like to do with my design. She would say, "Give me your budget for building your house. Now, let's keep that budget, but build 1/3 less square footage and put those funds into high quality, meaningful design."
My son lived in Spain for a semester with a lovely host family. When we visited I marveled at how comfortably all five of them lived in 600 square feet! They explained that there were two functions of the house: sleeping and the large family meal at lunch time. In Segovia, the town closes down from noon until three. Families go home to have a large, leisurely lunch and nap with the family and then go back to work (presumably refreshed!). The idea is that you spend as much time outside as possible. Be it at work or play, it's good for your health to be out and socializing.
I hate wasting space. That extra, unused room always feels to me like the person at a dance waiting to be asked. I'm a firm believer that every space should have a function and every function have a space.
Our apartment in NYC is a cozy 400 square feet, so we are hardly downsizing here, but we are looking forward to family meals, napping and then getting outside to play!
Be sure to visit our Pinerest board, Small space interiors, lots of style, for lots of inspiration!
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!
Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.
We have worked with Renee Carman at this company for almost 2 years. Renee is professional, personable, and a pleasure to know. She is very helpful and will go the extra mile to please her clients. Renee has excellent expertise and knowledge of interior design. We have a beautiful home and highly recommend her.
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee was a pleasure to work with and has great vision. We were doing a total rehab of a recently purchased property and she was able to look at a gutted out '50s cottage and turn it into a beautiful mid-century modern home. She understood our budget and timeline and was good about narrowing all our options down to just a few choices. This expedited the process, made it less difficult and more enjoyable. Once the rehab is done, we look forward to working with her again and finish the rest of the rooms.
Renee at Mandeville Canyon Interior Design was simply wonderful to work with. She was able to understand what we were looking for in terms of color, function and design from the moment we first spoke. She's easy to work with, goes above and beyond and delivers an outstanding design.
I highly recommend Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design. I don't think I will attempt to decorate another room in my house without the help of Renee!
Love working with Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design ! I had the opportunity to collaborate on a large scale design project recently and the results were fantastic! Creative, resourceful and one of kind design ideas made this design opportunity with Renee "one of a kind" Have a large or small project? You won't be disappointed!!
Renee not only has an amazingly creative eye, she also directed a massive renovation for us this past year that included the challenges of operating during the pandemic. She put together a team that had an incredible work ethic and brought the project in on-time and on-budget. She's a great listener. When we threw ideas at her, she was never dismissive; quite the contrary, she made them better. Her patience, attention to detail combined with her whacky sense of humor meant we were all able to smile while producing a home that we love. A great talent and a great lady.
Rene is amazing! Great customer care and wonderful attention to detail.