The New Small House: Behind-the-scenes glimpse

While recently sorting through some background info for The New Small House book, I came across this photo I created of one of the featured projects. At the time, I pitched the photo to the book's editors and art department as an option for the book's end pages. This was quite early in the process when we were first thinking about how the book might look. We ended up going in another direction, but I still like this shot. Maybe it's better suited as a wrapping cover or end pages on a paperback novel. Any takers? What might the title of the novel be?

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

KHS work-in-progress: Touisset small-house renovation/addition update

Here are more progress shots of this small-house renovation/addition. Note the newly installed jatoba bar-top high counter, built-in banquette with custom mahogany table, down-draft range along the windows, and enclosed porch-like addition that I discussed in an earlier post.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

A Newport secret garden

Thought I'd share one of the sweet secret gardens from this year's tour in the Point neighborhood of Newport. I'm always impressed with the many and varied layers of interest the homeowners of these secret gardens are able to pack into a small space. This one, like others on the annual self-guided spring Secret Garden Tour in Newport, takes advantage of the placement of outbuildings and fences relative to the footprint of the main house to create a compelling outdoor room. Like many of the houses in my upcoming book The New Small House, this compact garden provides delightful additional season living space.

The Tour is also a great opportunity for an idjit gardener, such as myself, to learn about new plants, shrubs and trees and in what conditions they thrive. I always add the common names of new favorites to a notepad (on my phone, these days), so I can consider them for my garden next planting season. The Secret Garden Tours also offer a fall tour in different areas of Newport that you might want to mark on your calendar now. I haven't been on one of the fall tours yet, but maybe this fall will be the year to start another annual tradition. Funds from the Newport Secret Garden Tours go towards enhancing arts education and cultural programs in Aquidneck Island's public schools.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

The New Small House: Retreat inspiration

There are five small retreats featured in the small-houses book I'm writing. A small retreat is a getaway like a studio, an entertaining space, a napping spot, etc. in the backyard or off on its own plum parcel. Small retreats can explore -- in an even smaller package -- many of the same design strategies that help small houses to feel comfortable, airy, and spacious despite the size of their footprint.

When it came time for me to design the small retreat above, which is both a screened space and sauna, I took inspiration from not only the retreats in the book but a few of the houses. The resulting schematic design is a nod to some of the gently sloped roofs in the book, cathedral ceiling spaces, large apertures, long views, versatile layouts, ancillary niches, indoor/outdoor connections, succinct finish selections, and choice quality materials (which are noted on the sketches above). What you can't tell from these sketches is that the retreat's very existence will allow me to shape an engaged outdoor court between it and the ranch house renovation/addition it accompanies. All these features will enable a variety of experiences in both the small retreat and the outdoor rooms it fashions, adding much more to the property than the sum of its parts.

Like me, I'm hoping you'll take inspiration from the book. Look for it on bookstore shelves in mid-October 2015.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

The New Small House: Transformation

One of the homeowners in the small-houses book I'm writing speaks about the power of architectural transformation and its capacity to transform the lives of a home's occupants, neighbors and community. The delight we often take in "before" and "after" renovation/addition photos taps into the delight we typically take in transformation, in general. There's something about imagining the possibilities and potential that are latent in our everyday environments that draw us in and compel us forward to realize those possibilities and potential.

The KHS small-house renovation/addition project pictured above is currently under construction. It's at the fun stage where the design we conceived months ago is taking physical shape as framing and window/door installation is nearing completion. The existing stair that once ran along the exterior wall, bordering the cottage's small living room, remains, but is now open to an adjacent enclosed porch-like addition. We are essentially adding not only the space of the addition but the spaciousness now perceived in the neighboring original living room. Those familiar with the house "before" have been walking through and almost giddily remarking on how expansive the small house now feels "after". The thrill of the transformation is nearly contagious.

This small house will remain small, but not quite as small, and will live larger, but not too large.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast