Small is big in custom home design

A dedicated (if somewhat reluctant) recycler, Cynthia Mulit enlisted the help of local builder Lewis Jones to design and build a custom cabinet that would neatly house recyclables  and would work for a small beach house as well as for a small planet. The result of their successful collaboration on the project illustrates a number of emerging downsize design principles. It has demonstrated some unexpected and positive spin-offs as well.

"This is the first time I've ever enjoyed recycling," said Cynthia.

With four sizable bins needed for recycling plastic, glass, paper and cardboard, the Mulits found cabinet space in their small galley-style kitchen being overtaken by their desire to accommodate a greener lifestyle. And then there was all that beach stuff - four chairs, four pairs of flip-flops and a case of bottled water. They began eyeing an alcove that was previously housing a table holding a plasma screen television. What they saw was wasted space.

They consulted an aunt in Santa Rosa Beach who put them in touch with Jones.

"I have built a lot of custom cabinets for my customers over the past 25 years. I would say that this is the first TV entertainment center that was built for not only recycling, but also beach chairs and shoes," said the Ponce de Leon builder.

Combining functions, as it turns out, is key to maximizing small spaces.

Jones noted that the recent slow-down in his industry has caused his business to shift toward custom remodeling and home improvement projects in lieu of new home construction.

"I've been keeping busy. I do what the customer wants, unlike some builders," added Jones.

In tandem with the movement toward simplification and downsizing from McMansion mentality, another increasingly evident industry-wide trend is the urge to maximize small spaces.

The unique built-in cabinet Jones helped the Mulits design has a primary purpose of increasing storage capacity without using precious floor space in the 1,100 square foot beach house.

Architects often use built-in furniture to combine functions, overcome space constraints and extend floor space. In a 540 square foot home in San Francisco, architect John Hopkins put kitchen cabinets on visible legs rather than employing the typical modesty panels in order to expose more floor space.

Building a deck around a protected California live oak in the same house, Hopkins rejoiced in the his solutions to maximizing that small space.

"It's a great thing to have limitations," said Hopkins.

Another unexpected benefit of the Mulits' project was aesthetic.

With storage cabinets going all the way up to the ceiling, the custom improvement not only hides unsightly electrical cords and stored items; it also draws eyes up toward the high (11 foot) ceiling of the living room, increasing the perception of spaciousness.

Eschewing clutter, embracing organization and emphasizing the functionality of all components has helped the Mulits make the most of their small beach bungalow.

"We've learned how to keep it simple," said Cynthia Mulit.

For a video tour of a 540 square foot house designed by architect John Hopkins, visit

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/video/maximizing-a-small-space-architect-tour.aspx