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Tour Of Homes Focuses On Smaller, Smaller Spaces

Updated: Wednesday, April 11 2012, 03:49 PM CDT
Tour of Homes this Weekend Will Focus on Smaller, Smarter Spaces

This Saturday you'll get a chance to tour a number of homes where size doesn't matter-- efficiency does.  The Smarter Spaces Tour was created to promote great design in smaller spaces, and these smaller homes make maximum use of space.

For example, an open air home gets its rustic appeal thanks to planks that were re-claimed from a hundred year old barn that was being torn down. But it has modern features like a kitchen that's big enough for two.  Designer Sarah Stacey says, "I always felt that if the kitchen is small it makes the space feel cramped.  So we made it a little bit larger to accommodate two people if that's what they wanted to do."

The home also includes features that make it more energy efficient.  A unique pivot hinge allows the front door to open extra wide to allow for greater air flow to keep things cool.  And old-fashioned wood louvers set up as vertical blinds allow air to circulate throughout the house while preserving privacy.

The key to smarter spaces is making maximum use of all available space.  A colorful home in East Austin was designed with entertaining in mind, so it has a huge patio door that opens wide to let the party flow into the good-sized back yard.  Architect Susan Welker says, “You're going to design it so that the spaces flow and have good connection and allow for double uses for a lot of spaces.  Like the old saying... you get the most bang for your buck in this house."

And if you just need a little space to yourself, this tour will also spotlight a private modular space you can drop into your backyard.  It can be an office, a yoga studio, a man cave.  It's up to you.

There will be eleven homes to see altogether, all of them in central Austin.  The Smarter Spaces Tour is this Saturday, April 14, from 11:00am to 6:00pm.

Smarter Spaces Tour - www.smarterspacestour.com/Tour Of Homes Focuses On Smaller, Smaller Spaces