LIVING LARGE
Advice from the experts on shopping small - but big enough.
FIND AN OPEN LAYOUT "Seeing through one room to another makes the space feel big," says Dorie Weintraub, an architect in Boston who downsized to a smaller home herself. Windows magnify the effect.
CONSIDER VARIED CEILING HEIGHTS High ceilings can seem cold and low ones cramped - the mix is key. "Various heights identify the more intimate and the more public spaces," says Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House.
BUILD IN "Eke out space from nooks and crannies with built-ins," Newton interior designer Christina Oliver says. She also recommends using the same materials for built-ins in several rooms around the home, which "makes smaller rooms feel like one bigger space."
STRETCH SPACES WITH LIGHTING "Put a lighted painting at the far end of a tight space, and people will be attracted to it," says Susanka. "We are physiologically programmed to move toward light."
MAKE WAY FOR STORAGE Don't be afraid to swap a few square feet of living space for more closet space. "If you store your belongings, the space feels bigger," Weintraub says.
LOOK AHEAD Boomers thinking about moving should consider only those homes with at least one bedroom and bathroom on the first floor. Oliver suggests beefing up the wall behind the shower to support grab bars as well as ensuring that doorways are wide enough for wheelchairs.
