Inside the Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka

Meredith and Anywl gave me a copy of this book for Christmas.  I pretty much devoured it, reading it cover to cover, including all of the captions, author's notes, etc..  I really loved it.  So much, that after returning to Pittsburgh, I purchased two other books and have just finished those as well.

Inside the Not So Big House is a book that takes a fresh look on living in a home.  It isn't about quantity, but quality.  The idea is to move away from McMansions (size) and into smaller homes with better detail, though not necessarily a cheaper price tag.  Sarah's recommendation is to determine your budget, find a size house you want, eliminate 1/3 of the square footage, and use the new allotment of the budget for better building materials, and interesting details.  In the end, she feels the home owner will appreciate their homes more, feel more content with life, and overall be happier.