Window Plans Done!
It was pretty easy for us to figure out the type of layout we wanted our windows to have in the hangar loft. Big. Open. Breezy!
It was not so easy to figure out the exact dimensions. But we got ‘er done. I marked the last notes on our homemade blueprints while Martin… uh… proceeded to whiteout all of our not-so-perfect plans with a can of white spray paint.
You can get a pretty good idea of our wild idea from this angle (I’m standing at the front of the hangar). Imagine taking our spray painted windows and flipping them right where the framing still stands. We’ll have eight big picture windows across the living room/kitchen. The total size of the space? 12 x 24 feet (3.6 x 7 meters)
It’s going to feel like a mansion to us.
We decided not to get a little window over the kitchen counter. We’ll be pulling some tricks from the kitchen remodel we did in Germany, so I’ll share that plan just as soon as we get it worked out.
Someone recently asked me, “So your passion is small space living, right?”
It’s true I love having a smaller space to clean, heat, pay for, and clutter. But I never really find myself thinking about how big peoples’ homes are or wondering about how big they need to be. For us, having a small space to live is an enabler. It enables us to do more things and go new places.
It means we might just be able to splurge on some huge ol’ windows because it’s only one room.
(But we’ll see! The gal at the window shop calls with the bid this afternoon, and we’re chewing our nails.)
September 22nd, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Small spaces allow us to spend more time together!
September 22nd, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Gonna be beautiful!
September 22nd, 2011 at 7:28 pm
I like having a small home, too. We’ve never lived with more than 1200 square feet, and our current house is about 1000. It kind of astounds me when I hear family members talking about their ‘tiny 1000 square foot house’ or their ‘little 1500 square foot starter home.’ I don’t know what I would do with all the space! I have days when I don’t know what to do with all the space I DO have!
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:27 am
As an interior designer (who also lives small), I can attest that those living small also get more bang for their decorating buck, as Katie and Martin are about to beautifully show. Big spaces require more furniture and fill-the-space space planning, which is not always how people really live in their homes. I find this most often in homes with living rooms AND family rooms. People love the glamorous idea of a living room, but they actually live in the family room. Why pay rent/a mortgage on space you don’t live in daily?
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:52 pm
You two are making amazing progress. I’m so excited to see how it’s all coming!
And I agree about the small space living, and a bunch of other stuff that it would appear we are passionate about. We actually do that stuff to allow us to allow us to do the things we are passionate about. I think you understand what I mean.
September 24th, 2011 at 6:02 pm
This sounds fantastic! What a great space for large windows :-) I love in a house that’s about 80 square metre (approximately 260 square feet), so it’s great to find some small space inspiration.
September 29th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Can’t wait to see those big and beautiful windows!! xo
October 1st, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Katie, when we were building our strawbale house, we knew where we wanted our windows, we just weren’t terribly picky about the details. We got GREAT bargains by going to Home Depot and Lowe’s, and finding windows that had been custom ordered, but never picked up.
Also, in our current house, we got double-paned vinyl windows from a growing regional company, and their INSTALLED prices were HALF of Home Depot and Lowe’s. Double lifetime guarantee (transferrable); free replacement if ever broken… yes, they honored it… free! It really paid to shop around, although I suspect you don’t have nearly as many choices where you are! -Kathryn Kistner in Texas