Good Things in Small Spaces
Boston Globe, by Chris Reidy, March 7, 2004

Until they opted for a "Not So Big House" remodeling project, Maddie and Chris Welch seemed to be on a typical homeowners' trajectory, one that begins with a condo and has many people logging much of middle-age in a McMansion.

In 2000, as the Welches thought about having children, they sold their Brookline condo and bought a small house in Newton. The $392,000 cape looked to be a temporary stop, something that would be traded up a few years later for a bigger house. But then the Welches began to fall in love with their neighborhood. They had multi-generational neighbors, including some who had lived there for 40 years. The schools were great. And they had woodsy views from their backyard.

This was not a case of sudden love, however. When the couple embarked on their first home-improvement project, the plan was simply to remodel the kitchen. For ideas, Maddie Welch, a Spanish teacher, bought Sarah Susanka's book, "The Not So Big House."

The couple also contacted Bill Boehm, a principal in Miller Boehm Architects of Boston. When he showed up with a copy of Susanka's book, Maddie Welch knew there was potential for rapport. But he told them, "If you're hiring me just to do the kitchen, you're wasting your money," recalled Chris Welch, who works at a nonprofit company that advises worldwide health care programs. Boehm then asked them, "What do you really want?"

As the Welches came to the decision that they wanted to stay put, they expanded their plans. What was originally contemplated as a $50,000 project grew into a $250,000 redesign that required the couple to move out for six months. Another option was a tear-down: Demolish the cape and build something larger, as a neighbor had done. But that was not for them

"I don't think a house should be disposable," Maddie Welch said.

So Boehm set about designing a floor plan that reflected the Welches' personalities, values, and lifestyle. A special niche was crafted for an heirloom piano, and walls and lighting were arranged to show off favorite posters and paintings. One big change is a living area added to the back of the house that seems to flow off a redesigned kitchen. A fan of recycling, Chris Welch is especially fond of a deck made from recycled milk bottles.

If the Welches were interested in selling their house in a few years, they might have made different decisions, such as adding more bedrooms, Chris Welch said. But simply driving up the home's selling price wasn't the point; the point was about customizing space so the family would enjoy their home for many years to come.

Despite the name, "The Not So Big House" philosophy is not strictly about downsizing. In the Welches' makeover, 800 square feet were subtly added to what had been a 1,400 square foot home. Viewed from the street, the house seems almost unchanged.

When the job was finished, the Welchs were cautiously optimistic. Everything felt right. But there were still some doubts about how design theories would play out in real life. There was one last test a New Year's Eve dinner party. Would the new kitchen and living space accommodate five couples collaborating on a meal? As it turned out, everything went smoothly.

Maddie Welch recalled the reaction of her guests to a small cape that had been refashioned into a Not So Big House: "People came in and they were amazed. They just said, `Whoa!"'