Photo courtesy Jessica Glynn. Design by Lisa Michael Interiors. Additional information below.
I’d like to discuss one architectural and lifestyle aspect of the typical American home that I’ve always been drawn to: the fact that we live in only part of our square footage, leaving another significant portion largely unused. I’d venture an average unused portion of between 30 and 40 percent.
This is a tradition passed down — inherited — from the earliest days of private homes build in colonial America with any semblance of architectural (overwhelmingly English) influence.
The world is astounded that Americans can afford to do this. European and UK homes, in contrast, are comparatively small, every inch used for actual living requirements. (My goodness, they have washing machines — no dryers at all — right in their kitchens — no dishwashers either.) And consider Japan, where rooms have multiple purposes, furnishings moving in and out like scene changes in theatre.
For myself, I find this way of living curious. It is quaint, to be sure. In our own lifetimes, it characterized the living arrangement of our great-grandparents’, grandparents’, and, for most of us, our own family homes. Jim’s mother took it to the extreme, covering every piece of living room furniture with a sheet to protect wood and fabric from direct sun. Her assumption all along was that at least one of her children would want her cherished pieces — she was wrong.
But how does this tradition translate to contemporary times? My sense it that it’s still very much the standard. Almost every new home built still features a formal dining room and living room — indicating that most aspiring homeowners still want them. Regardless of how much valuable (and costly) square footage these rooms consume. Alas, tradition is difficult to break.
That said, one can also discern a trend away from this. Of course, there’s always been a subset of homeowners who have rejected the norm, choosing functionality over formality, seemingly very proud of their alternative mindset: actually living in all their rooms. Still, one can detect an accelerating pace in this direction, particularly as homeowners age. And they’re doing it voluntarily, as opposed to a function of space restrictions.
Moving to Florida, Jim and I abandoned tradition as well. We wanted a complete departure from how we lived in Virginia, and space usage would be a prime consideration. It was a decision based on both lifestyle choice and finances. The key question was how large a home did we want and need, post downsizing. More on this to follow.
From Parlor to Family Room
The evolution of living space in Western buildings and homes, reaching back hundreds of years, begins with the “parlor.” In Christian Europe, there was an outer parlor where monks and nuns conducted business with outsiders, and an inner parlor for interactions between themselves.
In the U.S., the term parlor was applied to a sitting room for greeting guests, at the front of the home, featuring the finest furnishings and accessories owned. Homes were often designed with two identical front doors — literally side by side, feet apart — one for accessing a main hallway, the other for entering the parlor. For most families, the parlor was inviolable territory, reserved for special occasions, their best attire, absolutely off-limits to children on their own. When a family member died, the body was typically laid out in the parlor.
A derivative space, “drawing rooms,” were introduced to serve as a private room where hosts and, perhaps favored guests, could escape for a time from parties and large gatherings. “Drawing” is short for “withdrawing.”
The term “living room” came into use in the early 20th century. As floor plans became larger, living rooms grew in size, remaining at the front of the home. However, the living room remained a place for special occasions, if a bit more relaxed and frequently used. Many two-story home designs placed the
staircase in the living room, making it a main passageway (although children were still prohibited from sitting and touching). In larger homes, the living room was typically located off the main hallway, in the front of the home, opposite the formal dining room.
Of sheer necessity (think lots of children), the “family room” came into being. Today we use this room as our most relaxed common space, a place to watch TV, eat snacks, kick off shoes, sprawl on sofas, snuggle with each other and pets. This room is often located in the back of the home, to confer a degree of privacy from the street.
Finally, there might be a “game room,” located on any floor or in the basement. Differing by family, it may be regularly used or rarely used, often depending upon the age of children (and if they’ve left the nest.)
Move to Florida
Our home in Virginia, a traditional colonial, was perfect for its time. Conversely, there were lots of formal spaces, which we used infrequently, amounting to at least half the square footage on the first floor. Furthermore, there was lots of duplication, e.g., five different places, inside and outside, to eat a meal. And I won’t mention TVs.
Tiring of this, when we came to Florida we agreed to do the following. First, we auctioned off >95 percent of our possessions. Second, whatever home we decided to purchase, we wanted it to minimize duplication as much as possible. And third, we wanted to use every room for everyday living.
Lo and behold, we accomplished this. We now live on one floor, with one kitchen, one dining room, one living room, one study. Two guest bedrooms (one for each grown child). Places to eat: kitchen counter, dining room, outdoor courtyard. Jim is fully permitted to sit in any chair, nap on any couch, leave articles of clothing and reading material in any common room.
We both find this new way of living nothing short of liberating — we have been freed. We recommend it to all. It’s not that we’ve become lax and disheveled — we’re still neat and tidy. But it’s a sea change in the way we think about co-existing with each other and among the things we own. We are not looking to preserve anything — furniture, carpets, glassware, dinnerware — we use it all. Should the walnut dining table somehow get scratched, so be it, it’s ours. As for the cat, a hairball on the carpet? — well, hopefully no one notices the telltale stain.
Living this way allowed us to purchase a modest-size home for a reasonable amount. But it wasn’t really about money, but more about “fit.” If you aspire to have a smaller footprint physically, there is a psychic benefit from achieving this balance. You have enough, not too much, just right. Ultimately, we equated a relaxed lifestyle with an absence of explicit and implicit rules and boundaries regarding how to use rooms and possessions, letting everything just flow as it will.
Top photograph courtesy:
Jessica Glynn
Interiors + Architectural Photographer
“Commercial Photographer of the Year 2024” by Irish Professional Photographers (IPPVA)
Ireland +353 (0)83 029 5016
US +1 561 281 1799
Website jessicaglynn.com
Instagram @jessglynnphoto
Interior design by:
Lisa Michael Interiors LLC
1515 Dale Ln.
Delray Beach, FL 33444
561-278-3400 Office
561-303-3843 Fax
Website lisamichaelinteriors.com
Instagram @lisamichaelinteriors
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