Living Large in Small Spaces: Expressing Personal Style in 100 to 1,000 Square Feet Paperback – May 1, 2003

I first read this book while I was in Design School, way back in 2007, a year before the GFC (Global Financial Crash) 'had to happen for us'. Back in 2007, I lived in a small space (as I now still do again!) and in between college assignments, I read this library book, cover to cover.I enjoyed the lavish, colour photographs, the abundance of colour and the creativity of owners of these tiny to medium apartments whom discovered that "Small doesn't mean Cramped". Inside this book, the reader will be happily surprised at the diversity of well designed and liveable apartments, ranging from just 100 square ft to 1,000 square ft!As a dweller of a small space myself, this book is both a practical collection of creative examples and a treasure trove of colour, form and function! This publication has literally opened up my eyes to dozens of ways to express my own personal style in an other-wise tiny space. (barely 250 square ft) Within the pages, the reader will discover the personal style of artists, architects, writers, publicists,a retired ballet dancer, even students whom had a clearly defined sense of expression and determined practicality in making the best use of limited space.The majority of living spaces, the World over are built 'Big' and resemble mansions with their 5 and 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 lock up garages and kitchens large enough to contain 100 people! For people whom cannot afford or choose not to spend hard-earned money on enormous homes, this book is for the creative at heart, those folks whom for them, 'small means BIG' in character and lifestyle. This book well deserves 5 Stars.I've often wondered what happened to the people featured in this book, during the GFC, did they keep their beautiful spaces? I really hope so ......!

I expected the book to have a greater focus on layout and practicality ("living large"), but it's much more about décor ("personal style"). I enjoyed leafing through, so it provided a level of entertainment, but it was not as useful as I had hoped.

This book is my absolute favorite. Real people with real space concerns (i.e., 300 sqft for two adults and a baby), limited by realistic budgets, and who have learned to love who they are and incorporate their quirks into their space. Not a coffee table, idealistic lifestyle book advocating that we should throw out all of our knickknack collections and live ascetically. Beautifully, lovingly documented and photographed. Afterwards makes you feel rich for having so much space (compared to the New Yorkers) and hopeful about what you can do with the space you have.

I rated this second best of the 7 "small space" decorating books Ibought. The author says the average American apt. is less than 800 sq ft.,the average NY city one is less than 400. Most featured here are in NY, but there's a healthy mix of other US cities. Pros: Gives square footage, helpful photos, units more like what Americans live in then in many other decor books; with 398 pages, it's hard not to find ideas you can use.

This is a good reference book for the price purchased. It is an idea maker and also provides choices for the person who is living in small places to do their own interior decorating. Happy to have received this book which is being used as a gift. Many thanks.

Perhaps it's my misunderstanding of the purpose of this book. or the implication of the title. In sum, it's stuffed with pretty pictures of overdecorated spaces - and nothing, & I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G remotely useful for utilizing small spaces.I thought I was purchasing a book on interior design, instead, it's strictly interior decoration - & more often than not - embarrassingly self-conscience decoration at that. A complete & utter waste of money for anyone researching small space design solutions.

If you live, or think you want to live, in a small home, condo, or apartment and you want some great ideas for decorating, furniture arrangement, space utilization, storage, or just about any other interior issue, this book is a fabulous resource. So many great photographs, so many great ideas ... so many in fact that each time I look through it I find something new. You don't need a gigantic Mc Mansion to live large.

Overall, a good visual design book. The majority of the spaces are not characteristic of buildings completed in last 5 years...studio condominiums in these newer buildings do not have separate sleeping areas defined, the kitchens are an integral part of the living space, so I was hoping for help with design ideas for that kind of space from a fairly recent publication.