Distinctly Montana Magazine

The Caldwell House Photo by Gordon Gregory Photography LITT LE HOUSE UNDER TH E BIG S KY: BY ANIKA HANISCH N estled in the foothills, out under open sky, or perched in a historic neighborhood, smaller homes hold a growing attraction for reasons as diverse as the people who live in them. And many Montana homeowners and designers are convinced that the not-so-big footprint is much more than a passing trend. OWNERS OF SMALL HOUSES SHARE THEIR MOTIVATING VALUES About 15 years ago Karen Breslin and her husband Bill Sweney began seriously evaluating their personal use of re- sources. The Ennis furniture designers had been watching homes grow larger and larger. There was pressure to keep pace in their furniture designs, but it felt wrong. "We said, no, we're not going to design bigger and big- ger furniture," Breslin shared. Then, researching sustain- able building concepts, they began to apply the same at- titude toward the possibility of designing their own home. It would be a bit of a showcase. "We wanted to make it so people could see what you can do with a small space," Breslin explained. "We were trying to show ourselves that we could design something that was simplified, easy to live in, and within our budget." They've now lived in their 1,200 square-foot one-bedroom home for almost seven years and are clearly pleased with the space. They wanted a home that sat lightly in its surround- ing landscape, had a minimal footprint, and yet felt spacious inside. With some ingenuity, they achieved just that. The main living area encompasses kitchen, dining, and living rooms and has five French doors. In the winter, they let in light beautifully, and in summer, the living area can be completely opened up. "Our deck space is like a whole other room to us," Breslin said. Because the home plan was smaller, Breslin and Sweney were able to invest a little more in some novel finishes. They'd seen a house in Santa Fe that used galvanized tin inside. So they tried that—on the cathedral ceiling in the living area. It works. "It just lights up; we hardly ever have to turn on the light," Breslin said. "It's unbelievable." The treatment of light is key in small spaces, according to architect Brian Caldwell, Co-owner of Thinktank Design Group in Bozeman. When Caldwell designed and lived in his own small home in Bozeman, he paid attention to how light would play in the structure. He also used a creative interior layout to make the 1,700 square foot home feel modern and spacious inside while fitting on a small corner lot in a historic neighborhood. There are five levels to the house, each separated by a half-flight of stairs. From each level, you can see into oth- er spaces. "The visual connection creates long sight lines," Caldwell explained. "It makes it feel extremely large." He also created a sunken courtyard on the south side of the house, which served two purposes: it brought in full daylight into the lower level and it created a private yard space on a lot that is otherwise very exposed. That dual-purpose mentality is another secret of suc- cessful small-home design. Inside and around the home, every space and every design decision needs to count for multiple purposes. Caldwell summarized the concept: "Fold the program of one space into another." LIVING BEAUTIFU LLY IN UNDER 2,000 SQUARE F EET 50 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • SUMMER 2012

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