We’ve long been a fan of architect Sarah Susanka and her “Not So Big House” philosophy. And it seems we keep seeing more evidence that a significant number of American homeowners are more interested in craftsmanship, quality and fine design than they are in raw square footage.

Affluent, mature homeowners especially fit this profile. The more money older homeowners have, the less they demand maximum square footage. Among Americans age 45 and up planning to spend $400,000 or more on a home, only 28 percent say they want as much space as their money will buy. By contrast, 46 percent of those planning to spend less than $150,000 say they want maximum square footage for the money.

That information comes from Margaret A. Wylde’s useful and insightful book, “Right House, Right Place, Right Time,” which looks at trends in the over-45 housing market.

It’s just one more indication that many affluent, mature Americans are interested in quality design and features, not just raw space.

Marvin can help architects, builders and remodelers meet the needs of these premium customers with beautiful, innovative products like our Ultimate Casement, Ultimate Sliding French Door and Ultimate French Casement. We offer more than 150,000 product options that meet or exceed the federal government’s stringent ENERGY STAR standards.

Come visit us at Booth 1453 at the AIA Convention in New Orleans to see all the latest products that will help you give your clients the home of their dreams.

This series will feature advice and tips from experts Eric Corey Freed, Zem Joaquin, Sarah Susanka, David Johnston and, as mentioned, Christine Marvin.

As some of America’s most energy-efficient LEED showcase homes feature the very same Marvin windows that you can buy for your own home, Marvin believes in building top performance into windows and doors with proven technology that are accessible to the average homeowner. And the proof is in the numbers: Marvin has more than 150,000 window and door products that are ENERGY STAR certified.

Tune in to Inhabitat each week for a new set of tips and advice. And let us know what you think!

Acclaimed architect Sarah Susanka designed this Venting Picture Window for her own home; Marvin Windows and Doors built it

Sarah Susanka, author of the groundbreaking “Not So Big House” series, got a chance to visit her own personal window at the Remodeling Show.

Sarah designed this window for the myMarvin Project, and Marvin built it to be installed in her own home in North Carolina. It’s an Ultimate Venting Picture Window, clad in Marvin’s rugged extruded aluminum, with cherry wood on the interior. The entire sash projects out about an inch from the frame, allowing for natural ventilation, while an ingenious built-in perimeter screen keeps insects out.

The circle-within-a-square design highlights Sarah’s love of archetypal forms, and the small square sections of beveled glass diffuse the light into spectrums.

Sarah says she loves her window, but it’s been making the rounds of many industry shows and events, so she actually hasn’t been able to install it yet! Soon, Sarah — soon.

This and the other artist-designed windows in the myMarvin Project are also available to be built for any homeowner who’d like them.

We’re delighted to have architect and author Sarah Susanka as a guest of Marvin Windows and Doors at this year’s Remodeling Show. Here are some tips from Sarah’s latest book, “Not So Big Remodeling,” written with Marc Vassallo.

1. Two Become One. Make two smaller rooms feel more spacious by opening a shared wall to create a framed opening. This is most effective when it provides a wide connection between spaces while maintaining the differentiation of each room.

2. Columns Instead of Walls. Columns allow for differentiation of places with minimal view obstruction while providing the structural support of a load-bearing wall. Particularly effective where the kitchen connects to adjacent spaces.

3. Let There Be Light. Increase the size of existing windows or place them adjacent to perpendicular walls and ceilings, allowing those surfaces to act as giant daylight reflectors. Bringing in more daylight is one of the best ways to increase the apparent size of a home without adding on.

4. Look to the Ceiling. Unify a remodeled space by creating a spatial theme with varied ceiling heights.Use lowered ceilings over subordinate spaces, higher ceilings over the more important rooms.

5. Use the Floor. Differentiate activity areas in an open space with a change in floor material or level.

6. Connect With the Outdoors. No matter what climate a house is in, it will feel several times larger if the location of the doors and windows draws in the surrounding views and allows easy movement to outside.

7. Bring the Inside Out. Create another room by sheltering an exterior sitting space with a widened overhang or new section of roof. The addition of a screened porch can also serve as an excellent connector between inside and out.

8. Increase the Apparent Size. Differentiate surfaces with a beltline or headband — a continuous line of trim that divides the uopper part of the room from the lower part, such as a chair rail, wainscoting or molding that ties together the tops of all windows and doors. Make the area below the line darker than the area aobve, and the ceiling will look higher, making the whole room seem bigger.

9.  Create Visual Vitality. Make a living space come alive by accentuating a focal wall with a saturated paint color.

Sarah Susanka seemd to genuinely enjoy herself at this book signing. (Unfortunately, she had red-eye in every single photo we took!)

We took part in a great event Wednesday night: the 25th annual “Big 50″ reception honoring the biggest names in remodeling. Hanley Wood put on the event, and Marvin Windows and Doors was among the sponsors.

Sarah Susanka was on hand to sign copies of her latest book, “Not So Big Remodeling.” There was a line at her table all night long — she barely had time for a sip of water.

Sarah is marvelous in these settings — charming, chats with everyone and writes a personalized inscription. People were very excited at the chance to meet her and to get a free, signed copy of her book courtesy of Marvin.

We’re delighted to have architect and author Sarah Susanka as a guest of Marvin Windows and Doors at this year’s Remodeling Show. Here are some tips from Sarah’s latest book, “Not So Big Remodeling,” written with Marc Vassallo.

1. Borrow Before Building. If the existing kitchen is too cramped, consider borrowing space from adjacent spaces. Often, there is space available in places that get overlooked, such as an oversized living room, a rarely used dining room, a butler’s pantry or a poorly laid-out back entry.

2. Leave Well Enough Alone. Where possible, leave the utility hook-ups where they are, especially if budget is a concern. Limiting the number of utilities to relocate will help keep costs contained.

3. Consolidate Entrances. Attempt to locate all the doorways to the kitchen on one side of the room and eliminate any that are not absolutely necessary. This leaves the rest of the kitchen for continuous countertop and appliance arrangement, while limiting foot traffic through the work area.

4. Pick Out the Pieces. Select major appliances early in the design process so the evolving plan can be tailored to their specific dimensions. The difference of a few inches in any direction can be crucial.

5. Work Triangle Basics. The path linking the centers of the sink, cook top and refrigerator should not exceed 26 feet. No leg of the triangle should be longer than 9 feet or shorter than 4 feet, and no major traffic pattern should intersect it.

6. Bridging the Distance. If the kitchen is more than 12 feet wide, consider adding an island in the center. Make sure any walkways between cabinetry and island are at least 36 inches wide or the kitchen will feel too cramped — 42 inches is better yet.

7. Keep it Flowing. Place large vertical objects such as the refrigerator or a double oven at the end of a stretch of countertop, rather than in the middle, to maximize usable work surface.

8. Maximize Interaction, Minimize Interruption. A successful kitchen remodeling encourages interaction between household members while minimizing the amount of movement through the space by non-cooks. Eliminate the frustrations of a crowded work space while improving the opportunities to socialize by creating a layout that is open to adjacent spaces but still clearly defined as a separate room.

We’re delighted to have architect and author Sarah Susanka as a guest of Marvin Windows and Doors at this year’s Remodeling Show. Here are some tips from Sarah’s latest book, “Not So Big Remodeling,” written with Marc Vassallo.

1. One is Better Than None. When undergoing a remodeling project, include as many green upgrades as the budget allows. If the prospect of many upgrades seems overwhelming, just pick one and do it well. Every improvement makes a difference to the long-term sustainability of the structure.

2. Waste Not, Want Not. Reuse as many of the original components from the existing house as is reasonable. There are often interesting ways to repurpose materials, such as using wall studs to extend the eaves or grinding up old stucco for the driveway base.

3. Mind Your Materials. Choose paints and varnishes that are free from harmful VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and formaldehyde. Look for engineered wood products and FSC-certified woods (Forestry Stewardship Council). Marvin offers FSC-certified wood windows.

4. Give Your House a Check-up. Obtain an energy audit from a home energy expert to identify problem areas and streamline the process of improving the home’s energy efficiency. This alone can save hundreds of dollars a year.

5. Seal Leaks. Have the existing HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system checked by a qualified contractor. Replace substandard ductwork and seal all ductwork in unconditioned spaces.

6. Improve Efficiency. Increase efficiency and lower energy bills by using double or triple-paned windows with a coating known as “low E.” Choose efficient HVAC equipment and EnergyStar rated appliances.

7. Increase Insulation. Attics and crawl spaces are common culprits for substandard insulation. There are many insulation options to choose from, such as sprayed-in, closed-cell, no-VOC foam insulation.

8. Use the Roof. Extend the roof overhangs to protect the exterior from weather and shade the house from the high summer sun. Consider adding a solar hot water system or a photovoltaic array.

Bathrooms are among the most expensive rooms in the house per square foot. Carefully consider personal patterns and preferences before determining the best remodling solution for the situation.

1. Positioning the Plumbing. Avoid added expense by leaving plumbing locations alone.

2. Control Costs. Before beginning, identify parts of the existing bathroom that can be saved, such as tile work, half walls, faucets and fixtures. Use available tools such as mirrors, reflected light, clear glass shower partitions and ceiling height variety to make the space look and feel larger. Identify ways to introduce natural light with glass block or frosted-glass windows, skylights and solar tubes. Do not overspend on bathroom tile or jewelry such as faucets and fixtures.

3. Express Yourself. Add simple, yet creative, deisgn flair with tile. Place a single, more expensive feature tile in a field of less costly tile to create a focal point. Or use only low cost tile, but several sizes or colors to create an innovative pattern.

4. A Tub for Young and Old. It is a good idea to have at least one bathtub in a house. Tubs are needed for bathing small children, and the elderly often prefer baths to showers.

5. Daylight in the Shower. When adding a window to a shower, make sure the window is installed properly, or it can cause moisture problems. If possible, use a metal or fiberglass covered unit and make the sill and surround out of tile or a solid surface material.

6. The Throne. For extra comfort in a bathroom or powder room, choose an elongated toilet bowl over a standard model. Given how much time we spend with this trusty fixture, it is worth a few extra dollars to make the experience a pleasant one.

7. Mirrored Gains. No room benefits more formthe use of reflecting surfaces than the bathroom. A wall-to-wall mirror can double the apparent size of a room without adding a single square foot.

8. Small Space, Big Effect. Powder rooms have the most impact per square foot of any room in the house. They do not have to be spacious to make guests feel well taken care of. What is important is the design and the attention that is given to the details, such as lighting, cabinetry and countertop design, and color. In this room, beauty matters more than you might expect.

We’re delighted to have architect and author Sarah Susanka as a guest of Marvin Windows and Doors at this year’s Remodeling Show. Here are some tips from Sarah’s latest book, “Not So Big Remodeling,” written with Marc Vassallo.

1. Set Priorities. When beginning a remodel, consider the three values of quality, quantity and cost. Determine which two are the most important. Because remodeling is an inexact science, one of these variables must be allowed to “float” in order to make a remodel possible.

2. Examine the Space. Begin exploring remodeling options by first looking at what can be done within the existing footprint of the house. By thinking creatively about the available space, you may discover that no additional space needs to be added on.

3. Think in Terms of Activity Areas. Don’t think about remodeling in terms of rooms. Instead, create a list of activities that need to be accommodated — recognizing that a place for the activity is needed, but not necessarily an entire room.

4. Start With the Simplest Strategy. Begin by exporing the simplest solution — working within the existing footprint — and only move to more complicated solutions, such as a bump-out or a small addition, after determining that the simpler solution won’t work. This is the most important tool for discovering a Not So Big solution.

5. Study Storage. Evaluate the home’s existing storage areas. Many homes have too little storage in places where it is most needed, and too much in places where it is only marginally useful. A little well-designed storage in the right place can replace a lot of poorly designed storage, opening up floor space.

6. Bump Out a Little. Bumping out a section of wall by just a few feet can add some much needed square footage just where it is useful. A bump out that creates an alcove or a small extension running the width of a room will keep costs down while maintaining the scale and proportion of the existing house.

Marvin's Ultimate Replacement Casement

7. Add On With Grace. If none of the above strategies meets the remodeling needs, and budget allows, a small addition may be the best option. A well-proportioned addition can greatly enhance the value of a house, while a poorly proportioned addition can actually reduce a home’s value.

8. Let the Roof Be the Guide. To ensure that a bump out or addition will look good on a house, let the existing roof inform the design solution. The roof shape will make some options easy and others nearly impossible without looking like a mistake.

9. Work With Windows. Few things can have as much impact on the character of a room as the shapes, patterning and positioning of the windows. In any remodeling decision, an interesting composition of windows can add personailty to both the inside and outside of the house.

10. Include the Exterior. Few remodeling strategies can affect the long term value of a home more than an external face lift. These can be accomplished inexpensively when done with a Not So Big focus on quality rather than quantity.

Sarah Susanka

The annual Remodeling Show gets under way today in Baltimore, and Marvin Windows and Doors will be there as a key sponsor. This event is the nation’s major show of the year for remodeling professionals.

We’ll be posting here on the most interesting and useful items we see at the show. You can also follow us on Twitter.

A special guest this year is Sarah Susanka, the visionary architect and author of the “Not So Big House” series, which changed the way Americans think about home and how we inhabit them. Sarah is appearing as Marvin’s guest and will be signing copies of her latest book, “Not So Big Remodeling.”

She’ll also be contributing posts here during the show — watch this space for a rare treat.