A few years ago, the prevailing sentiment for just about everything from kitchens to French fries was “go big or go home.” But more recently, a trend in the opposite direction is catching on: The Tiny House movement.
A number of factors are contributing to the urge to go small. The aging Baby Boomer population is looking to downsize; the cost of maintaining a big house is getting prohibitive for many people; experiences are more important than things to many Millennials; crushing student debt often puts homeownership on the back burner for younger consumers, so the way to start is with a smaller home; issues of sustainability, environmental concerns and shrinking the carbon footprint are becoming increasingly important; a desire for simpler lifestyles, and much more.
But small shouldn’t mean cramped, so designers are challenged with how to manage projects that allow clients to live comfortably and efficiently in a petite space.
NKBA has several courses on tap for September that focus on the small movement, efficient design and smart storage solutions.
“Jewel Box Kitchens: Living Large in Small Spaces” will help designers customize plans to accommodate homeowners’ high expectations for efficient use of space, quality of materials and getting the most out of a small environment — whether a true “tiny house” on wheels, a compact condo, beach bungalow or other micro-space.
Presented by Moorea Hoffman of Kitcheneering, a kitchen and bath specialist based in the northern California hamlet of Crescent Mills, this course runs from noon to 2 pm (Eastern Time) on Sept. 19, offers 0.2 Continuing Education Units and two NKBA education hours, and the cost is $99 for members, $119 for non-members. In this introductory-level course, designers will learn to improve marketing and sales strategies that appeal to this customer, explore different categories of small kitchens and identify and avoid potential pitfalls in tiny design.
On Sept. 21, “Micro Size Me” will teach designers how to understand the movement — and explain to clients that it’s more than a passing trend — as well as understand the environmental impact of small-space design, and strategies to implement in design and product offering. This one-hour course is free, starting at noon (Eastern Time) and presented by Paula Kennedy, CMKBD, of Timeless Kitchen Design in Seattle. It offers 0.1 CEU.
Finally, at noon (Eastern Time) on Sept. 7, a course related to but not exclusively about small home design is “Smart Technology for Living in Place.” This free, introductory-level, one-hour panel discussion is presented by Louis Delaware and Erik Listou, founders of Living In Place Institute, and explores the different applications of smart technology, positive and negative aspects of its use in design for homes large and small, and how it is evolving in everyday home design. It offers 0.1 CEU.
Registration for all NKBA webinars closes two hours prior to the start time, and attendees must participate in 80 percent of the session to receive credit.
For more information and to register for these and other NKBA courses, visit www.nkba.org.
