A Smaller Life – Signs of a Slow Home Movement?

We’ve all heard of the Slow Food Movement, but I am watching a trend that seems to be taking shape on the internet that completely fascinates me. It truly seems that everyday I see more people clamoring for a slow home movement. What does slow home mean? It can be any of a number of things – and all encompassing in regards to the home – but the general consensus seems to be that more isn’t necessarily better these days.
I absolutely see this thought taking hold in interior design. Just last week both Irene Turner and Wanda Horton wrote posts about slowing down. Emily Anderson recently launched her new book Eco Chic Home. Leslie Carothers is working closely with Cargill’s BiOH polyols division to get furniture manufacturers to use soy based foam instead of oil based foam in their upholstered pieces.
The idea to reduce, re-use, re-purpose and recycle isn’t anything new, I just feel like we’re on the verge of seeing people start to make more holistic choices for their environments. Or so I hope! In order to get product pricing in line, it’s going to take consumers asking for and insisting upon eco-friendly products on a consistent basis for the manufacturers to make the switch. The same way that consumers asked for organic, hormone-free milk at Wallmart, we need to ask for low VOC, healthier home goods.
In the last 24 hours I have been stumbling onto endless articles that all seem to embody a slow-home mentality. Think of what the typical behavior of a US consumer has been in the last few years. It’s like a rubber band – expand, expand, expand, everything becoming tighter – on the verge of breaking and then it retracts back to normal. It’s a more simple, easy-going version of the overly stressed, tight rubber band.
We (as a nation) have been stuck a greedy consumption loop. Buy more stuff, get a bigger house, obtain more to take care of, there is more stuff that breaks, which leads you to buying more/better/newer/faster/prettier. I am glad to see that people are finally starting to ask themselves: do we really need that many flat panel TVs? A house with multiple dining spaces? More than one family room or a McMansion? Perhaps the state of the economy has force-fed us a little lesson most were not prepared for – but it’s lesson nonetheless.
Here is what I have been reading: But will it make you happy? – Home for Life – And then, I came upon The Dog Walk Blog who is part of a larger group of bloggers who have all decided to write about A Smaller Life. They’ve linked to several blogs that have all chosen to speak about what A Smaller Life means to them. Please pop by and get lost in those links. It will show you that a lot of people have this slow home topic at the forefront of their minds.When we were looking for a house to buy we had two houses on the list of finalists. They were about the same price. One was a similar size to our old NYC apartment. It was charming and needed a few capital improvements to make it exactly what we wanted. The other was nearly twice the size (with twice the taxes) but didn’t need work. However, (if we opted for it) we’d get trapped into the consumption role we see both sets of our parents in. We’d find ourselves 65 years old, with a house that is too big for two people, with too many sofas, more TVs than we can watch, more stuff to collect dust, more upkeep, higher heating bills, higher electric costs, more landscaping to do…
We determined that we’d prefer to get out and enjoy our lives rather than having our ‘stuff’ dictate how we spend our time. From taxes to maintenance and even availability of storage, we opted for the smaller, lower cost, eco-friendly house that (in the long run) will cost us less in every sense of the word. All the choices I have made for our new ‘slow home’ have been with the idea of low maintenance. I don’t want to be a slave to our belongings, or to our home for that matter.
The paintings in this post are by a Cleveland, Ohio based artist named Amy Casey. Whose work looks quite incredible ~ if I do say so myself! Perhaps I’ll find a wall in need of adornment once we get settled in the new house? One would make for a nice daily reminder to continue on the slow home path we have started down during the purchase and renovation.

Posted by Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo / I love this and Nesting and totally off topic and Uncategorized

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30 Responses to “A Smaller Life – Signs of a Slow Home Movement?”

  1. BKLYNcontessa on 10 Aug 2010 at 4:20 pm

    Amy! What a fantastic post!!! It is so true that the US has become a work-to-consume culture and the slow home movement is a welcome, refreshing change of direction. I know with my husband’s new position and significantly higher salary we briefly entertained the idea of upgrading our apartment, but even though a larger apartment would be lovely we really do not need the extra or larger rent payment quite yet!!! Better to look for something that is exactly right when it’s right than to move just for a change of scenery. Also have noticed the trend away from “luxury” to quality … bespoke, handcrafted, original art, vintage re-purposed are no longer considered quaint or folk art but are on trend and have started to become mainstream. The idea that you can have quality at any price point much like pre-1950.

  2. Belly on 10 Aug 2010 at 4:25 pm

    Such an important topic! I just talked abot it with the owner of my favorite thrift store (who became a close friend). We discussed the urge to furnish everything quickly, to rush to have it done – and how unhealthy and unjoyful it is. jane from Ill Seen Ill said also wrote about houses being “done”, and I feel the two subjects relate.
    Thanks for bringing it up, and for introducing me to these paintings – they are beautiful and thought provoking.

  3. How much does it cost you to exist for one hour? Size matters on 10 Aug 2010 at 6:09 pm

    [...] @ecomod, Eco-Moderism Saxon Henry, @DESIGNCOMMOTION Chair Chick, NYC ABC Dragoo, @abcddesigns abcddesign, [...]

  4. Ishka Designs on 10 Aug 2010 at 7:33 pm

    Glad you pointed me to this! I recently wrote an article along these lines highlighting the way my mom’s generation (at least in Jamaica) were able to build their wealth by making very conservative decisions. Those decisions impacted their choice of home (efficient but flexible enough to grow over the years to accommodate changing family sizes). No waste there. I think the slow home movement is definitely about that. And I can’t help but think that way when I design. Glad to know there’s a name for it :)

    anishka

  5. Irene Turner on 10 Aug 2010 at 8:04 pm

    FABULOUS! You are absolutely right Amy…in our new economy bigger is not better, and slowing down is a must to balance out the speed of communication and technology! I heartedly agree with you…and thanks for the link love too. I can see your post spreading the waves quickly, reminding us all to slow down!

  6. anne on 10 Aug 2010 at 8:16 pm

    We are attempting to downsize from our 1,800 square foot house to move back into an 1,100 square foot condo for many of these reasons. We made some poor decisions (see why we have two homes) and have been victims of our economy/state – but now we are taking charge. In that we realize that we want less “stuff” and more experiences, and namely those experiences are not mowing the lawn or visiting Home Depot!

  7. Megan (Modern Bird Studios) on 10 Aug 2010 at 8:27 pm

    Awesome post! I think the economy, as you mentioned, has been the big factor in contributing to this ‘slow home movement’. I know it has definitely had a very personal impact on our household. Being backed into a corner definitely makes you re-prioritize what is most important. It’s ironic that you posted about this today because we are currently testing out and in negotiations (and were having phone conversations TODAY) with a new paint vendor that produces eco-friendly paint. Fingers crossed that it does everything we want it to so we can make the switch!

  8. Jonathan Legate on 10 Aug 2010 at 8:29 pm

    Always timely and inspired. Thanks for posting this.
    And don’t even get me started on the art! LOVE!

  9. ABCDDesigns on 10 Aug 2010 at 8:39 pm

    Aw! You guys!!! I love all of the thoughtful comments. xo

    I just pressed publish and then headed out to catch the train into the City. Floors are wet in the house and I couldn’t bare the expense of another night at a b+b! I miss the Mr. too! ;)

    Anyway, I’d love to leave you all a thoughtful comment – but I must get home and have dinner only to turn around and go to the country again tomorrow!

    I will write more later, just know I love the comments and that this post seems so well received!

    xoabcd

  10. Scott Hokunson on 10 Aug 2010 at 9:12 pm

    Great post Amy! The thought of a slow home movement taking hold across the country is very encouraging. After decades of McMansions and overcrowding, I welcome a little elbow room and a slower pace. Love the artwork also!

  11. Wanda Horton on 10 Aug 2010 at 9:14 pm

    As always, a fabulous post, Amy! I’m honored you shared my link, too! I am right on board with you, regarding the #slowhome living mode. With just two people in our household, (not including our “fur children”), my husband and I enjoy living more of the cottage lifestyle. Our pieces are hand-picked to either fill a function or fill our hearts. I think Mr. ABCD and you sound like you are making wise choices for a life, well-lived, rather than a life controlled by your environment. Kudos to you! XOXO – Wanda PS – I’ll add your post link to my blog . . . may the movement roll on! <3

  12. Emily on 10 Aug 2010 at 9:41 pm

    Hey Amy,
    Great post–thank you so much for mentioning my book. I think it is very interesting that we are seeing these stories pop up more and more in the media. I agree with you that this really is nothing new, it’s just that “the rest of us” now have a forum–the internet. The reality is that media speaks to about 1% of the population–not the “rest of us” who have to make difficult economic choices everyday just to survive. The question is what do we replace the “consumer” economy with? Maybe we can go back to making things like we used too. Thanks for such a thoughtful post–I’m excited to see the design community coming together on this issue :)

  13. veronika miller on 10 Aug 2010 at 10:43 pm

    Wow, what a great post and absolutely loving the artwork. We’ll be sure to add you to the list with some advance warning when the next blog-off comes along.
    Veronika

  14. ABCDDesigns on 11 Aug 2010 at 7:39 am

    Emily,

    I am most certain that you are excited to see the design community coming together on this issue – considering that it’s been your driving force for so many years. I hope that you’re right and that people start making things again. We’ve seen it a bit with Etsy – people making things, but what we need is to see people making things + a living off of it. (not just a hobby)

    Hopefully people will continue to ask for eco friendly products – and bring the prices down for everyone.
    xoABCD

  15. ABCDDesigns on 11 Aug 2010 at 7:39 am

    Wanda,

    Thank you so much for the support – and I would be honored if you added a link to your blog — that is lovely of you!
    Thanks for commenting today.
    xoABCD

  16. Susan on 11 Aug 2010 at 7:46 am

    Very poignant post Amy, thank you. We all need to hear this…and I love the idea of a “slow home movement”. My husband and I moved from a too large, not fully used space to a much smaller city loft and we are loving it. It’s amazing how much stuff we had that we never used. We sold half of it and put the rest in storage. It feels so good to be surrounded by only our favorite, most special things, and most needed things. It has helped us to focus more on what is truly important…and it’s not our things or where we live.

  17. Alice at Simply The Nest on 11 Aug 2010 at 8:21 am

    Hola from England! What a great article. When my husband and I bought our little casa a few years back, we could theoretically have ‘afforded’ something bigger – but we deliberately chose a cute lil house that fits us and our two fur babies perfectly. So great not to be in thrall to a huge mortgage, and to have the flexibility to make choices about careers and so on that are not based on a requirement to bring in X amount of money every month to pay for the house. I also adore carefully (and gradually) choosing things for the house because we love them, rather than because we need something to fill up that fifth bedroom.

  18. ABCDDesigns on 11 Aug 2010 at 8:29 am

    Someone on Twitter just brought this to my attention: The slow fashion movement! http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/2009/0210/p17s01-lign.html

    The wave of the future? I could only hope!
    xoABCD

  19. L.Duncan@home23duncanboys on 11 Aug 2010 at 8:45 am

    Great post, Amy! When we started looking for a home, we decided not to max out what we qualified for. We wanted to make sure that only one income can support the household in case that’s ever the issue. Now that I’m a stay at home mom, and my husband makes a lot more than he made when we moved in, its such a relief to to know that all of our bills can be paid with half of his monthly salary. Do we feel the need to have more? Not at all. Not having more stuff allows us to have more fun family time!

  20. Julieann/Creategirl on 11 Aug 2010 at 8:53 am

    I absolutely agree and have to say in some ways living in the city encourages me to live a slow/simple life. My apt is small so there is no room for overabundance of furniture. If I am going to buy something I have to know exactly where it is going to be and it needs to have multiple uses. This is something I encourage my own clients to do with the motto “Design With What You Have”. Do they need a new chair in the bedroom? Well why not take the one from the LR and give it new life in another room? It’s always amazing how it feels “new” when just moving it to another space.

    Growing up in a larger house and than moving to a smaller one, I realized right away a big house does not make a home! “Stuff” does not equal love it is a great feeling to live with less and appreciate every piece more.
    Great post Amy, I hope we see more of this!

  21. ABC Dragoo on 11 Aug 2010 at 9:02 am

    …Did you know there’s a slow gardening trend too.. http://bit.ly/bzTPOz -?-

  22. Maggie on 11 Aug 2010 at 10:43 am

    It’s strange to spin it this way, but I think in many respects our move from an area with a low cost of living to an area with a high cost of living has ensured that we’ll be Slow Homers for the long haul. While the impatient person in me is wishing we could have it all now and frustrated that moving has set up back on our life plan a bit, I am perfectly okay with the Slow Home implications of these choices. We could have things in Dallas NOW that we won’t ever be able to have in DC, but I will be happily and knowingly trading in the enormous kitchen and backyard pool for a place that has a history, that talks and moans, that speaks directly to the neighborhood and neighbors rather than sitting back and avoiding confrontation. It feels more “us” to be here, and more deliberate, and more productive in a way … but it is certainly harder than snapping our fingers in Dallas to get what we want when we want it.

  23. Lisa Goulet on 11 Aug 2010 at 11:55 am

    Great Post! Like you I have seen the move away from “more is better” and the move towards “what is needed”. People are realizing that buying quality, original items that meet their needs are much better than some quick purchase at the Big Box Store – only to discover that it is of poor quality and design.
    Having the large home, backyard and cottage felt right with a large family but as the kids grow and stuff starts to need maintenance I dream of an easier lifestyle. It’ll happen soon enough and for now I try to remember that it’s best to wait for the perfect item or repurpose an item already owned than to add more stuff to the landfill.

  24. Lydia on 11 Aug 2010 at 12:07 pm

    One of the BEST posts! I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing that more is not a status symbol nor a way to a meaningful life. My husband and I have been editing our material lives since we got married. It’s been a worthwhile discussion, one that has expanded how we relate to our surroundings and, of course, each other.

  25. ABC Dragoo on 11 Aug 2010 at 10:44 pm

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/magazine/08FOB-wwln-t.html?_r=2&ref=magazine Gotta love the Times. Another good article that pertains to this subject.

  26. Design Blahg on 13 Aug 2010 at 11:20 pm

    I am SOOO on board with us. My husband and I have a petite 700sf apt in Brooklyn…I think of it as our own little hotel suite. We too we’re sucked into the “OF COURSE YOU NEED AT LEAST TWO BEDROOMS!” mindset when we were looking to buy a place, but when we sat down to think about it, we wondered why?

    We’re a no kids couple (and planning to stay that way) and each add’l room requires add’l furniture, add’l money, blah, blah blah. I’m in a space that we can comfortably afford, and we even had a bit extra to go a little crazy with all new furniture and decor. I’m convinced if we had an extra bedroom it would be stuffed with boxes (the contents of which would probably be a mystery to both of us) and it would all just be a waste of space.

    A friend recently purchased a 10,000sf home for herself, her husband and her son. Honestly, the first time I went there I got a little nauseous. I mean, to each his own, of course, but I had that same feeling of TOOOO MUCH the first time I saw it.

    I’m going to continue taking it S-L-O-W :)

  27. Pepper Design Blog » Blog Archive » Friday Guest Blog Interview: ABCD Design on 20 Aug 2010 at 4:06 am

    [...] have recently seen a lot of articles written about obtaining a smaller life and the slow home movement. We’ve all heard of the the Slow Food Movement, right? Now apply it to all aspects of your [...]

  28. Elli D. on 31 Aug 2010 at 11:25 am

    Great article and the illustrations make it even better. After reading it I definitely became a fan of Slow Home Movement. I am so glad that more and more people prefer small Eco houses but I think that the “more is better” mentality will always be dominant among people.

  29. C is for Clutter on 08 Sep 2010 at 3:03 am

    [...] wrote about uncluttering in the spring. Amy Beth wrote about the Slow Home Movement over the summer around the time Lydia wondered how much is enough. I would link to many more [...]

  30. ecoDomestica reDesign on 13 Sep 2010 at 1:03 am

    [...] a number of design bloggers wrote about living small. I especially enjoyed the articles by ABC Dragoo, who wrote about the trend toward ‘more is not better’ and how choosing a smaller home [...]

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