IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

I used to bemoan the size of my 1,600-square-foot Oak Cliff cottage. “The rooms are too small, the closets minute, and where the @#!#is my grand hall?” I’d grouse. But in this age of “more is more” (think super size meals and McMansions), I’ve learned to enjoy the manageable charm of my very humble abode. And I think author Cristina Del Valle’s Compact Houses proves quite well that small is not only smart but beautiful. It’s a lovely book full of thoughtful architecture and environmentally responsible design. Pick up a copy here and rethink that mansion on the hilltop.