Nano-sized Living

The other night my mom considered throwing away the Nano she bought my son for Christmas. It wasn’t because she was angry at him (nope, that grandson-grandmother bond is airtight) it was because she didn’t know what the Nano was. She’d given me the money and the okay to order him one, and I’m not sure she’d even glanced at it on Christmas morning when he opened it and said, ““ ank you Mimi!”

So two months later, when she found it on the couch she thought it might be a gum package, or maybe one of those irritating advertising magnets that never stays on the refrigerator. Gratefully, she asked before she tossed. When all was explained, she stood a moment looking at it with the musical scenes from her long and rich life playing through her mind—Victrolas, turntables, stereos, the huge classical record collection she and my dad owned—and said: “Wow.”

Small is hip, small is eƒ cient and genius. Very often, small is smarter and better than big. I used to have to organize all those records as a child. And let’s talk all those dusty books in the library in my parents’ house; suƒ ce it to say, my mom is loving her Kindle.

And so I present our small home issue: ingenious dwellings as diminutive as 550 square feet. Spaces so cleverly designed that the folks who live or vacation in them have everything they need. Homes with footprints that barely disturb the landscape, leaving more room for Northern Michigan to breathe.

Whether or not you’re ready to Nano-size your life, read on. I think you’ll enjoy a Wow moment or two.

BY elizabeth edwards

photos BY t odd zawistowski

Cathleen

Elkington Styles.

We asked Cathleen Elkington, interior designer for Edward’s Home Furnishings in Suttons Bay, to do what she often does for clients: Begin a room design with a piece from Edward’s and then accessorize from the boutiques and shops around her store. So Cathleen went shopping—looks to us like she found spring.

1. Cathleen calls the Stressless Dream recliner “The last chair you’ll ever buy.” Constructed to heirloom standards, the chair is custom-fit to your body shape, both in terms of size and padding (Edward’s employees take classes on how to fit chairs to customers). Its timeless style is worth designing a room around. Shown here in spring green leather. Recliners start at $1,1295. Edward’s Hom E F urnis H in gs, s ut tons Bay. 231.271.6600, E dw ards F ur nis H in gs.com.

2. A designer arrangement of purple larkspur, yellow tulips, and craspedia and leucadendron sets a lovely spring palette. $69.95. Forg Et-mE-n ot Florist, s ut tons Bay, 231.271.1977, suttons Bay Flo rist.com.

3. Carol Bawden weaves these custom artisan rugs on a loom that has been in her family for 140 years. Washable and colorfast, the panels come as long as 25 feet and as wide as 42 inches—but panels can be sewn together for wider rugs. Shown here: 24- B y-48 inc HE s. $96. Paint E d Bird g al l E ry , s ut tons Bay. 231.271.3050, P ai nt E d- B ir d.com.

4. Jesse Hickman’s folk art decoys hang out in some fine places: the American Folk Art Museum in New York City, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, to name just a few. And your living room perhaps? Hickman calls the funky fish shown here “It’s a Bumpy Ride.” $625. m ic H ig an a rt ists g al l E ry , s ut tons Bay. 231.271.4922, mic H ig an artistsgall E ry .com.

5. Mixed-media artist Philip Lichtenhan describes the home decor sculptures he creates— high-fired clay eggs in found-wire nests—as meaphors for life. Lovely. $600. m ic H ig an a rt ists g al l E ry , s ut tons Bay. 231.271.4922, mic H ig an artistsgall E ry .com.

6. Traverse City mosaic artists Jane Whiting and Steven Bath of Piece By Piece take broken dishes, china, tiles and glass and put them together again—an ancient art that transforms a design accent into a focal piece. Mirror shown here, $379. Paint E d Bird g al l E ry , s ut tons Bay. 231.271.3050, P ai nt E d- B ir d.com.