As a buyer begins to transition into a different style of living in order to be in Market Common where they can walk to multiple restaurants & shops, there are some sacrifices that must be made. First and foremost, reducing in size 1000 sf and moving from a single-family home into a townhouse and going from nearly an acre lot to being side-by-side sharing walls with neighbors. 1000 square feet... WOW... That is a lot of furniture, clothes, or SOMETHING that will have to go somewhere.  None of your current furniture will fit - nor is it the fun, "transitional" look you want to achieve.

One of the major factors leading to buying a town home for people is that there isn't a lawn to care for- leaving more time for work, family,  & fun. THE most important features in selecting the style or the plan of the townhouse for many people has to do with having a pet and needing an enclosed area. You something where your furry friend will have a living area outside. The townhouse with a courtyard is the ideal solution and to make it even better, if it doesn't have pavers or concrete and has some grass...BINGO!!! You have found the perfect one... now the journey begins...

Adjusting to a much smaller living space and in this case one where the living area is long & rectangular creates somewhat of a layout dilemma. Trying to find a layout that doesn't look boxy or make the area look even smaller than it actually is. In many of these units the furniture is too large & bulky which makes the room dark & heavy.

Where do you begin?  HOUZZ is excellent for design & layout ideas. If you can, find a  floor plan of the layout you are purchasing, and even bring out the  graphing paper. Last time I personally did this it wash dangerous because I realized that all of the furniture in my home being built wouldn't fit, so the builder ended up with a building permit and a remodeling permit as I decided the bedroom needed an additional 6 feet added to accommodate all of my furniture &  a sitting area. Graphing paper can be dangerous!!! I know there are many new apps with the ability to arrange furniture. MagicPlan, Room Creator, Home Design 3D, Rooms & Room Scan Pro are a few apps that can simply this process. 

When planning your living space, ask yourself questions that help identify your most important need for space. Do you need a separate dining area? Do you need a work area? What approach works for you... do you utilize the furnishings you have? If you are downsizing, how do you eliminate things from the new home... if an item doesn't bring you joy & you are downsizing... eliminate it. After a little thought, you might decide you don't need a dining table because there is a bar area. After all, with all the great restaurants nearby at places such as Market Common, it might be tempting to eat out every night.  The gas range which was previously very important to you might be immaterial . A better use of the dining space might be a work area. Perhaps 2 separate spaces where one is for a living area... maybe with a wall fireplace & large tv above on the wall to maximize the floor area. A desk is often needed, so perhaps the desk could even be placed behind the sofa so if you want to watch tv while doing a little work, it is possible. At the same time it will offset the living area. Just a few beginning thoughts on this journey.

Remember to have a focal point, have a clear path for a walkway, have conversation areas,& keep it simple - AVOID CLUTTER! You could even place a call to a Home Organizer/Stager to help come up with ideas. If you are designing a room, do you use pencil, paper, and a measuring tape or is there an app that makes this easier for you? Life and technology ... no matter how you  get there... this is your HOME and that won't change no matter what route you use to achieve the end result. Home Sweet Home!!!

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