Space is the greatest luxury of our time. The pressures of overcrowded,urban environments and, for many, a restricted budget means that the quality of our living spaces often suffers. However, small does not always have to mean a lowering of standards; small can mean simplicity, charm and a delightful sense of containment. In this inspirational and practical book,Terence Conran considers the many ways of transforming minimal spaces into stylish and functional living areas through the intelligent application of basic design principles.

 Space is the greatest luxury of our time. The pressures of overcrowded,urban environments and, for many, a restricted budget means that the quality of our living spaces often suffers. However, small does not always have to mean a lowering of standards; small can mean simplicity, charm and a delightful sense of containment. In this inspirational and practical book,Terence Conran considers the many ways of transforming minimal spaces into stylish and functional living areas through the intelligent application of basic design principles. With the emphasis on tackling living environments holistically, each chapter covers a different aspect of space planning, up to three case studies per chapter explore a range of ingenious and hard-working solutions that have been applied to real-life apartments and space conversions. These are accompanied by simple, overhead plans that show clearly how key design issues have been resolved. Conceptual Spaces helps you to understand the structure of your home and evaluate how to work within your inherited space. Assessing your needs,planning, and timetabling minor structural work are all covered in detail. Circulation and Division looks at circulation patterns within rooms and open-plan areas and explores the use of partitions to create flexible divisions for our modern living spaces. Light and Air shows you how to create a sense of space and enhance specific areas through the clever use of light, whether natural or artificial. Colour, Pattern and Texture explores the ways in which the treatment of colour and different surfaces can dramatically affect our perception of space. Organisation provides essential ideas for storing your belongings and encourages a lateral approach to this most problematic of small space issues. Whether you are planning to re-design your entire living space or simply rationalise a cramped or unused area, Terence Conran shows you how to unlock the potential of your home to achieve a more streamlined, flexible and comfortable way of living.

introduction

conceptual spaces

circulation & division

light & air

colour, pattern & texture

organization

index

acknowledgements