Katie Hutchison

Not long after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design 32 years ago, I branched off to focus exclusively on the design of residential spaces and buildings. I connected with the scale and intimacy of home design and became deeply enmeshed in the design of projects ranging in size from a high-end bathroom renovation for a small firm in Newport to a new 6,500 square-foot home on Martha's Vineyard that I collaborated on with an architect friend on the Cape.

In the years since, I've found myself increasingly drawn to the challenges and rewards of designing smaller spaces and houses that live comfortably, connect with their site, and have a positive impact on their neighborhoods and the environment. I've come to understand that the houses we value and appreciate most are those that are sensitive to human scale, provide a satisfying variety of spatial experiences, delight our senses, and don't unnecessarily stretch our resources.

A smaller, meaningful house affords the opportunity for a simpler life. It's the path I've chosen in the small house I share with my husband in a former summer community on the shores of a bay and river.