Less is More

Oh, those majestic living-rooms. You know those ones with the really high ceilings? If you don't have one then you probably know someone who does. Back in the late 70's and the early 80's they were all the rage but apparently they're going out of style.

Leading home building companies claim that people are opting to fill those extra high spaces with a loft or a playroom, anything to maximize the number of rooms in the available space. Because of the mortgage crisis expanding families are having a hard time moving into bigger homes, so building more rooms makes sense. The costs are minimal because the additions aren't complicated.

Energy costs are another problem. Heating and cooling rooms with cathedral-ceilings, as they are called, has become a burden in economically tight times. Smaller rooms are easier to climate control. Then there's the noise. The high ceiling is like an amplifier, turning small sounds into big ones. People stuck with these high ceilings complain that even just watching TV in their living-rooms keeps the kids awake at night. Don't even try to have friends over after the kids are in bed!

Buyers are becoming more and more practical when it comes to the kinds of luxuries that can actually be a burden.