NEVER TOO SMALL: Family of 5’s Simple Home, Japan 45sqm/483sqft
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Located in a small peaceful town one hour south of Kyoto, the single story House in Heguri is a simple, minimalist home for a family of 5. Designed by Yousaka Tsusumi from Arbol Design, the striking exterior features 4 towering wooden sliding doors that extend to both ends of the site, and individually open or close depending on how the family wants to use the space. When opened the doors reveal a house clad in galvanised steel with plenty of access to the outdoors, including a covered porch area at the entrance used by the family as a year-round outdoor living space. The central living and dining area are raised on a wooden platform and connect to the kitchen via a large, cleverly designed kitchen island/ dining table with different seating heights on either side. A series of internal sliding doors branch off the central living space to the home’s two bedrooms and utility zone, which includes a separate toilet, bathroom and large laundry.
#smallapartment #architecture #interiordesign
Eps 134.
Project Name: House in Heguri
Architect: www-arbol--design-com
Produced by New Mac Video Agency
Creator: Colin Chee
Director & cinematographer: Nam Tran
Producer: Lindsay Barnard
Editor: Nam Tran
Music: Sunset Views & Like the Old Days by warmkeys - artlist.io
I love this, i love that you actually see the family living and showing how they use the space. But i also like that it's been recorded in their native language with captions ❤️❤️
Fully agree. I love this episode too, for the exact reasons. It feels less like a museum tour. At the same time I understand other people privacy and they choice not to participate in.
@@HallaDita that's true. It's important to maintain privacy too
Aesthetically pleasing. Love the sliding, slatted large wooden doors at the entrance. The swing is pure delight. While I like the idea of the three children sharing a bedroom in the future - that second bedroom looks small to accommodate a triple bunk.
I am going to guess you have never served on a navy or coast guard vessel! 😉✌️😎
@@gus473 With 3 children? Yoicks!
@@gus473 I visited a aircraft carrier once. You wouldn't want to have claustrophobia in those bunk beds!
yep, it might be better if the parents will swap bedrooms with kids
It's nice to see the low budget options this home shows. I like that they didn't change the sheet cover in the laundry room and they left the outdoor box just a box. The second bedroom closet was well organized without slide outs, drawers, baskets or containers. Just simply folded stacks of fabric. This is the basics. Raw, simple, pleasing. I love it!
I think this space is simple and functional for a family with young kids, but as soon as they hit the pre-teen stage they'll need more privacy. Hopefully the family can expand upwards and add a second floor with more bedrooms.
Actually many japanese do not have a room for each kid, they will most likely keep the setting this way!
@@lovepilie This is not true. Most Japanese in detached houses and condos have separate rooms. I reckon even most apartment dwellers are the same. However, co-sleeping or infants sleeping with their parents until 4-5 is very common. I have never met a Japanese elementary or junior high student that slept in the same room as their parents. I’ve taught English to well over 1,000 kids in Japan… Though it may happen, in daily routine lessons, nobody mentioned they sleep with mom and dad. It was always “my room” or they share a room with a sibling.
@@DerekBlais I agree with you, I was completely mistaken because I did not put the captions on XD I thought the parents used the separate bedroom, I was thinking about the "one room for all kids" I observed in Japan, and of course that was separated from the parent's
is mainly related to Japanese culture. they are used to small houses and apartments. due to conformation of the city and prices I think
@@mariosn3s787 It's not just a space thing. Japan's had a culture of co-sleeping for a long time, and actually it's mainly the US where it's become uncommon fairly recently. In India, the majority of children sleep with their parents until they're 10 years old. Although it's quite old now, a study in 2000 showed between 70 and 80% of children in Japan were still sharing a sleeping area with parents until elementary and middle school, although another study in 2006 showed only about 30% of children were still co-sleeping with parents into middle school.
Kuddos to NTS for listening to the comments and putting captions on for non-native English speakers! Made the video flow a lot more naturally, it really is in the small details. Also loving the warm cozy vibes of this home
Finally, a video in which the architect fluently explains the design philosophy in their native tongue rather than having to conform to the English-speaking format. NTS should encourage designers/architects to articulate their ideas/design language in their native tongue more! Not only this will allow a better flow of the video but also more nuances can be discovered in their design relating to the culture/location.
The sideways 🧢 😂
We always love to but we don’t have editor and director who can speak all the language. Hopefully in the future when we can have more editors from different background
This is an example of how eliminataning corridors from your floorplan makes 45m2 house feels like 60m2.
*eliminating
Love this one. One of my absolute favorites. Minimal but not bleak. It just emanates peace. Lovely family too.
Although it looks too small for a family of 5, I very much like the vibe of this place and the beautiful area.
I love the simplicity of Japanese design. I hope I will have this kind of house one day.
Same Here
I know many families co-sleep when their kids are that young, even if I never did with my kids. For a co-sleeping family, this is very well thought out. One of my favorite things about architecture in Japan is how the inside blends to the outside. The sliding doors, the tall windows, the terraces...outdoor living is normal in Japanese culture, far more so than the USA where I live. I like how the spaces are simple and the storage is ample. No matter how minimally you live, five people use a lot of dishes, and the kitchen accommodates everything they need. I really love how this channel shows how architecture can be accommodated to the clients' preferences and needs. This home would not work for my family, but it works well for theirs.
The space is great!!! The modern sliding doors show old world charm of shoji screens. Incredibly functional! The small outdoor area is the best part.
I really loved the video, the sense of peace and at the same time energy that the house had, and the final note about how we need to reconsider the things we own. Thank you 🙏
Something wonderful about the Japanese sense of priorities, aesthetics, and keeping things simple.
The big opening to the patio really expands the livable space. And the inside is quite well organized considering they have 3 kids. Not easy to do!
I love the driveway. It's beautiful.
このチャンネルでは、英語を流暢に話せる日本人しか出演できないのかと思ってました。日本語が聞けて親近感が湧きました。これからも小さくて効率のいい空間を提供するデザイナーや建築家の人たちを紹介してください。シンプルでとても見やすいです。
I'm not prepared to house 3 children in this small of a space, but for a single individual or childless couple this seems nearly perfect. I love this as the first floor of a two-story home for a larger family though. A second floor with 2 rooms, maybe a playroom/den and a simple bathroom would make for an excellent home around 1000 SQ FT.
@@christopherhewson9803errr there’s nothing wrong with the person sharing his/her opinion.
It's interesting to see your point of view...my home is just a tad over 1000 sq ft and at one point housed 7 people, five of which were children...space was non-existent! But it was all we had, and when they were small, we had to make it work. And it did. I presume this Japanese family is not looking to increase in family size, so this space is doable...and they are small in stature, so that makes a difference! 😁
Ah, I used to live quite near to Heguri, maybe 30mins in my car. It's such a nice place to have a family! This is a beautiful home, I love that it's focused on shared family spaces. A yard like that for kids in particular is such a luxury in Japan and it's fasinating to me how much space they devoted to the outdoors/outdoor living. Very simple, cosy and beautiful. I'm sure they're all very happy there.
Love to hear the people talking about their project in their native language
This is one of my favorites simply for its simplicity. While many other small spaces looks great but they almost crossing the line of being a little bit excess with the fancy design, cool materials and all. This space is cool on its own with the humble design approach. Props to the owner 👍🏼
Fascinating to see how a family lives in a completely different style to my own. We do all have too much “stuff” and I like the simplicity of the place.
I love how they only have enough space for what they need right now and yet it is still warm, inviting and functional 😊
From the moment the wooden panels were being slid open, I was hit with the home and garden's beauty but thank you NTS and lovely family for steeping this feature in love and realness. The under bench/table reveal is one of the realest and most familiar scenes I have ever seen. All set to the background of little voices coming from little japanese children was blissful. Ironically, as the talented designer started to say, things are really only that.... but it's people using or interacting with them in between walls, floors and ceilings that make them living breathing homes. I almost imagined b-roll in fact of the family sleeping together, with one or two small bodies sleeping at an impossible angles with their feet in the faces of the parents..... ✌💗🙏
This type of thinking and design ideas gives hope for human and nature connection, rather than everything occupied by machines. Great Work 👏👏
家族が一体となって暮らせる昔の日本家屋のような側面もあり、素晴らしいですね
i love how this house is showing its tiny untidiness of having so many goods (so typical of Japanese household) yet still beautiful. The selection of plates, buckets, is also very down to earth. The house is living together with the family as a home, so many potential growing space for children to grow with, and japanese wood work is always the best. I love this so much. Thank you for inspiring me, i hope i can have a house like this in the future.
We appreciate your effort and hard work. God bless you all.
I think many of the homes on NTS are beautiful and functional. This home, though, I want this designer to design everything. He let nature come into his house, the cantilever doors to enclose the front, the materials he used. I just love everything. Thank you
It makes for such a clean look that all the doors and windows are floor to ceiling. Very nice
This home is another example of Japanese architecture that makes full use of designated space. The interior flows from one room to another like older traditional Japanese homes but without the sliding shoji. People suggesting that children need more bedrooms obviously don’t know that in many countries around the world it is quite common for parents and children to share the one bedroom for a number of years.
@@amandak.4246 Each has its own culture. Each has its own opinions. It's important to understand and respect the "normal" of other countries.
In india, most people used to sleep together in one long line when i was a child. Many houses are small and people just use the biggest room with mattresses on the floor. Its quite comforting to sleep like that. Growing older with my own bed space, i struggle with insomnia.
@@recreate21the mattress thing is so true, we still sleep like that when all the cousins are together, have lots of fun memories & late night fun
Japanese concepts is always the best, down to earth, natural yet organic, minimalist yet practical, environment friendly and no luxury look at all that make our life in high cost.
The last statement from the architect makes you really think "..we are often overflowing with "things". There is an emphasis on making more room to store them. We need to reconsider the things we own. Go back to just the basics and live more minimally."
I love the idea of hiding the house behind the doors. Very minimal without concessions to the items they love. My kids rather not be found sleeping with mom after a certain age. And I appreciated my own bed without little kicking mules sleeping next to me. I hope these kids get more space to study and sleep, when older.
Particularly love the indoor/outdoor flow. And happy to see additional languages with subtitles included!
Great design and use of limited space. Also I love the way he speaks Japanese. He uses simple, yet powerful and direct ways of explaining things. As a person who speaks Japanese as a second language I really appreciate this!!
BEAUTIFUL. it looked authentic and real
The difference in being able to tell a space that is fully utilized for daily functionality vs aesthetic. The love and attention to your home and use of every nook and cranny is appreciated, thanks for sharing!
One of the best entries in the whole NTS series, hands down. Brilliant.
Very practical living space. The large sliding glass doors and the art deco like external walls are beautiful but the outer facade is not welcoming. Doors on the island and the sink unit would enhance their beauty and also reduce visual clutter. The kids are growing and in time would need more space.
I really love the space, the neutral colour palette and the material choice. I was very surprised and happy by the "equipal" chair it comes from the region where I am from in Mexico.
This is a cozy well loved space. Thank you for showing families! We are a family of 5 and this is aspirational.
I love the front sliding doors and inner area. I wouldn't want to ' see' the kitchen equipment that's stored underneath the unit but then lounge dining area is great. I too feel I have too much ' stuff ' and can appreciate the simplicity of design. I would happily live in the house.
This is the dream house of a young couple that hasn’t turned dysfunctional
This video is truly amazing! I really admire how this family of 5 has turned a small 45sqm home into a simple, elegant, and perfect living space for everyone. Every little corner in this house is cleverly utilized to make the most of the space. The interior design is simple yet high-quality, creating a comfortable and cozy atmosphere. The furniture arrangement and space organization are done in a sensible way, providing convenience and comfort for the family. ❤️
We don't know that it's "perfect living space for everyone" (in the family), though it may be perfect for you. Nobody on the video or viewing it here has asked each family member whether it's "perfect."
I loved this house!!! It felt so spacious and the kids seems to have so much fun😊❤
Interesting I need more windows
you can see the storage is at its absolute maximum in the kitchen, clothes cabinets, and shoe box outside. there's barely enough space for them right now and there certainly won't be enough space when the kids grow older. given that it looks like a new build, and that there's plenty of empty outdoor space, it's weird they didn't anticipate this would be an issue. nothing wrong with keeping just the basics, but this doesn't even allow for that.
Have to agree. It suits their needs now, but as the kids get older space will be an issue. Luckily they have the outdoor space to expand into. Sleeping altogether is fine now but when they're older they should each have their own private space instead of a bunk bed.
You need to read up on Japanese culture. They do not traditionally expect the same space and privacy we do in the West. I would not be surprised to see them switch bedrooms when the boys are older and the parents need less space.
@@chezmoi42 is it japanese culture to have all your storage filled to the brim?
@@tombojumbo I don't know that. Just saying, don't expect a showy interior like American McMansions. But you've reminded me of a New Yorker cartoon of a Japanese couple seated in a calm, nearly empty room before a folding screen, behind which you could glimpse all their belongings hidden away.
Finally native languages, yay! I'm so glad! Please do it always :з
i love the practicality of the space. im sure the family can adapt when the kids get older.
The step to make the kitchen island also function as a dining table is so clever.
It's a beautiful and simple home perfectly tailored to meet their needs. The natural materials really help the structure blend in with the surrounding landscape. Thanks for sharing.
It's a beautiful house and the important thing is that it suits their needs, and they've considered some changes they may need to make as their family changes. I love that we're shown the functional aspects of their home, with the kitchen storage showing that clearly they have a lot of kitchenware, and similarly with the closets and the laundry room storage, quite a lot of clothing etc, which is realistic, especially with three young children.
Beautiful home and lovely children.
This is an amazing space.
This is the type of home I want to live in the future, being more attached with nature and the natural light is just so relaxing. Based on this video this family I think is quite well-off despite of that small space.
Such a beautiful home! Really love the transformation the sliding walls make, and the simple garden. And I completely agree with Yousaku about our relationship with 'things'. I can't recall where/who I heard it from, but someone said "Design in too much storage and the clients will buy things to fill it." Great video as always NTS!
What a delight. I could put myself directly into that space, it seemed so much bigger, accommodates their needs so completely. In LOVE
Spiritual Master SRI CHINMOY: "Simplicity Japan has. Beauty Japan gives. Sincerity Japan knows. Purity Japan reveals....... Humility Japan is." - Your home is all of these things. Congratulations. Beautiful.
It's great for me and my husband,since our daughter already married and live with her husband in their own house.
i love tiny homes but i believe people need their onw space time to time to keep their head cool. Sometimes being alone can give u a peace of mind. (just my opinion from living with my family)
I love everything about this house. Although not for a family of 5 but for a single person. And the utility space seems to be bigger than the small bedroom.
What a beautiful work of art this is. I love how efficient and organized Japanese living is.
So nice! everything placed in harmony
I grew up in a house with just one bedroom. Both me and my brother would share the sofa-cum-bed in the living room. He moved out when I was 17, after which I got to enjoy the night alone (still in the living room though), until I also moved out at 21 - which I when I experience true freedom and blossomed.
Sliding doors and extending indoor space with outdoor living space makes the house bigger than its actual size. The 4 huge sliding panels at the front provide the necessary privacy and security needed. The design works well in the quiet neighbourhood in mild weather Japan. Nice modern adaptation of traditional Japanese building design elements.
Such a genious design. Great use of space!
A masterclass in compact living yet offering a lot! Much to learn. Thanks for sharing.
this the best minimalist and fully functional house inspiration for people today
I loved the stainless steel kitchen, the bar hanging over the wash.machine, and most of all the sliding gates & doors!!💞
Loved everything about the house! That outdoor trunk needs some cushion though XD I always wonder how/if people really do live with such a small amount of items, especially for children.
Minimalism shouldn't mess around with how you spend a third of your days. Between mattreses being folded and the trend of Murphy beds, I can only conclude in that.
i love how the house blended in with the outside (the sliding doors and the big windows) so it’s easy to access the garden. i’m from a culture who value privacy a lot where i slept in a separate bedroom than my parents since i was three years old (got my own bedroom at maybe 8 ish) so for me it feels strange to have the whole family sleeping together but i know that it’s mostly cultural differences. beautiful home!
Love the open simple design 💜
A great use of wooden and corrugated metal building materials and I like the double-duty furniture that also acts as extra storage. The whole space has an open airy feeling that brings the outside indoors. The sliding doors offer many possibilities to customize the space and I like the Zen-like garden in front with various grades of gravel and rocks as well as a minimalist use of plants and trees that add a sculptural element in addition to curb appeal. I was also pleasantly surprised to see at least three pieces of African art in the living space. As an African art collector myself, at the 0:26 mark, I noticed the geometric cloth on the left side of the screen hung on the wall which is made by the Kuba tribe of the Congo (I have one myself) and at the 2:44 mark, two African stools; one with four legs that is possibly by the Senufo tribe of Ivory Coast and a round stool with angled leg supports also possibly made by the Senufo of Ivory Coast (I have a similar one too). Yes, indeed an excellent space that addressed the challenges of providing enough room, comfort, and practicality for a whole family and not just for one resident as in other videos. Bravo! :)
first of all: this is such a smart and beautiful house.i really ❤ it and agree with horting things is not the goal...BUT sorry i couldnt help to laugh out loud🫢 with my experience with my 3 kids family ! this ist just crazy. Im so happy that my kids have their own rooms.in the holiday when we stay Together in small Apartments the stress level ist noticeble and i cant even imagine how to use 1 Toilette and 1 bathroom with5. it looks nice but its not practible at all. (thats a common Problem with architecture and design) also what are their Hobbys? we do have stuff for painting, for the garden, for skiing, for watersports, outdoorgames, and some bycicles.....
They don't accumulate things at home like in the USA (no offense). Japanese childhood is totally different. For activities outside, they are very easy and available to rent items. Still, you can see at the beginning of the video that many stuff are stored on the right side outside the house (some bicycles and other things)
This is so calming. Also great for beginners learning Japanese.
This would be perfect for a family of 3. I hope to design something like this for my family in the future
KIDS MUST HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE!!!
This is the biggest 483sqft home I've ever seen. The somewhat "open" design and access to the outdoors I think is what does it. Would love to live here.
Wow so stylish. The parents regardless of having three little children maintained their vision.
I found the subtitles by clicking on the CC icon in the upper right hand corner
Great use of economical materials for the most prominent features of this home, especially with traditional Japanese sliding screen elements. I live in a rainy climate, so love the laundry with drying area. The kitchen-bench-table is set on the level of the living room -- one step up from the kitchen floor. It looks higher than I would choose for mixing comfort, and there's no kneehole or overhang to pull up a chair from the kitchen side. But the cooks in this household may prioritize dish storage. I do like the Japanese narration with subtitles. Language diversity is a good thing.
my favourite from this channel!!!
I like the exterior design and the outdoor living spaces very much. The living/kitchen/dining area also looks wonderful. The only thing that bothers me a bit is the size of the second bedroom being so very small, especially for 3 kids later on. Not impossible, but still very tight. The room with the washing machine and closet seems like it has a lot of floor space that might not be as needed since they will probably never need to be in there all at once. So, I would have made that laundry/drying/closet space narrower and rather added that floor space to the second bedroom. I feel that would be more valuable with the kids in the long run.
As a family of 5 I am so glad and excited to see this one ❤❤❤
what i love in japanese homes, they mix beautiful and practiful
Such a great space and thanks to the architects it provides a healthy environment for the whole family. The facade looks impressive with a minimalistic approach. Great design.
I love the materials, colors, and textures in this space! I can imagine having the open-shelving at floor level with little babies was a pain, though.
“We need to go back to basics and live minimumly” how true that is, well sais
yes! do it with 3 kids in a 3 room house! lol
@@chloeuntrau4588 and why not? a lot of kids in this world can learn a thing or two instead of having the latest smart phone etc shoved up their….. @$$3$
*minimally
*well SAID
This was beautiful, that’s how living should be simple, clean & clutter free & multiple utility environment. I loved those no paint walls & descent size TV screen which nowadays people don’t even know 🤨 To the couple, beautiful house my best wishes to you & your warm place
3:15 Genial detalle la silla de Apatzingán
Novel, brilliant, genius design. Functional and intelligent. A big wow👏
❤❤ wow. I love the simplicity and functionality of this place. It works beautifully.
Totally love the simplicity ^_^
I cant get over the NYC DOT t-shirt. Such a random tshirt to have in Japan
I love the whole property ! Amazing ! The house and the landscaping looks great.
I personally love it. I would take the exact same layout and double the square footage, with the extra square footage make a third room. Everything else is just perfect. The sliding doors in the front, the terrace, the kitchen/living area. I love it.
The first thing that caused my eyes was.... The little girl in the video... and yes house as well
Do you mean "caught" your eyes?
So cute! It took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out I had to use the closed captions to get translated subtitles. 😂😂😂