Over the last several years, a lifestyle known as living small has come into vogue. Not only have smaller homes captured our imaginations, but lifestyle gurus such as organizing consultant Marie Kondo are making us rethink our penchant for accumulating stuff. Then there are the Danes, the happiest people on Earth, who subscribe to the notion, “Less stuff; more life.” What’s it like to live small? Lancaster’s Lisa Bowman shares what she has learned.

Ten years ago, Lisa was emerging from a difficult time in her life. She had served as her mother’s primary caregiver and, when the mother of a good friend who lived on the West Coast began to experience failing health, Lisa served as a liaison between the two.

In the aftermath of the deaths of both women, Lisa deemed it was time to turn to her favorite coping mechanism and tackle a project. She spied what would become her project as she was driving through the city. A tiny house that sat on the edge of the business district caught her eye. The for-sale sign had just been posted. “I thought to myself that it’s strange for me to want to buy a house,” she recalls. On second thought, it made perfect sense. Thanks to her inheritance, she had the money she needed, and because of the recession, the real estate market wasn’t exactly booming.

She made an offer, and the house was hers. “It became my therapy,” she recalls. “I really indulged myself. I love history, and I love aesthetics,” she explains, referencing her history degree from American University (plus a fascination with Lancaster’s past) and 15 years spent as a floral designer, which took her to places such as Great Britain (to study) and Southern California (for a change of scenery).

The house provided the best of both worlds. As for Lisa, she has come full circle and has been working in the realm of heritage tourism for the past 15 years; she is currently on staff at the Lancaster Office of Promotion. Because of Lancaster’s growing reputation as a very livable city, Lisa finds herself fielding her share of questions from potential city dwellers who stop by the Visitor’s Center.

Fortunately, she can speak from experience. “This is the fourth different house I’ve lived in,” she says of Lancaster. In addition to D.C., she’s also lived in Philadelphia and New York. She’s traveled extensively through Europe and laughs that two close friends are Dutch and consider her house to be huge. “They wonder why Americans have such large yards – they never see anybody in them,” she shares.

As with any successful project, teamwork is vital to its outcome. Lisa assembled her team and went to work. “The transformation of the property was a group effort, showcasing some of the best of Lancaster County’s many talented professionals,” she says with pride.

Despite all the time and effort she devoted to the project, Lisa doesn’t regard the house as hers. “A lot of people have lived in this house,” she remarks. “Like them, I’m just passing through. One never ‘owns’ an old house. The investments you make are simply helping to preserve it for the next generation.”

The earliest records for the house date to 1835. “But, it’s probably older than that,” Lisa says, pointing out that its location meshes with the city’s Colonial period. “You go farther out, and the architecture transitions to Victorian,” she explains. Neighborhoods filled with rowhouses reflected Lancaster’s manufacturing prowess. She surmises that other houses on her block also had humble beginnings but expanded upward as their owners’ economic status improved.

History literally surrounds the house. An early Mennonite cemetery was located behind the property (it was taken over by the Elks Club parking lot), and historians once surmised that the remains of the Conestoga Indians who were massacred a few blocks away in 1763 were interred there. The rail line that made its way across the city from the east also passed behind the house. Lisa finds it fascinating to know that Lincoln’s funeral train traveled by her house. She says the historical footnotes serve to provide her with a “sense of being part of something bigger.”

Styling Her New Life

According to the Census Bureau, in 2016 the average American home measured 2,687 square feet (over the past two years, the number has decreased by 200 square feet thanks to the availability of more mid-sized homes). Forty-five years ago, the average American home contained 1,660 square feet.

Then, there’s Lisa’s home, which offers approximately 960 square feet of living space. The first floor contains two multi-purpose rooms as well as a small galley kitchen. Upstairs, she combined two small bedrooms to create a master suite (which includes the house’s only bathroom). Similar-sized houses dot the city. In fact, a friend of Lisa’s, Amber Strazzo, lives in one that measures in at 625 square feet.

However, Lisa considers her rather spacious backyard, which offers nearly 400 square feet of additional space, to be an integral part of her home. The patio provides space for dining during all but the coldest months. The garden “rooms” and a second-floor deck provide space for entertaining.

Creating a garden was the first item on Lisa’s to-do list. “It was pretty much a slag heap back there,” she recalls. “Two truckloads of debris were removed from the yard.” From there, Lisa designed a garden around the trees that remained. “I created depth and space by including lots of things to look at,” she says. Large rocks not only anchor the garden, but also provide seating. Garden art is of the natural variety and includes flagstone that’s been turned upright to mimic modern sculpture, a water feature and tree branches set into oversized containers.

Nearly all of her building elements are of the found variety. For example, piles of discarded bricks provided the foundation for a path that winds through the garden. Shade-loving plants such as ferns, hosta and wild ginger made their way from friends’ gardens to Lisa’s. “The backyard gets very little sun, so the emphasis is on foliage and not flowers,” she explains. Lighting fixtures that were removed from the front of the house now hang in the backyard, where they illuminate the area via candle power. She also adores old tree stumps, explaining that she views them as “the chain of life,” in that they attract bugs, which in turn attract birds. “Lots of natural activity goes on in a tree stump,” she says.

The natural look extends to the front of the house. “I needed something to break up the expanse of concrete – it was too sterile looking,” she explains. Because of the southern exposure, planters would be high-maintenance. “And, I needed something that couldn’t move, so I thought of using the rocks,” she continues. During a trip to Penn Stone, she found exactly what she wanted.

Working with Joel’s Painting, Lisa devised an exterior color scheme that she carried indoors. Soft gray partners with black. Outdoors, the duo is joined with burgundy accents. Upstairs, the aesthetics change, as the walls of Lisa’s bedroom are painted a vivid purple.

Lisa looked to history in decorating the first-floor rooms. “Having rooms serve only one purpose is a modern concept,” she explains. “At one time, rooms served several purposes.” Consider the original log cabin – the open interior space served as a kitchen, dining room, living room and bedroom.

In Lisa’s case, the front room functions as a parlor. It’s furnished with a small period sofa and a variety of occasional chairs that can be moved about. A table in the center of the room does double duty, as it provides a display area for art and flowers or serves as a place for dining. “Everything multi-tasks in this house,” she remarks.

Black plantation shutters echo the color of the front door and exterior trims. They not only provide privacy, but also climate control. (There’s no central air and minimal insulation.)

The second room is more casual. A desk multi-tasks as a bar and a custom-made ottoman often serves as a dining table. In such cases, Lisa places sheepskin rugs on the floor as seating. “First-time guests are sometimes confused but end up loving to sit on the floor to eat and socialize,” she says.

As for the decor, Lisa feels she has assembled an “interesting collection of odds and ends” that reflect her past and her interest in art. She also has a keen eye for finds and subscribes to the notion that one man’s trash is another’s treasure. For example, a client was preparing to trash two crystal chandeliers when Lisa offered to take them. She fished a club chair (circa 1930s) out of a dumpster in Philly and had it recovered. The art that fills the house represents finds, auction buys and family pieces.

Through living in a house that offers less than 1,000 square feet of living space, Lisa has learned to be creative and judicious. She agrees with the thought process that if something isn’t being used, it needs to find a new home. She also agrees with Marie Kondo’s philosophy that if it doesn’t bring you joy, it should go.

In her estimation, living small naturally imparts self control. You find yourself making fewer impulsive purchases. With limited storage space, you learn to make do. For example, Lisa has one set of dinnerware. Ditto for wine glasses. Clutter is kept to a minimum by being space specific – everything has a space. If something comes into the house, Lisa does her best to eliminate something.

“I love my Little House in the city!” Lisa says. “Jane Austen once said, ‘There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort,’ and I couldn’t agree more!”

Check out the full Houzz trends list here.

Back in January, people were rushing the doors at the grocery chain Aldi. Social media was atwitter! The frenzy had nothing to do with food. The highly coveted fiddle-leaf fig – the plant of the decade according to The New York Times – was on sale for the amazing price of $13!

Orchids are a plant enthusiast’s dream as they offer incredible color and wonderful scents. (Note: the plants seen on this page were photographed at Stauffers’ Rohrerstown greenhouse.)

It seems houseplants are the must-have accessory for today’s homes. If you’ll recall, in the January issue, we explained that dog-friendly weddings are all the rage thanks to millennials who want their dogs to be a part of their big day. But, according to the Kennett Square-based Garden Media Group, which issues a Garden Trends Report (GTR) each year, before they adopt pets, the millennials test the waters by becoming plant parents.

I know, I know – the boomers are probably rolling their eyes and muttering, “Been there, done that.” After all, homes, offices, restaurants, malls and trendy California fern bars resembled jungles back in the 70s. Boomers could never have enough plants! Nearly 50 years later, they, too, have jumped back on the bandwagon and are plant happy. Who would have guessed the millenials and boomers would find common ground through houseplants? It plays perfectly into GTR’s theme for 2019, Rooted Together.

The highly coveted fiddle-leaf fig.

The Garden Media Group has made houseplants one of its top trends for 2019. They say their prediction is tailor-made for the “indoor generation,” pointing out that 90% of the world’s population spends 22 hours a day indoors. As for Americans, they spend 93% of their day inside their homes, offices and vehicles. Today’s children spend an average of less than an hour outdoors on any given day. Instead of enjoying sunshine, we bask in the glow of screens – televisions, computers, phones, etc. According to the GTR, it’s messing with our natural rhythms.

So, to remedy the situation, the Garden Media Group has declared that in 2019, “the indoors is the new outdoors.” Houseplants are doing battle with those glowing screens. But, how do you research plants without the help of those glowing screens? Consider Pinterest. Searches for indoor plants increased by 90% last year, with terrariums, cacti and tropicals registering the most looks. Have you seen the app through which you snap a photo of a plant and its identity is instantly revealed? It’s genius!

The sculptural grafted-cactus delivers a pop of color.

Houseplant mania is everywhere, which is probably why 30% of all the households in America purchased at least one houseplant last year (gardenresearch.com). As for the millennials, 31% of all plant sales are credited to them. Joanna Gaines touts plants as “a simple and inexpensive way to incorporate life and color into your house.” Apparently, she hasn’t priced a fiddle-leaf fig lately. Sue Ream, a landscape designer with Stauffers of Kissel Hill, confirms the popularity of houseplants. “People come in here with lists of the plants they want,” she says.

Aglaonema, which is also known as Chinese Evergreen, ranges in color from dark green to silver. It performs well in low-light areas.

To meet demand, garden centers, nurseries and flower shops have expanded their offerings. (Stepping inside a plant-filled garden center at this time of year is like a breath of fresh air.) You can buy houseplants at home, big-box and grocery stores. Television shopping channels and Internet sites are onboard.

I’m sure the vendor market at the Philadelphia Flower Show –
which is paying homage to the 50th anniversary of Woodstock with a Flower Power theme – will be overflowing with houseplants.

A moss wall at the restaurant Per Diem (Hotel Rock Lititz) not only provides a connection to nature, but it absorbs sound.

Flower shops and garden centers are offering classes and seminars, and a company called Terrarium Therapy is partnering with wineries to present terrarium workshops that sell out as soon as they are announced.

On the homefront, plant rooms and greenhouses are on the must-have list.
Plants, of course, are more than home accessories. They serve as biofilters in that they produce oxygen and remove mold spores, microbes and bacteria from the air. Their roots eliminate toxins by absorbing them and converting them into nutrients. More importantly, they provide a connection to the natural world. Costa Farms, whose products are found in grocery and home stores, recognized the value of houseplants and introduced its O2 for You collection in 2008.

The almost-no-maintenance air plant pairs nicely with succulents and cacti.

Houseplants circa 2019 have expanded beyond the pot in a window. Plants are being used to create terrariums, living wreaths and wall art. Low-maintenance has entered the picture thanks to succulents, cacti and air plants.

Jim Showers

Jim, who is a floral designer at Floral Designs of Mount Joy, loves plants of all kinds. His gorgeous gardens on the outskirts of Elizabethtown are renowned. He’s an avid forager and is always on the lookout for mushrooms and interesting mosses. Last year, he traveled to Florida in search of air plants and returned home with 300.

Jim Showers’ soaring, light-infused bathroom is filled with all sorts of tropical plants, including his latest favorite, air plants. The bathroom, which is an addition he designed for his 18th-century home, opens to the many gardens that define his property.

Jim’s fascination with plants continues inside his home. His interest in orchids has given way to low-maintenance specimens, notably air plants, which are classified as epiphytes, meaning they grow without dirt. Instead, air plants attach themselves to rocks, trees, shrubs or the ground with their roots. They fit nicely into those tear-shaped hanging glass containers that are all the rage. They are native to the southern United States, Mexico, Central America and South America. “They’re just kind of neat,” he says. “Their major culprit is that people try too hard and over-water them. The same goes with cactus and succulents.” In Jim’s estimation, they almost qualify as no-maintenance plants.

One of Jim’s jade plants, which he inherited from a relative, is probably at least 45 years old.

Jim inherited his love of plants and remembers his grandmother and aunts tending to theirs. Socializing on Sundays often centered on sharing plants, cuttings and advice. Jim recalls that plants were often handed down to the next generation in his family. He inherited one of his jade plants and guesses it’s at least 45 years old.

For Jim, plant mania is déjà vu. “There’s not a lot that’s new,” he says of plants. He sees grafted cactus as being the next big thing. “Cactus adds structure, and the grafting delivers a pop of color,” he explains.

The mention of cactus makes Jim think back to the late 60s and early 70s, when sand art (a desert-inspired terrarium that involved layers of colorful sand) was the ultimate DIY project. “I made so many of those!” he laughs.
In Jim’s opinion, plants are the perfect stress reliever. “Plants just elevate your mind and spirit,” he says.

John & Pattie Longenecker

The Longeneckers built their home in Falmouth a few years prior to the incident at Three Mile Island. March 28 will mark the 40th anniversary of the accident. Pattie, who has devoted years of research to the subject of nuclear energy, will be appearing in two documentaries – one on WITF and another on PCN – that will revisit the event.

Pattie and John Longenecker transformed their greenhouse into a more practical garden room two years ago. The natural warmth of the room spills over into the adjoining kitchen. A window provides a view of the room from the dining room.

Because of their interest in plants – John is a retired plant pathologist with the state, and Pattie is an avid gardener – incorporating a greenhouse into the design of their home was always in their plans. As they were designing their house, John determined where the greenhouse would receive optimal sunlight and carved out a space that offers southeast exposure.

The Longeneckers spent about six years assembling surplus material to build their greenhouse. “It was a true greenhouse,” Pattie says of the glass and steel structure that attached to the house. It offered conveniences such as a water source for hoses, a drain and a propane heater.

Initially, the greenhouse was outfitted with a potting bench that allowed John to get ahead of the growing season by starting seeds in late winter. It allowed Pattie to overwinter her geraniums and ferns. “The geraniums you see in there are 10 years old,” she explains. “The ferns are probably 6 years old.”

The Longeneckers’ garden room is filled with houseplants, as well as geraniums and ferns that Pattie overwinters. There is also an oleander tree they brought home from a trip to Texas decades ago.

Two years ago, they decided to remodel the greenhouse and transform it into more of a garden room. “We wanted something that’s a little more practical,” Pattie explains. Working with remodeling contractor Jeremy Hess, they maintained the dimensions of the original structure but replaced the glass with block walls that hold crank-out windows that offer an amenity: screens, which eliminate bugs coming into the house. Now, the sliding glass door can remain open and warm the kitchen. “It’s our version of passive solar,” Pattie says. The roof is covered with a translucent material that is perfect for the plants. A fan circulates the air.

Pattie loves to work in the kitchen or sit at the dining room table and enjoy her plants, especially the oleander tree they brought home from Texas decades ago. “It was 6-inches high when we got it,” she recalls. She enjoys the color show the Christmas cacti provide over the holidays. “Everyone feels better when they’re able to see and be around plants,” she says. “They’re aesthetically pleasing, and they bring color to our lives. I just love plants.”