Some dream of having a large home with large spaces that could be classified as palatial. Architects and builders throughout the world once believed that the largest windows and the highest ceilings are what most people covet. And so the "McMansion" was born.

Many homeowners buy into the idea of larger is better — except when they get the proposal for estimated costs. Then the nightmare begins. Everything needs to be larger than life — chandeliers, area rugs, sofas and chairs — which means more fabric and more labor. Sticker shock enters the picture, and the house is left with half-completed rooms. Your dream of living and enjoying your home turns into an unfulfilled situation that is potentially full of resentment. It is best to put that dream aside and refocus your energy and desires on something smaller, attainable and sustainable.

Although I have been fortunate to work on and design planned enlargements of already large homes and condominiums, I confess that I am an unabashed defender of smaller spaces and projects. As designers, we are taught to deal with all sorts of unusual conditions, but smaller spaces are far easier to design.

First, there is an economy of means: Fewer furnishings mean a lower cost right off the bat. Normal-sized windows are easier to dress, and window treatments can even be purchased ready-made rather than from an expensive drapery workroom. The shear cost of electricity to keep the air hot or cold is enough to make some of these homeowners "house poor."

Small can be especially beautiful and comforting. At the American Red Cross Designers' Show House in Palm Beach, Fla., a sitting area and writer's retreat functions well even though the size of the room is a mere 195 square feet. The room's low ceilings are adorned with drapery hardware that nearly touches the room's millwork, making the ceiling seem taller. The small scale of the furniture was selected to allow the span of the room to feel larger, particularly when seated. The seat heights are one inch to two inches lower than standard seat heights, thus allowing the room to read tall. Creating small seating areas rather than one seating area fools one into thinking the room is ample.

Yet another trick in designing for small spaces is the use of a monochromatic palette. A neutral palette provides the ideal foundation for an eclectic mix of furnishings and textures. The goal of this room is to create a timeless and elegant comfort by way of the colors of the beach: sandy creams and driftwood. Chrome surfaces shine, while luxurious linens and cotton fabrics from Beacon Hill's Ankasa Iconic collection cover the array of vintage furnishings in the room.

Making a small room memorable requires a handpicked selection of unique items; furniture and hand-embroidered fabrics are the finishing touches.

The image of this room proves that "living-large" in small spaces is possible, but it is dependent on the quality of the goods and a ruthless editing of the furnishings. In this case, small is definitely better.

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.