Small House Compromise Yields High Return On Freedom

Apr 6, 2015

Maybe the idea of a tiny house appeals to you, but the practicality not so much. For small families and empty-nesters who need a bit more space for their things, a small house might fit their needs perfectly. That’s what Lily Copenagle and Jamie Kennel found out as they crafted their “just right” sized home that comes in at 704 sq. feet.

The couple had a simple mission – to build a small, sustainable home that’s easy to clean, with an open and spacious feel to it. They began with a $190k property, which was quickly razed to allow a clean slate. They proceeded to work with a contractor to get the new home started, and did much of the work themselves.

By working on the project themselves, the couple saved a decent chunk of money, and kept the overall costs to around $135k, resulting in a total of just over $300k spent. They finished the project in 2012, paid off the mortgage in full, and currently pay just $370/month in utilities and bills.

Their neighbor remarked, “On weekends, they actually go places and do things. They’re not tied to the projects most of us are tied to. I’m so charmed by the simplicity of it.” The same neighbor also said they probably couldn’t share a closet with their spouse, but we have to imagine that it’s a fair trade off to have the financial security of owning the home, and the flexibility to travel freely.Two green-roofed sheds in the backyard provide extra storage for the couple’s miscellaneous items and a workspace. The city also awarded them a $9k reimbursement for the green roofs. Below you can see the small shared office space they allocated in the floor plan.

The laundry setup isn’t exactly normal, but then again, it makes putting laundry away after washing/drying quite easy.

Photos by Aaron Leitz for The New York Times

Despite their ability to afford a much larger home, this couple made a concious decision to live modestly, below their means, and it seems they are reaping the benefits. While some friends, family, and architects questioned their decision, Lily and Jamie have no regrets.

Picture Perfect Glass Cottage With A Wall Of Moving Shutters

Mar 29, 2015

Almost as if Walt Disney himself placed this perfectly gabled little cottage in the middle of a tree specked grassy meadow, this house by architecture studio Zecc and Roel van Norel evokes warm feelings of fairy tale nostalgia. The house was built in the rural countryside of Utrecht, The Netherlands, and contains a modest floor plan with an open layout, lofted sleeping area, and functional kitchen with full bath.

The forest-facing facade features a wall of motorized shutters that have the ability to open up completely to the landscape beyond. The shutters modulate light and create varying degrees of privacy depending on the desired use.

The interiors are built out with natural materials. The finished concrete slab gives mass and weight to the floor, while the wood on the wall finishes and ceiling give the vertical elements a feeling of weightlessness.

The roof line is asymmetric, overhanging further on the end that protects the wall of moving shutters.

When the sun goes down the shutters close, providing the visual protection desired during the night.

Tiny 690sf Farmhouse Is Perfect Inside And Out!

Feb 17, 2016

Think living in a 690sf house wouldn’t work for you? Think again! This is a prime example of what you can do with a small space. From the decor to the layout, everything is just about perfect.

Every inch, inside and out, is just wonderful!

The Reason LA Wants To Destroying This Tiny House Community? Deporable!

Mar 4, 2016

Elvis Summers, he himself once homeless, decided to take the city of Los Angeles’ homelessness problem into his own hands with the launch of his humanitarian organization My Tiny House Project LA. As quoted from the organization’s website, “We have a simple mission: to give people in the world a safe place to sleep. While this should be a trivial quest in a developed country, without governmental support or social infrastructure that should be empathetic to those suffering, it can be incredibly difficult to create change.”

Elvis Summers poses with his tiny house on wheels he built.

Due to the tireless efforts of Mr. Summers and volunteers, My Tiny House Project LA has distributed these colorful homes no bigger than a garden shed to individuals living in homeless encampments.

An example of the tiny homes built by Elvis Summers and the volunteers of My Tiny House Project LA.

However, the city of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation is cracking down and confiscating these homes with the intention to discard them. The Bureau has classified the homes of My Tiny House Project LA as “bulky objects,” which, according to city ordinances, allows for them to be removed without notice.

The Bureau of Sanitation offers no alternatives to the occupants of the homes, often taking their few possessions along with the homes. “I don’t refer to these as homes or houses because they’re really not,” said Bureau of Sanitation spokeswoman Elena Stern.

Mr. Summers spoke with the LA Times in this video below in regards to this agonizing situation, in particular the situation Larry Joe Cannon and his wife of 14 years, Julia Briggs Cannon.

For more information about My Tiny House Project LA, or to make a donation to the organization, visit My Tiny House Project LA’s official website or Facebook page:

http://www.mythpla.org/home.html

www.facebook.com/mythpla

The $20k house anyone can afford, and everyone will want

Feb 22, 2016

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The homes built by the Rural Studio’s $20k Project will be among the first commercially available one-bedroom homes available for $20,000 or less, with the simple goal of building beautiful and elegant homes that could easily be a part of a neighborhood of million-dollar houses yet be realistically attainable to and desired by the average person.

Students of the Rural Studio, an undergraduate program of Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture, have finally begun the process of bringing years of planning and inspiration into reality with the building of the first homes of the $20k Project. The homes of the $20k Project have been designed with painstaking attention to every detail and using construction techniques that not only help reduce costs, but also make the homes more efficient and sustainable.

After a pilot launch last January, the Rural Studio hopes to launch the $20k Project nation-wide; once so, they hope to give away the instructions so that anyone could build these homes on their own. The Studio has estimated that the cost of building supplies could be $14,000 or less. Could you see yourself living in one of these homes?

Photos: Jessica Ashley Photography
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The Acacia from Minamaliste

Jul 18, 2017

Welcome to the Acacia, the fifth home built by French/Canadian company Minimaliste. This home features some seriously eye-catching design elements, and borrows a lot of “big home” feel for such a small space.

There’s a 4-burner stove, a couch that converts to a bed, fold down dining/work table, and much more!

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The Undeniably Stunning 399sf “Salish”

Jun 8, 2017

Here’s a looker! Three words: stunning, clean, bright. Ok, a few more words. This 399sf masterpiece can be found at the Wildwood, a luxury vacation resort, and is the newest addition to their set of homes. It costs $315k, but that gets you quite an impressive little home in an absolutely beautiful setting. And perhaps it can serve as inspiration to build your own version for a lot less!

Feast on the pictures below and enjoy!

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The “Black Shed” Sets Fire To The Scottish Isle Of Skye

May 12, 2015

On a secluded plot of farm land on the Scottish Isle of Skye rests a charred little structure that architect Rural Design Architects have named the ‘Black Shed.” The pre-burnt wood siding creates a stark contrast between the shed, the rolling green hills and the pale blue sky. The building’s rural surroundings offer unobstructed views of the enveloping valley and a towering flat-top mountain called McLeod’s Table. The shed was built as a rental opportunity and accommodates two people with a full kitchen, bath and sleeping area.

An industrial aesthetic has been achieved through use of simple, modern, yet familiar forms and the subtle use of raw materials. It is a fresh take on traditional farm house architecture with exposed wood siding and an understated gable roof. A covered entry porch pulls back the roof line and exposes the finishes with a more contemporary flair. Upon entry, visitors are greeted with little more than a finished concrete floor and uniform sawn timber wall and ceiling treatment. The subdued material palette allows the surrounding views to take center stage.

A $300 Chill Cabin For Sexing And Reading. You Decide.

Mar 7, 2015

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Deek of Relaxshacks.com is like a tiny house renaissance man, with a talent for building tiny dwellings in the wild, sometimes constructing one in a matter of hours. This one could be for reading as he claims, but I think I know what the real reason is, a sweet love shack. Just throw a little day bed in there, and replace the books with a few bottles of whiskey and maybe box with some adult smoking materials. Or leave the books. That’s great too.

“Platinum” 399sf Tiny Park Model

Jul 13, 2017

Wow. A wrap around deck with picket fencing. A kitchen island – I repeat, a freakin’ kitchen island!! This is just gorgeous, and feels much more spacious than 399sf.

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