Small & Tiny

Home Homes Small & Tiny

Stroke Of Genius Allows Artist & Family To Live Comfortably In A Tiny Apartment

Sometimes a splash of orange and a squiggle of purple is all you need to make a small, otherwise mundane space shine. This tiny apartment in France was taken over by artist/architect Cyril Rheims along with his wife and daughter, and he brought a creative approach to the layout that allows them to live comfortably in the tiny 485 square foot apartment. The space was transformed into a functional puzzle box that bursts with vibrant accents of color via furniture, linens and various wall and floor treatments.

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The loft apartment encompasses 485sf of floor space, needing every bit of it to have enough space for a growing family. The bed is set up on a raised platform that contains storage drawers underneath. The ‘bedroom’ is sectioned off by a framed opening that defines the separate spaces, but remains one open space.

Accents of color give the otherwise clean space a personal charm, and prove appropriate for an artistic family with a small child.

cyril-rheims-small-apartment-paris-3 A multi-colored tiled patch of floor defines the kitchen and dining areas. It’s a clever trick, and breaks the space up to make it feel larger and more functional.

cyril-rheims-small-apartment-paris-4 The structure has been painted dark to contrast the lightness of the walls and cabinetry, giving them a prominent role in the space’s hierarchy.

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In case you’ve been wondering about the exposed bathroom, which looks great for exhibitionists, but not so much for normal folk who value privacy, it uses blind screens when necessary.

cyrilIf you’d like to learn more about Cyril, his artwork, and interior designs, check out his website at http://www.cyrilrheims.com/

He Built A Romantic Forest Getaway For His New Wife In Just 6 Weeks For $4,000

$4,000, 6 weeks, and a whole lot of love was all it took for long-time carpenter Dave Herrle to design and build this tiny forest cabin. It’s a feat that is nothing short of astounding and one that invites skeptical curiosity as we ask ourselves: “How the heck did he do that?” For the price of a 12 year old Honda Civic Mr. Herrle has utilized found materials, salvaged parts, and a heaping spoonful of creativity to craft a little piece of heaven to call his own.

It was far from easy, but just what Dave and his fiancée needed.

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“For the longest time I had a hard time not being “normal.” I graduated from a small liberal arts college, got a desk job, and hated every minute of it. In 2007 my life changed dramatically after hiking the entirety of the Appalachian Trail. It was a gut check in life and I’m lucky it happened when I was 27 and not 67. My time in the woods gave me a perspective on the benefits of simplicity. It was in the woods that I promised myself that I wouldn’t spend a lifetime doing a job I didn’t enjoy.”

It’s a romantic sentiment, and one I’m sure we’ve all had when dreaming about when sitting in our cars on the freeway or staring blankly at a sprawling Excel spreadsheet. Dave took what he had and applied what he knew to make that dream a reality.

tiny-house-4000-dave-herrle-2.jpg.650x0_q70_crop-smart The structure uses large trees as the anchors of the foundation, eliminating the need for a costly concrete base. tiny-house-4000-dave-herrle-3.jpg.650x0_q70_crop-smart The footprint is small (only 10×14 feet), but highly functional. The couple added plenty of personal flair to make it their home.tiny-house-4000-dave-herrle-4.jpg.650x0_q70_crop-smart Like many tiny homes, going vertical is important for saving space. A lofted bed area sits over the ample kitchen.tiny-house-4000-dave-herrle-5.jpg.650x0_q70_crop-smart tiny-house-4000-dave-herrle-6.jpg.650x0_q70_crop-smart Dave continues to run his carpentry business, and has recently moved on to building inexpensive tiny homes for others, as well. Find out more about his work at Herrle Custom Carpentry.
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A Wartime Bunker Is A Good Place For A Home, Right? Right!

Netherlands based architecture firm B-ILD have transformed this decrepit, ancient war-time bunker into a cool, rustic-chic getaway. I’d be the first to keep my arm down in a show of hands of people who thought a dank old bomb shelter would make a good place to reside, but seeing this project might have just changed my mind. It’s an unorthodox adaptive re-use project that, at first glance, doesn’t have a lot going for it. Upon closer look, that’s exactly what the architect used to craft a majestic underground dwelling.

The ironic thing is that B-UILD’s additions are minimal and strategic, allowing the weathered board-formed concrete walls to define the aesthetic of the space. It’s a move that pays off in the end, turning the very thing that made the space desolate into what makes it shine. The bunker is small, occupying only 118 square feet of floor area. As a space saver, the sleeping area deploys barracks-style bunk beds; an appropriate nod to a common war-time building type.

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

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.

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

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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.

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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.

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This Is What Happens When Architects Design Shelters For Cats

As if cats doing adorable things in weird contexts need any explanation. Feast your eyes on these creative design experiments that focus on the space occupied by everybody’s favorite felines.

cat arch1 Yarn? YARN!cat arch2 Stop. Just stop.cat arch3 Everyone can see you hiding there, pal.cat arch4 A saucer of scotch with my mahogany, please. 
cat arch5 I should not have had so much catnip. cat arch6 Make house for cat. Cat sits underneath house.

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Should’ve dibsed top bunk.

The structures were built and put on display as part of an awareness project called “Giving Shelter” put on by Architects for Animals. The shelters were designed by various architects in the Las Angeles area and presented at a local Herman Miller showroom in Culver City, CA.

Luxurious Minimalist Beach House On The Hamptons

Over 40 years ago a couple purchased a small, 1/4 acre lot of land just 500 feet away from the Atlantic shore. At the time, they didn’t have the means to develop a house there, and as the years went by the local zoning ordinances changed. When the time finally came for them to build a home, they had to work within the confines of those limitations, which meant building very small.

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As a result of the regulations, they had to work with a 15′ x 20′ footprint and two stories; the home could only be 600 square feet at most. Those regulations also forced them to consider the geometry of the house, as FEMA required the first floor to be elevated 6′ above natural grade and the town restricted the height to 25′ above natural grade.

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Photos by Bates Masi + Architects

Students Design Retro-Rustic Offgrid Nomad Camper For Easy Towing

The housing crisis may be over, but plenty of people all over still face the challenge of trying to find a place to call home. This retro-rustic styled dwelling is one of the prototypes from +FARM‘s summer design studio, where students immerse themselves in design and construction practices, attempting to bring new solutions to fruition.

The 2015 Nomad Studio shown here is modest, but beautiful, with a tiny 8′ x 5′ interior that sleeps two and quickly transforms into a lounge space. It has deployable solar panels that create 1kw, powering the coffee maker and film projector, and there’s even a stowable composting toilet hidden away.

Photos courtesy Andrew Nisbet