How Do You Throw A Party In A Tiny House? Get Down To The Tiny Basics.

Mar 25, 2015

Josh and Shelley like to keep a fully stocked bar and enjoy hosting friends and family, but they faced a challenge when making the decision to downsize into a tiny house. As cute as tiny houses are, they don’t work so well for hosting parties and entertaining unless you literally want to rub shoulders with people. But thanks to an extraordinary design and some help from the crew of FYI’s “Tiny House Nation” they seem to have it all figured out.

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The 224-square-foot home includes two lofts, with one used for sleeping and the other for Shelley to get ready. The bedroom loft has all sorts of clever built-in storage hidden in the floor, which keeps clutter to a minimum. Downstairs you’ll find a living/kitchen area with an open floorplan, and perhaps best of all a large pass-through window that connects to the outdoor bar, where up to 8 people can hang out comfortably!

It’s safe to say that when you add up the extra deck space, seating at the bar, and the surrounding yard, this couple has truly figured out how to live big in a tiny house!

Follow their journey at http://tinyhousebasics.com

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.

Luxurious Minimalist Beach House On The Hamptons

Mar 28, 2015

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.

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.

Photos by Bates Masi + Architects

The Kasita is an ultra-slick modern tiny home unlike anything you’ve seen

Jul 12, 2017

It seems like tiny house design really pushes the limits lately, from the incredible Alpha to the eccentric designs by Zyl Vardos. Every inch has to be thoughtfully crafted, and this “Kasita” design is no different.

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Images © Kasita // via Flipboard and Business Insider

5 Dull Garages Reincarnated As Beautiful Backyard Cottages

Apr 23, 2015

If you have a garage that doesn’t get much use, sometimes it makes sense to convert it into an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), which can serve as an extra place to host guests or even a secondary income generator.

The Piedmont

This 300sf cottage sits in the backyard behind the owners primary North Portland residence and serves as a vacation rental unit that earns some extra income.

Coastal Retreat

Arguably one of the more stylish conversions we’ve seen, this sunny California cottage was designed by Beth Dana Design.

Michelle De La Vega’s Conversion

This artist wanted to earn a bit of extra income and decided to convert her garage into this industrial-chic dwelling. An artist and metalworker by trade, you can tell she stamped her own style into the construction, which she did herself.

Photographs by Ira Lippke for New York Times

Maison Garage

Located in Bordeaux, France, this garage underwent the most dramatic transformation on the list. While searching for properties in Bordeaux, the only place within his budget was a dusty garage that his friends thought was a terrible idea – but he purchased it anyway and enlisted help from an architect friend to transform it into a modern bachelor pad that’s oozing with style.

Bright & Spacious Cottage

When the owner of this backyard cottage contacted ART Design Build, they devised a plan to convert the seldom used one car garage into a bright and airy little cottage. Judging by the results, that was a great decision, and the execution was flawless, resulting in a stylish space with a folding murphy bed, loft, full kitchen and bathroom.

Photos by Tsantes Photography

While these designs might get your creative juices flowing, unfortunately it’s not always that easy to get permission to convert your garage into a space like this because of local ordinances. However, assuming you live in an area where you can legally modify your garage in such a way, it seems like a great idea.

Brilliant Design Makes This The Most Beautiful Trailer Home We’ve Seen

May 27, 2015

Don’t think you’d ever live in a trailer home? You might reconsider after laying eyes on this creative masterpiece. Located in Austin, Texas, this very unique home is actually made from two trailers allowing it to be moved easily. Though small, at just 400 square feet, it’s big on style thanks in part to the genius of interior designer Kim Lewis.

Clean lines, rich textures, and a balance of neutral white/black with splashes of color bring a ton of personality into the space. The salvaged flooring came from a 1960s home in Austin.

The breezeway includes a pair of dog houses nested under the bench, and make for a cozy place for their two rescues to catch some Z’s.

The slim kitchen features plenty of space to prep thanks in part to a movable island. Instead of a refrigerator, the owners use two small refrigerator drawers.

Slim barn doors made from perforated copper panels help save space and look amazing. The “You look good” tile pattern also adds a playful touch.

Behind the bed on the trailer’s gooseneck you’ll find a spacious closet that also includes a 2-in-1 washer/dryer.

The two owners of this home moved from Colorado to Austin to start their second urban winery business, and the home doubles as a tasting room. Thanks to the team at Tiny House Nation and the brilliance of Kim Lewis they were able to make their dream home a reality.

The curb appeal starts at the colorful steps and reaches every inch of the exterior. The spacious deck offers extra space for entertaining, and we love the hammock draped between the two planters. Based on the results we imagine they won’t have a problem impressing guests, wherever they decide to take their trailer home.

(Image credits: Lonny)

Organic Inspired Nautilus Seashell Home Is Something To Behold

Mar 19, 2015

Ever wonder what would happen if Arial of The Little Mermaid became an architect? Neither have I, but I imagine she might design a house that looks something like that. In reality, this wasn’t designed by a mermaid but rather by Javier Senosiain from Arquitectura Organica, a Mexican firm that specializes in unique creations like the one you see below.

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While it looks quite extraordinary from the outside, when you step inside the home you instantly notice the barrage of bright colors spilling through the custom stained glass window. It’s simply gorgeous. The whimsical layout was designed to bridge the gap between architecture and nature, hence the shell shape. Inside the home you’ll find lots of curved edges and plants sprouting between organically shaped seating areas. Every room in this home brings some magical aura with it. Overall, it represents one of the most unique homes we’ve ever seen. What do you think?

10+ “Shedquarters” Bring The Home Office To Your Backyard

May 14, 2015

Ask anyone who works from home what one of their biggest challenges is, and you’ll probably hear the need for a dedicated place to work with minimal distraction. Working from your house sounds great. You have the freedom to do whatever – including dishes, laundry, walk the dog, or catching up on a tv show, all of which can seriously limit your productivity.

Several companies offer backyard “shedquarters” which provide a perfect space for your office, artist workshop, writing studio or whatever else you need some privacy for. Sure, it might extend your commute from nothing to a short walk through the backyard garden, but it seems worth it.

1. Inoutside

This Australian company created a modern backyard space, and the “Cooba” model is shown here. The contemporary space goes the distance in terms of style. http://inoutside.com.au/

2. Sett Studio

Another lovely modern design comes courtesy of Settstudio, an Austin, Texas based company.

3. Modern Spaces

Aptly described as “forts for grown-ups!” these fully installed sheds with finished exteriors start at $6,000. Currently only California residents can get the on-site installation though. http://www.modernspacesandsheds.com/

Via Apartment Therapy

4. Modern Cabana

This San Francisco company offers sheds in a variety of configurations such as the 10×12 foot studio seen here. It features a sliding glass door and floor to ceiling windows.

5. MetroShed

Designed by David Ballinger, this prefab model ships in a flat pack and costs $6,000-10,000. While it looks like the simplest design here, it actually incorporates insulated SIP panels, cedar beams, and plenty of eco-friendly design touches. Plus you can easily customize with your own finishes. http://www.metroshed.com/

6. Modern Shed

A husband and wife team started this modern shed company in Seattle, offering flat-pack prefab structures like this basic 8×10 foot shed priced at $6,900. http://www.modern-shed.com/

7. Studio Shed

These sheds are both affordable and stylish, priced from $3500 for the smallest model. http://www.studio-shed.com/

8. Kanga Shed

This Austin, TX based company produces some very nice prefab structures, including the Basic Shed and the Modern Studio, both of which are built to very high quality standards. http://kangaroomsystems.com/

9. Summerwood

This Canadian based company produces sheds in a variety of styles, from modern to traditional with a base cost of $5300. http://www.summerwood.com/

10. G-Pod

Looking for something a bit different? Consider the G-Pod, which looks like something George Jetson would have designed. Prices start at $14,995. http://g-pod.com/

11. Kithaus

Another gorgeous prefab option described as the “anything you want pod” comes from this company, but prices are higher than most others, starting at $30k. http://kithaus.com/