Sunday, March 23, 2014

Let's have a peep, shall we?

Happy by Pharrel Williams on Grooveshark

Our home was designed around our needs. I made a list of the functions our house served, then I combined as many as possible. Every space in our barn has at least 2 purposes, even the bathroom: It doubles as a hall way! Of course I fell in love with the exposed wood interiors some tiny houses have, and the crazy expensive propane heaters that others showcased, but ultimately, I decided to go with functionality over aesthetics.

The needs won.

Did we sacrifice our comfortability (trademark coming soon :) ) ? Hells no! We have all the comforts of the home we downsized from, minus 3 amenities: 1.) A covered patio deck, which is an easy addition if needed, 2.)  A wood-burning fireplace, which will be comparably replaced with a gel fuel wall mount or freestanding fireplace, and 3.) A garbage disposal, but we were sure we could survive without it. Otherwise, our living situation is pretty standard:
A dishwasher AND a gas range!

Specs:

  • 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 8'x22' Park Model RV. 256 sq. ft. of heaven--176 sq. ft. PLUS 80 sq. ft. in lofted space (One 8'x8' lofted living space, one 2'x8' lofted storage/pantry/office)
  • Master Suite with vaulted ceiling and walk in closet:
Standing in the kitchen/ bathroom doorway looking towards the rear of the house. 
The dresser is really an ottoman .
Great view of the emergency exit.
Lofted bed. Gotta love Ikea.
The bathroom is playing peek-a-boo.
  • Full kitchen: Midsize refrigerator, gas range and oven, sink and dishwasher, microwave
The sink/counter/backsplash are getting swapped for Ikea. The microwave cart and fridge will also be swapping spots. 
  • Full bathroom: Regular toilet, bath tub with shower head, sink and vanity, medicine cabinet, linen closet/water heater closet
The bathtub is in the mirror.
  • Eat in kitchen that doubles as the living room
The TV goes on a drop down ceiling mount under the loft. Supposedly.
  • Lofted storage or pantry. Dare I say office?
Just in case of emergency. Mainly a zombie apocalypse.
  • Washer and Dryer hook-ups. I passed on the porch and opted for a laundry area that could double as  a storage shed
There's a capped gas line hook-up that you can't see. Which will come in handy should i go off-grid and need propane.
  • Outside living space: Fire pit, BBQ pit, and lounge seating. I even have a tiny corner for gardening!
Who needs a porch when you have the ground?

As for the floor plan, it's open to interpretation. I used the original 3d sketchup as a reference point, but the sketchup is based on a 10'x 12' floor plan. The real thing was designed around the upcycled 8'x22' trailer that it's built upon:


I'll start posting about the build soon. I know you're probably wondering why I didn't start there, but it's a long, tragic story. Two phones were hurt during the making of this tiny house. 


Friday, March 21, 2014

I live in my closet and sleep with my shoes. Sort of.

Well in my mind I do. In reality, my bedroom is a master suite, complete with a walk in closet, tons of storage, and a full on suite 4 piece bathroom (that means a tub, yay me!). Reality, especially mines, is subjective:

Did I mention it's less than 100 sq. ft.?

We live in a tiny house. By we, I mean me and my shoes. Just kidding, I have a nine year old son, who strangely enough, believed this dream was possible more than anyone. Well it was kind of sort of his, so I guess that helped... The dream:


Rocking out the dream.
And while it's still a work in progress, we hope to be off grid one day, on our own little spot. For now, we're content with a $300 space rent that includes free water, and the cheapest utility bills I've ever had. Ever.

My hope for this blog: At it's best to be inspirational, at it's worst, informational; either way, we effected positive change for social justice and that means we rock! Vive la tiny revolution!