The Small Life
A great article from the Canadian National Post called The Small Life features Jay Shafer and the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.
Jay Shafer knows all about living small. The 42-year-old art teacher and now house designer has been living in less than 100 square feet since 1997. The experience prompted him to write The Small House Book and start his own company, Tumbleweed Tiny Houses, to provide plans and build small houses for others. Daring to think small in a country obsessed with everything big, he has become something of a guru to those who believe we won’t be able to afford energy-guzzling monster homes for much longer. Shafer will be a guest speaker at Toronto’s IdeaCity next week.
Click on the title to read the rest of the article The Small Life.
Tortoise Shell Nursery Visit
Tortoise Shell Homes Visit
Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with Bill Kastrinos at the Tortoise Shell Nursery in Rohnert Park, CA. In an earlier post we looked at Model 1 from Tortoise Shell Homes. On my visit, Bill showed me three of six, Model 2 homes under construction.
Simple and Affordable
Bills goal is to keep these homes simple and affordable. He has three models, ranging from a very basic unit to a loaded off the grid ready version. Tortoise Shell Homes has only been in business six months but word is getting out and he is looking to be very busy in the near future.
These tiny houses are built just like a standard home with all the electrical, insulation, etc. This model includes a full size shower, toilet and sink and comes with an instant hot water heater. There is room for a small washer/dryer unit as well. (see floor plan below) These six custom order homes come with oak floors, sky lights and pine walls.
A Company to Watch
I think that this will be a company to watch in the tiny house market. For more information visit the Tortoise Shell Home site or send an email to [email protected] or call 707-206-7581.
Model 2 Floor Plan
Seattle PI Article
Allison Arth and her husband, Bo Kinney, live in a 509-square-foot home in the Central District that was built in 1916. “It’s just a very cozy way to live,” Arth says. Empty nesters, greens and first-time buyers are finding tiny houses a good fit
by Cecelia Goodnow
If Dee Williams had the arms of an orangutan, she could touch every corner of her home without leaving her one-burner kitchen. As it is, she comes close.
With only 84 square feet of living space, Williams is an expert at living large in a do-it-yourself home the size of a garden shed.
She built her 7-by-12-foot Tumbleweed Tiny House for $10,000, including solar panels, trailer, eco-friendly denim insulation and high-performance wood windows. It brims with dollhouse charm. Her overhead: $6 a month to run the propane heater.
“I hadn’t ever taken a project from blueprint to real life,” said Williams, 45, whose tiny frame and intrepid spirit are a good fit for the Tumbleweed. “It’s, like, a really cool, empowering thing.”
Williams, a hazardous-waste inspector at the Department of Ecology in Olympia, is an extreme example of the “small-house movement,” which seeks to counter the McMansionization of America with an ethos of sustainability.
Tumbleweed Tiny House Going On Tour
This July, Jay Shafer will be taking his tiny house on the road as he travels along the West Coast from the Canadian Border down to the Mexican Border.
Jay will be joined by Small House Society co-founder Greg Johnson as the two demonstrate the versatility and endurance of a Tumbleweed Home. The pair will sleep in the tiny house and make stops at many cities and towns.
West Coast Tour
More details and dates at Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.
Stone Mountain Cabin Plans
Cabin Plans
I recently came across this great site called Stone Mountain Cabins with some wonderful tiny/small cabin plans.
“I believe each person searches for solitude and comfort in many ways. I find comfort in the simple pleasures of life – a great book and the company of family. But most of all I find comfort in this great place of renewal, the cabin.”
Ken Pieper - Designer
Stone Mountain Cabins
My favorite is the Cub Creek a 2 bed and 2 bath 681 Sq. Ft. cabin. Find your favorite by going to his collection. Maybe you will find your dream home with one of Ken’s plans.
Visit more plans at Stone Mountain Cabins here.
Little Cob Cabin
Hi Everyone. Sorry it has been so long since the last post. My computer’s mother board started to die and it took a few days to get it replaced. I need to get a back up computer in the near future.
Today we are going to look at a cob cabin.
Building with Cob
This beautiful cabin was built by members of cobworks.com and cob cottage. Located in Mayne Island British Columbia, Canada.
Little Cob Cabin
Cob is a mixture of sand clay and straw - wet enough to mold yet dry enough to build up without forms. Walls are built up to be monolithic, which gives them greater strength in earthquakes. Cob invites your creativity to be expressed in the process of building your space: living space, meditation space, work space, sleeping space, play-space. Build curved walls, arches, and niches. And who says that walls are flat? All it takes to make the step towards your dream space is a fairly short learning process, to gain a sense for the material. A fun way of learning is to participate in a workshop, where you work on a structure and learn hands-on, with opportunity to discuss your ideas with others, pick up knowledge of the whole process and meet new friends.
Cobworks
To learn more and to check out workshops visit cobworks.com.
