2012 Design Challenge
Jeff H. sent me this email about a challenge for the designers and builders in the tiny house world to consider. Here is what Jeff had to say:
I have a favor/challenge/request for this year for you and the builders of these tiny houses. I have my own ideas that I want to incorporate in my tiny house design and here is the reason. I have a neurological disorder and do not handle stairs very well, and require a hand rail to climb stairs. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it is a huge deal for me.
I rarely see any houses on this site with a hand railing at the entry let alone a Murphy bed type sleeping arrangement or a bed that is a dual purpose design. Climbing up into a loft is do-able, but I would never design anything like that at all for me. Climbing down to use the rest room at night would never appeal to me even if I was as strong as a bull.
So if you agree with me I think it would make for a good discussion and maybe get a few builders thinking a little more about design and dual purpose possibilities. I think a whole new range of people would be interested in the tiny house movement.
I have mentioned this to a couple of builders I know and they think it is a good idea. One or two even have such a design in the works and I’m hoping many more of you will step up too. If you already have such a design please list it in the comment section below and share a link if you have one. If you have other ideas and suggestions please also bring them up in the comment section.
Let’s help people like Jeff and others have the ability to have a tiny home that they can enjoy just like everyone else. If you have a website with your design please list it in the comment section below. If not please email photos and/or floor plans to tinyhouseblog (at) gmail.com and I will pull together a post with your designs so that everyone can see.
Hornby Island Caravans bed
155 Responses to “2012 Design Challenge”
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I totally agree with this. I fully understand how the loft bed is space saving in regards to a home being more compact, but for myself, living with a back condition doesn’t make this concept feasible living. Also, with getting up in yrs., the need to “powder my nose” more frequently, all hrs. of the night has become an unwelcome reality. I’d love to see more ground floor bedroom ideas.
Texas Tiny homes did have a home with a murphy bed incorporated in one of their homes that worked and looked totally awesome.
Diane
Hi Jeff, awhile back i saw, I think on this blog, but I can not find it now. It was a video about a small structure with a bed that used a garage door assembly/track for the bed. The garage panels were the cushions for the bed/couch and it came down from the wall. All the owner did was push a button and it came down from the wall. I will keep looking and if I find it will get you a link.
This also applies to the older population. I am 53 and I could climb up to a loft but it would not be ideal. My husband, on the other hand, would not be able to at all. I love these little houses, but that is a drawback.
I am a tiny person and live in a tiny house and have a tiny bed. But this really doesn’t answer your questions, unless you all shrink down to 40 inches.
Katie, you’re cheating. @ 72” I need almost twice the space. I call fowl. LOL, good for you!!
It makes sense that the houses have been designed for young people with big bladders, since they’re the people who have been building them, in large part!
But yes, it’s time for the perspective to broaden a bit if it’s going to be an idea that catches on with planning departments, and it’s a long way away.
Ah what a wonderful idea to bring to the table!!! Both my husband and I are retired, and have issues with a loft and stairs as well, We also have a disabled child (not living with us) who would like to visit
Small should NOT mean inconvenient, convenience means something different to each family, I am very exciting to see this challenge met, and look forward to the growing results,for many years to come. Thank you Jeff for bringing this different and much needed style of living into the forefront.
here is the link to the garage door opener bed-http://www.thetinylife.com/awesome-tiny-guest-house/
I have had the same thoughts about lofts – personally I hate ladders and would never build myself a house that required climbing on a daily basis. Instead I’ve tried to think of solutions where a bed could function as a sofa during daytime – but still be fast & easy to convert at “dusk & dawn”… Plus comfortable both in the bed AND the sofa version!
Our cabin is 464 sq ft so is bigger than many of the tiny houses but it is all on one floor. It was in the tiny house blog last year. Below is a link.
While we have the 20 x 20 room open but the kitchen side could be divided with a wall and have an L-shape kitchen on one side and the bedroom on the other beside the bathroom.
I know there will be a big response and you will be able to get many ideas on your request! Lots of people looking for a one level, I think. Below is the link to our cabin.
http://tinyhouseblog.com/small-house-feature/hill-country-texas-cabin/
Sue,
I LOVE your little house! And the one-room plan gives it an airy country feel, too.
See, something like this would be PERFECT for many folk who are vision-impaired, for instance, and/or spend most of their indoor hours in a wheelchair (no walls or doorways to run into). Thanks for sharing it again, beautiful photos!
I am currently building such a design in my micro house video series If you care to watch I will be unveiling this secret project on this site soon .
Although most of the houses on this blog do have lofts, there have been quite a few over the years that have ground floor sleeping arangements.
http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-house/the-simple-life-bungalow/
comes to mind. Also, Tunbleweed has a plan that has a main floor bedroom (although it is almost entirely bed and you would have to crawl out the end – I’ve seen it done with a futon in there tho).
Great idea!
I’m 52 and have been worrying over the bed in the loft thing. The loft would be great for visiting kids or grandkids, but I cannot see ~me~ using it for much longer.
The garage door bed, that Derin Williams shared the link for, is great, but it doesn’t look like an ideal (comfy) bed to LIVE with.
I did see a tiny house somewhere that had a tiny bedroom at the back as well as a loft. That would be ideal for some of us.
I’m looking forward to seeing the entries for this contest!
Check out Tiny Home Builder’s Tiny Retirement Plan. It is a one-level design for those not interested in climbing a loft. I’ve seen interior pictures of this place and it is really cute!!
Many 45+ couples are downsizing their family homes due to their children growing up and out. These tiny houses are perfect for those couples to live in. I’m with everyone else, those bedroom loft areas have to go! Maybe they can be used for able bodied visiting guests, but for me, the loft area would be totally useless. I struggle to go up 5 steps with a handrail. No bathroom on the loft area? Nope, these days the potty needs to be ‘shuffle’ close. There needs to be a bedroom on the ground level in these tiny houses for the babyboomer generation.
YAY!! What an excellent design challenge.
I think tiny houses, with lofts and ladders and lack of real dining space, are for the young, nimble, single folks. Great! I’m excited to see small scale houses, built on one level, and designed for the long haul of multiple phases of life.
Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with!!
I was thinking for a low budget home that the hotel room that I stayed at in Squaw Valley would be a good design. It was about the size of a two-car garage. It had a sleeping area with a murphy bed, an eating area, a living area with a fireplace in the corner, an l-shaped kitchen, and a bathroom. http://www.redwolfsquaw.com/en/The-Resort/Photo-Gallery.aspx
Also check out the medcottage on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MEDCottage/106185369416028#!/media/set/?set=a.139721266062438.18183.106185369416028&type=3
Although I am young and have a healthy bladder (as one of you so succinctly put it!) I too have a neurological disorder. I can handle stairs alright, but use a service dog for mobility. I want so desperately to build a tiny home, but I need stairs to a loft that my DOG can handle, and I’ve yet to see that at all.
Right now the design I have come up with is one similar to the Texas Tiny Houses bookshelf/stair combo found in their Canyon Lake, but with the staircase footing deeper and split to wrap upwards in the area of the Fencl usually reserved for closet space, if that makes sense.
I’m so glad this thread and contest is happening, and I’m excited for the result!
http://tinyhomebuilders.com/home
Dan has a one level “Retirement Cottage” he designed for his mother.
The loft is used for storage, and it looks very well built. Mr. Pino did a video tour of this one level for Dan’s mom on Tiny House Talk.
Check it out!
The tiny house I am currently building (see my blog–http://riveredge-jaybee.blogspot.com/) includes a permanent queen-sized bed on the first floor. I don’t want to sleep up a ladder; neither do I want to set up and fold away my bed every day. My home is 26 feet long in order to make this possible. I ended up designing this home myself (the floor plan is posted on my blog) because I could not find a plan/design that met my requirements. I agree, more such designs are needed!
http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/dans-tiny-house-video-tour/
Here is the video of Alex Pino of Tiny House Talk of Dan’s Retirement cottage….
Ahhh, the loft idea is also a challenge for pudgy older 63, gimpy (emphysema and mild parkensons), bladder controlled geezers (but dam good looking) like me, as well as the challenge of making the bed up to look “pretty”. I need the bed accessible for naps (often), (“lack of oxygen”). I have a 48” presently taking valuable floor space but want at least a queen. Google “Safari RV bed” and it will give you an idea of a terrific concept. Some older RVs also have an easy pull down over the driver’s seats (easy to salvage from RV wrecks) that would be good for young healthy guests. Economics has me building a Murphy type with the office concept as seen on this blog. Utilizing “from the ceiling concepts” has me coming up with all kinds of great ideas, many also found here. I do have an RV chesterfield which folds down and out for guests and of course a phone number for a local reasonable priced motel. I of course am living in opulence of 250 sq’. Anyone passing through Castlegar BC is welcome to come see this rough, building restoration on a shoe string prototype in continual progress but email first, I may be out living!!! Like minded people are always welcome in my world.
Sorry forgot, they don’t publish emails ralphcsjr@hotmail.com or I can be found on Facebook.
I live in a 10X20 tiny home on trailer that has a 7X10 sleeping loft and a forward storage loft over the 4X10 covered porch. I’m 58 and though I do not have any real trouble climbing UP to my loft for sleep given a decent ladder, I do have issues with the fact that, at 4 ft at the peak, I have to “clamber & crawl on my knees” to bed. I have back & hip issues, so often I sleep in a full recliner on the main floor just because it IS easier. I’m looking for ways to mechanize a people riser or a disappearing ladder. I also have trouble with “fitting in” a murphy bed design on the main floor given the placement of windows (I came into this adventure with a shell that had already been completed), so had no choice on window placement. Don’t have a website, so I’ll try to do the above gravatar upload.
Hi Mark email me a couple of photos and I’d be happy to publish them on this post. tinyhouseblog (at) gmail. com -Kent
As Mark Chenail said when posting this design, “I found this a very intriguing exercise but would like to point out that most of the designs posted are aimed at the young skinny nimble and able-bodied. As I am confined to a wheelchair and plus-sized into the bargain, I decided to see what I could design all on one level and as accessible as possible. That meant NO steps, ladders, lofts for sleeping. [Here is] a simple minded shed.”
http://www.countryplans.com/contest.html
These are great et, thank you for sharing. As more come in I will pull together a post that shows off these designs. If you don’t have a website but would like to share your home or design please email photos or floor plans to tinyhouseblog (at) gmail.com.
- Kent
Thank you so much for this discussion. I live in Los Angeles, so land is at a premium. I work with individuals with developmental disabilities who want to live independently. There have been some developments based on “cottage-style” living or “SRO”s/Single Room Occupancy (studios in a high rise). A much more practical solution is an accessible tiny home or homes on smaller lots in the community. It would do much to solve the issues of affordable housing for many.
If you check out my web site http://www.thinkbigdesignsmall.com the image on the homepage is of a bed system I designed. The idea was simply to remove all the wasted space in a bedroom and make a ‘Bed Pod’ which can be placed in a hallway or living room etc. It has doors that slide shut to hide the mess when guests come over and appears simply like a closet on the outside. Inside it has built in bookshelves, a nook for your coffee cup or night time snack, a built in tv, and reading lights. It is accented with small windows above to add natural light. The mattress is on platform that slides out for ease of making the bed and below the bed there are one or two large full length drawers (depending on the model) that can be used to store bedding, clothes, or even a pull out mattress set in a giant drawer for when guest come over. Among the models options are included for a small cabinet along side it 18″ wide, where a full closet pulls out towards you, with small drawers below. There is even an option for a small stack laundry closet along side in a cabinet. This bed screams storage and efficiency!
I think the Tumbleweed type designs fit in a certain niche, but I have always felt that something in the way of 500-700 sq would be more appropriate and practical for our soon to be senior citizens(that would be me). We need to think of designs that will us allow us to build our smaller houses with the aging process in mind. Wheelchair sized doorways, wheel-in showers. It’s always best to be prepared, none of us knows what the future may bring us in terms of our health. For me, my small house will be the last one I build and is going to need to be darn near perfect! lol
I am with you – I like the tiny home but at 61 I need room for a walker and a walk in shower/tub of some sort so need at least 500 sq ft. Any chance of a web blog for “cozy homes”? It would also open up putting a home on land since most cities require that a home be at least 500 sq ft.
Patricia, you did it! That’s PERFECT: “cozy homes”!
We’ve been discussing ‘tiny homes’ here for a few years, and this subject comes up again and again (more so, recently) and leaves many of us wondering what to call the ‘tiny house’ WE are trying to envision and share… small house? Too broad… Little house? Again, a little vague, brings to mind either gnomes and hobbits, or the Gilbert family…
The Cozy House, just a little bigger than the ‘tiny’, single floor, wider halls, hand rails here and there, lower switches and higher outlets… for those with seniority and/or disability needs!
I’m not much with e.drawing, so my Bed idea – for a Custom RV Trailer, too – is this. Improve on the standard Futon Couch. For a King Bed, use 2 – 3′ Single Bed-sized pieces of very dense Foam; the Foam we have for all House Beds. Cover each with attractive Single Bed Fitted Sheets. Make 2 ~3′ x 6+’ Wood Frames w/bottom Slats and ~1″ Dowel Rods on each half-Frame corner [8 Dowel Rods/Pins total].
Underneath, strap the 2 Frames together with study Nylon Webbing, etc.. In the Couch configuration, the rear Back-support 3′ half is angled, and could even sit up on the Fanny-support Frame half.
The Frame corner Dowel Rods would travel in routed grooves on both sides in the Frame. They could be waxed, or lined with Teflon Strips. Or, the stout Dowel Rods could be Teflon. Garage Door Wheels and Brackets [very stout] in a Routed recess also could be used instead of Dowel Rods. These would require ~2 quick-engage Locking Pins, etc., to keep the bottom Seat rear Wheels from moving in the Couch position.
Pulling forward on the Couch front pulls the Back-support half along, and makes into a 6′ wide Bed with 2 – 3′-wide side-by-side Sections.
I fell ~half-way down from an RV Bed up over the front Seats. My Leg hit a sharp edge on the Dinette MDF. I opened up and bled nonstop. Made a believer out of me to use any future Loft for Storage, or an occasional, comfy Reading spot. Accident odds increase statistically if you climb up/down daily.
What I’ve found is that Routing in detents, or half circles like a Comma shape, lets the Dowels drop into place and not move while still allowing desired movement between Couch and Bed functions. The Routing trick is where the lower side of the Back support-half rests so that it can come out of the rest position and follow the Couch Seat bottom as it’s pulled into a Bed.
For me, a Couch needs to deploy into a Bed in seconds. If Friends sitting on your Bed Sheets is too weird, throw something over the Couch during the day.
This Couch/Bed could be permanently mounted to the Wall, since pressure will cycled upon it daily. A Duvet w/integral Cover [no Top Sheet needed] and a Pillow could be stored in a Drawer, etc., underneath. This would permit the Bed to be made up in no time. This idea would work for a Single Bed. The Couch Back Support could mount to the Wall on an angle, and stay there.
If precisely implemented – and Manual Operation is not desired – this idea should be compatible with a +12 VDC Servo Motor and threaded Drive Screw. They’re used in ‘Toy Hauler’ RVs to raise/lower rear Beds from the Ceiling.
Thanks for addressing this! I have been looking at tiny house designs myself, and have found few that don’t require climbing a ladder to get to the loft. Though I am young and at least 30 yrs. from retirement, I have very bad knees, so climbing ladders on a regular basis doesn’t appeal. I could probably handle a few well-placed stairs, but that’s it. I look forward to seeing what designs come up!
Like many other responders, I am older (63), achy and clumsy. I was lucky to have the foresight to have a one story house built 24 years ago. However, it is way too big now for me to handle the cleaning, upkeep and utility expenses. The tiny house for me would have one bedroom to handle a king sized bed and 1 1/2 bathrooms. So far, I haven’t seen one like this. Anybody know of one?
Kent, I was so happy to see you posted this for me. I really appreciate it. Your a man of your word.
And as far as the comments go, WOW! I am so happy I am not the only one wanting and needing more from a tiny house. I had a feeling this would be a good topic.
Thanks for all the ideas and links, I am still going through them and adding ideas to my growing list.
Thanks again for this great post, the excitement and comments. It is so nice to see other people express the need for something as simple as hand railings and a better bed situation. I am so happy about this.
Jeff H.
One of my favorites is the 400 sq ft Home Care Cottage. Looks very livable for us less-than-agile folks.
tinyhouseblog.com/stick-built/home-care-cottages/
I greatly enjoy the site and visit almost daily and have been hoping that some one like myself (middle Aged 52 and mildly disabled Physically, mobility issues ) would bring forward designs which would be more appropriate for someone like myself. I grew up in a huge suburban Mansion 7850ft/2 and have spent my entrie adult life moving down in size of home for the last 12 years 1276ft/2 while 200 to 400 is economically sensible 650 would probably due. My first interest in a smaller home was sparked by a book called the “the little house” written by Leslie Armstrong, This how to shows the wear of a hundred readings, its simple design and small size make for a alternative but it still has stairs and a small bedroom on the first floor would still be necessary in my case.
Lastly I personally would appreciate more floorplans be presented along with the pictures of small and tiny home allon the lines of the various layout presnted of the 16×20 houses on this site floorplans help give context to photos
thank you
Tumbleweed Houses has the Popomo plan that has a bed on the main floor and is 172 sq. ft. They say it is one of the easiest of their houses to build, too. It isn’t as pretty on the outside, but the floor plan is nice.
I am presently building a Tiny House on skids.
It is 7’6″ wide by 16′ long excluding the roof.
I also went through the decision of loft or no loft and decided on no loft for sleeping but a loft storage area over the bathroom for water storage (rainwater capture and pumped overhead for storage and thermal mass). I am still deciding on a fold up bed or a dedicated bed with pillows that can be used to make it a day bed. I have been looking at campaign furniture as a possible solution to all my furniture needs ( Blame Christopher Schwarz for that).
The Meadowlark Herald (a newspaper I am editor for) has done stories on small houses before, and I also live in a tiny (120 sqft) house with my wife. Lofts are entirely unnecessary, and I’d be happy to talk to you about how my family manages without one, and about various beds we’ve tried. You should consider a sleeping mat – it’s really good for the back – because they can fold up in the morning. You can even put the mat up on a cot if you like, and the entire thing folds away.
Tiny homes are not so inconvenient that you can’t have a full sized bed, or a hammock, or any other thing you like to sleep on. Lofts are great ways to make room for your stuff, but if you have that much stuff, you need a larger house.
Tiny homes are great for all ages and abilities: walking an extra 50 feet per day to go to the bathroom or kitchen 3 times per day translates to over 10 miles at the end of the year. That wears out shoes (or wheels on your wheel chair)! Homes built on a human scale mean a happier human inside…
I recommend designing your own tiny home to your specifications, and would love to help if you want my advice. The home need not cost more than $3,000, even if you get fancy. You can reach me at the Meadowlark Herald, at meadowlarkherald@gmail.com.
Being 61 but fit and agile, I wouldn’t have trouble with a loft; thinking long term though, a ground floor bed would be the best design.
I like the Tiny House Builders’ Retirement Cottage but with some modifications. I would shorten the kitchen space…it’s a very long counter for one person…to leave enough space for a built-in double bed with drawers under and bookshelves at the ends. With an attractive quilt and lots of pillows/cushions, it could be used as a couch during the day. I don’t see why beds need to be hidden away.
I also would want a porch for sitting out, and a small ‘mudroom’ area for shoes and coats.
Spending the winters in a 31 ft Airstream in Texas, I’ve found that the motto, “everything in its place and a place for everything” is so true.
HI again,
I have a number of ideas that I will try to sketch and send in an email, but in the meantime, what about a bed with hydraulic hinges that easily folds up against the wall over the desk, but lowers on legs that prop on the desk without disturbing the desk things on top, and what if the bottom of the bed (when it is folded up to the wall) contained storage areas, bulletin board, pictures, etc. that could be used when not sleeping? And what if the roof was lowered so that you would still have the adorable roof line, but could build a loft right down the middle, but open on the sides so that anyone standing at any point along the floor can reach up from either side and get something from the loft without having to climb. What about cool storage boxes with lids under the built in sofa that could slide out and be used as footrests, and fold down little tables on each side of the sofa that could be used for a laptop? Handholds could be attached to the walls and ceiling at strategic places to aid in standing and sitting, and you could build a cool ramp to come and go to your porch instead of stairs. I will try to sketch out some of this, but it will be a day or so. Good Luck!
Here is a link to a little cottage that was featured in a 2007 edition of County Home Magazine.
The cabin design is approx 545 sq feet, and is laid out very nicely for 1-room living. It is still one of my all-time favorites for 1-room home concepts.
I think the online article show 9 photos of the ‘interior’.
http://www.countryhome.com/decorating/showhouse/kbisretreat_1.html
WOW! as a tiny house designer and builder/Instructor I am blown away at the feedback on this post. I am glad you all have responded with your needs and request.
I will be creating innovations and design responses to solve the needs of this segment of micro housers this year on my blog and youtube channel stay tuned.
P.S. I’m listening let me know your needs.This is exciting I love problem solving.
Thanks Kevin, I watched a few of your videos, they are great. As the comments come in they are full of great ideas. I will be adding to the list as well. I’m glad that you as a builder are excited about this, I can tell in your writing this interests you a lot.
Jeff H.
Tiny life is a lot simpler if you just need a tiny bed. I sleep on an Ikea Beddinge couch that flops out into a larger bed if needed but most of the time it’s good enough as is. I raised the back legs to keep the sleeping surface level and added extra foam for a more comfy snooze. When I stay in my Boler I sleep on the couch there too where I have a 6″ foamie. I took off the backrest part, just use pillows. Luckily I’m only 5’4″ so there’s lots of room lengthwise.
It’s not just a problem for the upper-middle-aged or a previous commenters blithe remark about wheelchairs, and it’s not just about murphy beds or lofts.
My husband and I love the tiny houses we see here and elsewhere, but the reality is that although he’s young (27) and “healthy”, he’s a veteran with a bad back, grinding knee joints, and largely useless foot. He limps, he’s fully deaf in one ear, and he has brain trauma they’re only beginning to diagnose. (He also has a family, a job, and the grit to stay as active as he can, so no pity!) But fact is, his physical life won’t get any easier with age.
Many of these houses that I see regard a window as a secondary fire-escape exit, something about meeting codes for habitation, I believe. That isn’t going to work for people who can’t climb, especially a lofted window, but also even a counter-height window. A murphy bed can’t be lowered by someone with a bad back, or a tiny wet bath used by someone who can’t bend well or stand for long periods of time. What about an option for lights to signal that someone is at the door, instead of relying on sound?
Odds are we’ll never have a tiny house because of many small but meaningful issues like these. It’s a shame that more architects and designers of tiny homes don’t offer options and expand their market audience. They’re missing out, and that’s just poor business sense.
I watched my ‘Out Laws’ have to leave their Detroit ‘Burbs Post-WW II House due toSteps. So, I just finished our ‘last’, single level House with all 3′ Pocket Doors, and Wheelchair Access. I lowered all Light Switches. The roll-in Tile Shower, w/sloped Floor, has no Lip, A slight, sloped one could be built-in. From a Hotel in Brazil, I borrowed the idea of the [Glass] Door clearing the Tile by JUST a smidge. Water doesn’t flow out if this gap is small. A relatively-large Shower Door makes a modest space Wheelchair-accessible. Also, Big Box Stores now sell a high-walled, sit down Tub with a relatively-small Footprint.
Some RVs place Toilets in a corner at a 45. This allows for Knee room, and for Assist Rails on both sides. This occupied Toilet footprint overall is smaller than usual. A custom, corner Cabinet above the toilet could hold Toiletries, etc..
Murphy Beds [or Kits] have ‘assist’ Hardware that offset Bed weight. I’ve thought that a roll-up Garage Door ‘assist’ Spring could be installed and adjusted for Murphy Bed use to make it ‘feather’ light. Once stored up in daytime, a hinged, fold down, cushioned Couch Seat on the Bed bottom could deploy horizontally for sitting. A hinged Desktop could deploy, also.
Wireless Doorbells are easily bought. Have an ‘Electrical’ Pal modify it to light a bright LED.
We did all 9′ Ceilings to allow for high Shelves to hold infrequently-used items in Closets [small Suitcases; Seasonal Coats; etc.]. I like this approach better than a climb-up Loft, although neither is ADA-compliant.
SSR, I think you have some very good points here. But I think the problem is the builders and designers never really thought about people with disabilities. And that is why I decided to ask Kent to post my request. I have soooo many ideas in my head and on paper that I will share as soon as I have time. As I read through I see mention of “cottages” and to me they can adapt many features fairly easily given the fact they are larger, but a “tiny house”, say on a trailer with limited space will be what I call a “challenge”. So give these builders and Designers a chance and I bet they come up with some excellent ideas. Maybe even a get together at one of these gatherings would be helpful for the builders? I know I cant bend over very well and pull out a hide-a-bed, I could but I wouldn’t want to. This is going to be a exciting new phase that I think will really get people thinking and sharing ideas on different designs. Anyways thanks to everyone who has contributed to this post. It is very nice to see I am not the only one looking for some changes.
Jeff H.
A lot of accessibility issues have been addressed in RV’s, things like portable ramps. http://portablewheelchairramps.ca/ is just one. Some ideas here too http://www.accessibleconstruction.com/articles/special-living3.html
Someone on the facebook page mentioned Katrina Cottages in response to this post. I had forgotten about those! What a great option!
The med cottage and retirement cottage are fabulous. You might also want to check out http://www.townandcountryplans.com Some of these designs are single level.
http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/dans-tiny-house-video-tour/
This guy built a beautiful one level Retirement cottage for his Mom. This is a video of Alex Pino from Tiny House Talk touring it…
This is the design I was talking about in my previous post. It’s seems so bright and airy! I would shorten the kitchen area though to make space for a real bed with drawers under and bookcases at either end. Futons and pullouts are not good enough support for back health.
I guess I’m of the younger variety, but I do not fit into the skinny nor large bladder category. I have a loft for my bed and I usually have to get up at least once a night to go the bathroom. I can say it has firmed up my glutes for sure, having to go up and down a ladder multiple times a day. I love, love, love my loft bed. Makes me feel like I am in a tree house. My inner 5 year old appreciates that.
I did wonder how the tiny house movement could work for the folks who weren’t so inclined for a ladder due to injury or age. I had contemplated a murphy bed in my earlier stages of my tiny house search, and what I realized is that I do not want to have to put my bed away every day. But I would be curious to see what designs pop up out of all of this for sure.
~Kera
I’m young and I have overactive bladder and has no desire to climb a loft especially one with a ladder multiple times a night so I think this is an AWESOME idea. We need more one story houses. I don’t mind having a loft for storage use but not to sleep in.
The other problem with Tiny houses I’m running into is efficiant closet space. Living in a climate with 4 seasons and my husband has to wear suits to work. Our wardrobe is pretty extensive and nothing can be done about it. I typically find the closet space in these homes would barely cover the amount of coats we need to last us these different tempatures.
If you have more than enough room for a full-size desk on the main floor, there’s a Murphy bed/desk at Storagebeds. (http://storagebeds.com/products/hidden-beds.html)
Otherwise, an old fashioned day bed also makes a mediocre couch, given enough backrest cushions.
I love this desk/bad design and it is much cheaper than the couch/bed from Italy I had been salivating over. Thanks for the link!
While I can (sometimes) manage stairs with two handrails, I have a service dog who can climb regular stairs but not the steep kind often found in tiny houses.
I posted the same ‘problem’ above (I hate to call my sd and lifeline my problem, but with a tiny house she is considered one). Glad I’m not the only one
I love this request. I have noticed some of those very same issues when looking at all the lovely tiny houses. But I often wondered, as people age, get arthritis, etc, how they would be able to keep climbing up to the loft area to sleep.
I realize some solutions will end up with more overall square footage and take up more “space” being flatter, however if the longevity of living in a tiny house can be maximized, isn’t that truly the win in this case?
Quite a while back (2010?) there was post here about a French tiny house that had ground floor sleeping. I remember thinking at the time that is was the first tiny house that would have been practical for me. Plus, it was gorgeous. I can’t seem to find the link now.
Being already partial disabled and one day will fully be I’ve been researching around the possibilities for cozy, compact design and you get more options if you drop the limited view the tiny house ideology baggage brings first.
If you tweak the the search engine right, places like Houseplans.com will bring up a couple dozen one floor, 1 or 2 bedroom cottages in the cozy scale.(There are 72 under 1,000 sq feet, 1 level, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 0 garage.) Some are even from the dreaded status quo main stream designers, omg.
I like to think of micro houses as being a different group from antique scale in tiny houses. And there are a lot of antique scale designs out there that will meet modern regulations and needs and still be “tiny” cozy homes.