Tiny House Blog

João Neves – a Portuguese ceramist and sculptor – is the creator, designer and builder of MiniCasas. MiniCasas Portugal is based in Caldas da Rainha, in the centre of Portugal.

With the help of MiniCasas, you can expand your living space, create your own special getaway or set up a summerhouse, studio or stylish office space.

The Gypsy caravans are built with a keen eye for detail and from natural materials, such as cork and timber, then painted in warm tones, with water-based paint. They may be used as additional mobile living space, a place to host guests, an office or other type of work space, a library … the list is simply endless! If required, a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom-lounge area, running water and electricity can all be provided. Continue Reading »

John Labovitz contacted me the other day to tell me about his tiny housetruck project that he is working on. The minute I saw the frame it reminded me of the Cable Car Trolleys that I worked on for a couple of years as they were built using the same steel tubing and looked very similar before being skinned and completed.

I’ll let John tell you more about his plans and his philosophy behind his choice of design and materials.

My overall values in designing the housetruck were simplicity, durability, sustainability, and mobility, which combine to liveability. Although I’ve been inspired by the tiny house movement, the biggest breakthrough was discovering the long tradition of gypsy caravans and British ‘living wagons.’ Continue Reading »