Tiny House Blog

*Update below where Flow answers some questions and includes more photos

Hi, my name is Flow and I live in Humboldt county. I thought you might enjoy a peek at my new Gypsy wagon a friend and I created this summer.

Designed and built in northern California using as many reclaimed woods as possible, Douglas Fir floor from old school bleachers, a redwood door from old barn, and benches from downed old growth redwood.

The bed frame features a Ranma from Japan carved in 1910 and all the lighting is L.E.D. low voltage. It also has radiant heat flooring and an organic futon. Continue Reading »

Darrel Schultz is building a light towable gypsy wagon. The floor is 12 feet long and 54 inches wide. The roof overhangs each end by about 16 inches.

It’s totally scratch-built from the fram up, as the pictures show. I used a Dexter torsion-bar axle with electric brakes. Darrel likes keeping things simple, so there will be no electrical system other than the trailer lighting. The lights on the inside are gas, exactly as were used on early airstream trailers.

Darrel will be using a wood-burning stove (a ” Lil Sweetie” boxwood stove from Vogelzang.) for heat. Darrel is building it to camp in, because his Teardrop that he built doesn’t hold three people. He won’t have the interior finished, but he hopes to have the exterior complete enough by late summer for a trip to Yellowstone. Continue Reading »

Back in January George one of my readers shared his vardo project that he was in the process of building. Recently George sent me an update on his completed vardo and shared that he had been using it regularly. Following is an update from George.

This is my home-built trailer using classic and modern building techniques and style. Based on traveler’s and “gypsy” wagons from Britain and France as well as sheep wagons from the western U.S. I am keeping this to the absolute minimum in size and weight. I don’t plan to live in it so it can be thought of a base camp. I have mulled it over for a very long time and was torn between this style and a teardop design. Each have advantages but this just seems to suit me better.

My final design is certainly not perfect but fit within the very tight parameters I set for myself. Small, light, and relatively cheap were important as were ascetics and traditional building techniques. Unlike modern RVs where people may spend large quantities of time inside the structure, I want this to be used more like early pioneer or “Gypsy” wagons where most of the actual living is done “outside”. The teardrop RV community has taken this to heart, often with a very modern and high-tech design, including microwave ovens, television and entertainment centers, and very modern kitchens. Continue Reading »

Michelle Wilson contacted me recently about a new business she started called Hornby Island Caravans located in Canada. She recently delivered her first caravan to a customer and wanted me to share with you her project. Here is a little about Michelle and her business goals.

I aim to create spaces that have a sense of warmth and character. It is very important to me that my caravans are built with natural, healthy materials and that they are designed in such a way that is mindful of the client’s needs. I spend a great deal of time in the planning stage thinking about how the space will be used and, with that in mind, how to use every bit of space in the best possible way.

I certainly want the caravans that I build to be beautiful but I think even more importantly I want that certain magical quality that you find in buildings which are made with creativity, attention to detail and an appreciation for the materials being used. My aim is for the customer to feel a sense of wellness and comfort in my buildings. If they do then I’ve accomplished my goal. Continue Reading »

Tim Lawson from Port Townsend School of Woodworking contacted me about an upcoming workshop starting in January. A three month Foundation course that includes furniture making, cabinetmaking and Gypsy Wagon (or Tiny House) building as focus areas for the project part of the course.

Tim says: “We’ve always wanted to teach longer courses as part of our curriculum. We’re going to take that plunge and offer an intensive residential course starting January 2011. This will be a three month/twelve week course that will give any woodworker a very solid grounding in the array of skills they’ll need to develop as a furniture maker, cabinetmaker or (dare we say it) as a maker of Gypsy Wagons.”

He goes on to say: “We’re planning to push the envelope here and offer students the option of choosing to focus on one of these areas in the final part of the course. This would be a way for somebody with carpentry skills to transition to furniture making or finer finish work. For the avid hobbyist to develop a broader range of skills. Or for the Romany at heart to build the skills to complete a Gypsy Wagon.

We believe that this course can change your life. The course will give you woodworking skills that will last the rest of your life whether you make furniture for fun, rebuild your kitchen or plan to finish that gypsy wagon. Through the design part of the course we may uncover hidden passions or flair that help you grow as an artist.”

To get the full details visit the Woodworking website and see if this course if for you.

Libby who is building her own Bow Top Gypsy Wagon with her husband was recently visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico and discovered this old Gypsy Wagon. Though a totally different design than theirs they enjoyed looking it over and getting ideas that they might be able to incorporate into their own vardo. Libby especially liked the slide out table which comes out from under the bed.

Libby wishes she would have had her digital camera but was able to get these photos with their iPhone. Thank you Libby!

Continue Reading »