Hawaii

Hale for the Ohana

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Hale Ulu

Like other historical homes around the world, the homes of Hawai’i were traditionally very small. The hale (pronounced HAH-lay) were the structures built by 19th century Hawai’i islanders and were made of local wood and topped with bundles of pili grass to protect it from the rains. A traditional hale … Read more

Hale Kilo Hawaii Tiny House Project

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Hale Kilo I’a is a unique twist on Hawaiian and modern architecture. Hale Kilo I’a is a collaborative project between H1 Construction & Fujita+Netski Architecture (together called H1+FN Design Collaborative). Playing with the idea of dual structures & the use of a creative wall, this project creates a private oasis … Read more

Tiny House Magazine Issue 18

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cover and index

Issue 18 of the Tiny House Magazine has just been published. In this issue, Chris Aune takes us on a video tour of his converted garage in California. Kriste Wolfe builds a unique treehouse on the big island of Hawaii. Gabriella Morrison gives us a lesson on the different types … Read more

Tiny House in a Landscape

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Hawaii tiny house

This week’s Tiny House in a Landscape was sent in by Maddy from Vancouver, BC while visiting the Hawaiian Islands. Maddy was blown away by the diversity of biomes and landscapes. This little house was located in a field off of the Kohala 250 highway on Maddy’s way to the … Read more

Micro-Mini Hawaiian Style House

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Guest Post by Douglas Burch

Attached are pics of my micro-mini Hawaiian style house. I built it and incurred only $6,600 debt on top of the $3,600 income I received over a ten week period. That included my cutting paths through the jungle for survey, getting a D9 bulldozer to do the site preparation ($2,100) materials and $400 outside labor by the invaluable Robbie Villanueva who basically tore up my plans and became the architectural consultant that defined the house.

The post and pier construction keeps the house up off the ground (300 inches of rain per year) and doubles the floor space by making a utility space underneath (5 feet 2 inches but we should have made it 6 feed or more!) and allows the house to “walk” during the frequent quakes. In Hawaii posts for awnings and porches are never attached to the slab so the whole thing doesn’t tear itself to pieces when the wave passes through the ground. The overhand is 2 feet to keep rain off the walls and provides 288 square foot of rain collection for a catchment water system.

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Johnny’s Hawaiian Small House Story

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My story. I’m a self employed housekeeper/gardener/painter. Back in the 1990’s I set about buying a house. Can you guess what sort of reaction I got from mortgage bankers when I told them what I do for a living and how much money I earn?

I did all sorts of research with many weekend field trips and after a few years I found a piece of undeveloped property that I could afford with cash. I then I had plans for my home drawn up for a few hundred dollars.

I saved up for a septic system, a foundation, and then a shell, etc. I scavenged furniture from thrift shops and pulled things off the curb on bulk trash day. I’m not too proud for that. No Sir. It’s been twelve years now and the place is about as done as it’s likely to get. Looking back I could have made do with less space, but I love my little 480 square foot mortgage free cottage.

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Habitats Hawai’i

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While most of us around the continental U.S. are experiencing the nip of winter cold, these tiny houses on the Big Island of Hawai’i are looking wonderful in their warm, tropical environment. Habitats Hawai’i are tiny homes on wheels created to simplify life and to live in a blended environment with the outdoors. The Habitats are a self contained living space which offer all of the basic necessities which one can then expand by way of arbors, plants, stone and water. Each of the homes are wired for 110 volts and are solar ready.

The Paniola is the first and premier model built with attention to quality and detail. The finishes include Sapele wood custom cabinetry, bamboo flooring, glass raindrop door between the bathroom and the kitchen, full insulation, refrigerator, two-burner stove, on demand hot water heater, a heater for cooler nights, Wilsonart countertops, an office, and an indoor bathroom with a shower and a composting toilet. The ladder is a unique and ergonomic design custom made from beautiful Sapele wood. The dimensions of the Paniola are 16 feet x 9 feet x 14 feet and there is a comfortable sleeping loft with windows above the kitchen. The Paniola is solar ready, wired for 110 volts and set up for a rain water catchment system. This Habitat is available to see by appointment only. Please call Barrie Rose at 808-960-6785. You will have the opportunity to discuss custom designs to fit your individual needs.

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Tiny House in a Landscape

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For the last week and a half I had the joy of spending time with my wife and two kids on Kauai, one of the most beautiful islands of Hawaii. It was my first time to Hawaii and we had a wonderful time. While in Kauai I looked for tiny … Read more