Tiny House Blog

For those of us who want summer to go on for just a little bit longer, here are some tiny teardrop trailers that exemplify the ease of summer camping. MiniTears are beautifully designed and built by Kurt Bowden in Northern California for MINI Cooper enthusiasts and other small car owners. They are custom made for each MINI that tows it and feature a spacious sleeping compartment with handcrafted cabinetry and LED lighting and a full-size galley with a stainless steel sink, lighting, and a 12 volt battery pack. Each MiniTear only weighs about 876 pound and they start at about $7,995. Additional options like a 12 volt video screen, custom paint, a variety of cabinet options and 120 volt plugs are available.

Since 1985, Kurt has owned and operated Fine Line Design, a custom home design firm located north of Redding, California. The recent downturn in home construction allowed him the free time to get back to his woodshop where “MiniTears” began to take shape in 2008. Kurt’s background in home design and construction, along with the fabricating skills his father passed on to him, gave him everything he needs to build these beautiful Teardrop Trailers.

You can see a video of Kurt’s MiniTear here.

Photos courtesy of MiniTears

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

By Jennifer Pecenka

This movable studio is a live/work space for the artist who seeks inspiration from the land and a vehicle for interaction between the display of work to the public as well as a response to the land and context in which it sits.

In a space as confined as this street legal 8.5’ wide x13.5’ tall trailer, privacy with the ability to utilize nature as a living room allows the greatest flexibility of use and comfort. Claiming outdoor space with the unfolding façade is vital for both functionality and inspiration for the artist in addition to its mobility for tours or living simply off-the-grid. Its operation gives the artist control over daylight, ventilation, and security through means of slatted screens, folding awnings, sliding skin, and extending decks.

Continue Reading »

Joseph Crowell has been building buses and vans for many years, but was recently inspired to build his first gypsy wagon by Sunny Baba, an activist and spiritualist who has built dozens of gypsy wagons. Joseph, who is in the Ashland, Ore. area, built this gypsy wagon with about 80 percent recycled materials. He gets a lot of his supplies from Dumpsters or from the side of the road. He uses manzanita tree branches as exquisite details in his design.

“If I see an old piece of furniture laying around, and it looks like it can still be used, I’ll saw it up,” Joseph said. “It makes the whole ‘find is and use it’ process more enjoyable.”

Joseph initially designed and built the stained glass window in the gypsy wagon, but he thinks he might look for a local stained glass artist to do the window in his next wagon. The wagon weighs about 1,500 pounds and can be towed by a small truck. It was recently sold for about $8,500 and Joseph plans on keeping his next design’s price to below $10,000.

If you are interested in one of Joseph’s gypsy wagons, email him at jsph.crowell (at) gmail.com.

Photos courtesy of Joseph Crowell

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Fox Business News recently ran a video featuring Tumbleweed’s Jay Shafer and his tiny Popomo house which was parked in the middle of Manhattan. The 172 square foot Popomo was on its way to the East Coast of the U.S. and Jay was interviewed about it and his other tiny designs.

This video shows some nice interior views of the Popomo’s “great room”, bedroom and kitchen (with or without the antics of the reporters). Fox Business News focused on the Popomo being an alternative living option during the housing crisis.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

This beautiful custom sheep wagon by Wizard Wagonworks is based on the original “sheep camp” of the 1880′s with a modern twist. It is designed for both highway and off-road use as well as for durability, comfort and ease of maintenance. Kenny Harris of Wizard wagonworks is in the cabinetry business and built two of these sheep wagons according to a customer’s specifications. One is now being sold for $60,000, but Kenny can build any custom sheep wagon for less than the current price.

The exterior of the wagon contains laminated oak struts, a T&G planked floor and metal roofing. The wagon is insulated and the exterior wood is finished with teak oil. The interior has oak bead board paneling and the benches, tables, cabinet doors and drawer fronts are solid oak. The wagon can by towed by a truck or other large vehicle and handles well on the highway with speeds up to 70 MPH. Continue Reading »

If you want a small trailer, but also want to enjoy the outdoors in style, you might want to look into getting the new Eddie Bauer Airstream which combines two respected names into one small package. This stylish trailer can hold you, all your toys and even a dog or two.

The Eddie Bauer Airstream is a 25-foot trailer with the classic Airstream styling and costs $74,000. It has a queen-size bed with an Eddie Bauer Goose Down duvet, pillows, and throw, maple and soapstone laminates, quilted fabrics, and stain-resistant Sunbrella upholstery on the interior, an oversized hatch for loading and unloading gear like bikes and kayaks, and a generous side awning. The panoramic windows and the hatch let in the outdoors and fresh air. Other features include: Continue Reading »

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. Continue Reading »