Off Grid Tiny Office Roaming Atlanta to Create BIG Change

  Will Johnston is a fun-loving man about town in Atlanta. Known locally as the “Tiny House Guy”, Will relishes his life as a micro-living ambassador. His positive energy is contagious. He founded Tiny House Atlanta, a program for the Georgia nonprofit MicroLife Institute dedicated to building walkable, sustainable “micro-hood” … Read more

The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge

Dan Durica models hardcore sustainability by converting other people’s trash into his own eco treasure. When Dan first moved to Dancing Rabbit Eco-village, he didn’t have a place to call his own. He did, however, have big dreams for the world of sustainable agriculture. He planted a vineyard so that … Read more

The Flouch

Summer South Wall

Sustainability polymath, Dan Durica, is living his tiny house dream in style while teaching others how to follow in his low carbon footprints. Dan Durica grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, dissatisfied with its McMansions and manicured monoculture lawns. A passion for sustainability and intentional community led him … Read more

MorningStar Solar Home

MorningStar home, built by the Penn State Center for Sustainability has been around since 2007, but it will hopefully be the home of the near future. The 799 square foot building is a net-zero home that produces more energy than it consumes, and it has been used for educational and … Read more

Tiny Housing Advantages

Guest Post by Krista Peterson

Rising costs for utilities, high mortgages, and economic problems have brought on some popularity growth for tiny houses. The benefits of cutting costs are popular, but what are some other advantages to living in a tiny house versus a regular home? For those people who simply do not need the extra indulgences, possessions, extra expenditures involved with a normal house style, a tiny home may be perfect.

For one, an overall cut in cost and increased sustainability are some of the largest factors in the tiny housing boom. Living in less overall space triggers to less spending and consuming in general. Lower utilities and energy costs will definitely be an upgrade over larger houses and their need for more water, gas, and electric. The smaller houses should also take less time to pay off.

Photo Credits Jay Shafer

The less space will also mean less wasted time. With a smaller area to consume the time, simple chores such as vacuuming and cleaning take much less time off your hands. The size of the home is often directly connected with the amount of free time on your hands. If you have a smaller home, you will have more free time than with a larger space.

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Straw Bale 101

Guest Post by Andrew Morrison Straw Bale construction is an old technology that has grown to become a respected and viable building option in most locations and climates. Not only is it beautiful and energy efficient, but it is also three times as fire resistant as a conventionally framed home … Read more

Tiny House Inspiration

John Mitchell sent this picture to me and wanted to share it with the readers of the Tiny House Blog. John says: I follow TinyHouse blog on facebook. I dream of one day living in a tiny house and practicing sustainability. I’ve also been in love with the idea of … Read more

Indianapolis Island

What looks like an iceberg in the middle of a lake or a half-melted marshmallow is actually is an experimental living structure inhabited by art students. Indianapolis Island is an art piece created by Andrea Zittel and inhabited this summer by art students Jessica Dunn and Michael Runge. It is one of the eight works of art in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s 100 Acres art and nature park.

About 20 feet in diameter, Indianapolis Island is a tiny house made of fiberglass and foam that examines the daily needs of contemporary human beings. For the next four summers, the island will be occupied by one or two commissioned residents who are local art students. They will collaborate with Zittel by adapting and modifying the island’s structure according to their individual needs.

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Ross Chapin and Tiny House Communities

A few years ago I was given the chance to visit the Third Street Cottages on Whidbey Island and the opening of the Greenwood Avenue Cottages in Seattle. These communities, by renowned architect Ross Chapin and developer Jim Soules, have become famous for being small, sustainable and community oriented. Chapin … Read more