Tiny House Blog

I (Christina) recently got back from a trip to Vanua Levu, Fiji and got to experience life around the tiny Fijian cottages called bures (pronounced bur-ray). The traditional Fijian bure is a wood hut with a straw roof and usually no heating or air conditioning. The structure is cooled by placing windows where there is a cross-breeze. Bures are sometimes built with whatever is on hand in the local area.

Bures are used in Fijian tourism as travelers’ cottages or small resort structures. They are usually eco-friendly and powered by solar and with rainwater or spring-fed plumbing. They can range in sizes, but most of them are one-room structures. Because of the heat and humidity of the area, most time is spent out on a large, covered deck at the front of the bure. Also, because of the amount of rainfall in the Fiji islands, many bures are built on stilts.

Inside most tourist bures are some simple furniture, but in traditional bures most villagers sit on the floor on handwoven mats made from the pandanus plant. Continue Reading »

Peter and Donna Thomas are book artists from Northern California who have been spending the last year traveling around the U.S. in a handmade gypsy wagon. The wagon is their temporary home as well as a place for them to sell their books, teach book arts workshops and give talks and lectures. Wherever they’ve gone, their gypsy wagon has attracted attention for its whimsical color and design.

Peter and Donna fell in love with gypsy wagons when they were craftspeople at Renaissance fairs. Many of the fair vendors built the wagons to sleep in and sell their wares from. Peter and Donna built the wagon on a 16-foot Carson car hauler. The entire trailer weighs 3,800 pounds and it took them three years to build. The rafters were made with laminated pine boards and the floor with locally milled sugar pine. It is insulated, contains a small kitchen and electricity. They have a camping toilet in the closet and a solar shower that they keep in their tow vehicle, but the couple usually use campgrounds, friendly locals and universities for their bathing. Continue Reading »

Last year I wrote about the re-emergence of the Trillium 1300 travel trailer. The brand has recently expanded with the introduction of the Trillium 1500. This trailer is different than the 1300 in that it has two extra feet added to the middle, larger counter space and a larger dinette which converts into a bed. Four floorplans are available for both the 1300 and the 1500 including a corner restroom and a restroom/shower floorplan.

The Trillium is unique to the fiberglass trailer market in that the company bonds all fiberglass components, uses no wood in the structure, uses closed cell foam ceiling and wall insulation, provides upscale, contemporary interiors and builds each unit to the owner’s specifications. The stylish interior of these trailers is what attracted my attention. Continue Reading »

If a utility vehicle married a gypsy wagon, a Tonke Camper may be the result of this unusual union. Tonke Campers are hand-built by craftspeople in Holland who were inspired by the classic yachts created by Dutch boat builders in the 1920s. There are two models, the Explorer and the Fieldsleeper, which both meet the Euro IV emissions regulations. For overseas customers, Tonke ships the living unit and the steel platform that supports it. Then each unit can be carried by Renault Master, Volkswagen Crafter or Mercedes Sprinter (Dodge Sprinter in the U.S.) trucks.

What makes this camper unique is not only the style (polished wood fittings, teak floors, porcelain sinks and chrome faucets), but that fact that the trailer portion can be dismantled and be used as a guest room or a tiny house. Each unit includes a bed, kitchen and eating space, a small bathroom and storage for bicycles. They also include a large water tank, a combination boiler with hot water and heating system, an on-board battery, a spacious fridge with freezer and a gas stove. Continue Reading »

To send this summer off in style, I thought I would profile these colorful Indian tents. Most of them are primarily used for temporary purposes such as weddings and parties, but they are so well made and are so beautiful that they could be used as a tiny house – and you would be living like royalty.

Traditional Indian tents were often used as royal structures for the Maharajas and their courts. Ceremonial tents became the symbol of wealth and rank and the centerpiece of religion and society. Tents were often the most precious possessions – dwellings of both utility, luxury and mobility. The history of tents is long and widespread, mentioned in holy literature, recorded in poetry and depicted in art. Today, these tents are still used at palaces, private properties, gardens and resorts. Continue Reading »

At my last teardrop trailer gathering, a monster vehicle pulled into the campground. I immediately dismissed it as another massive vehicle built for trips to the mall, but I was surprised to see that it was actually a tiny house…on really big wheels. The young couple who owned it lived most of the year in the vehicle in Baja, Mexico.

The Sportsmobile is actually a Ford, Chevy/GM or Mercedes-Benz van that is converted into a traveling home. The one I toured was the 4×4 version which is rugged on the outside, but very comfortable, clean and organized on the inside. It’s the perfect touring vehicle for people who want a little more adventure.

Laura and Geoff took their Sportsmobile on their honeymoon and travel around the country in it. Continue Reading »