Tiny House Blog

Kent, this was tough- ALOT of good contributions, and I tried to keep in mind that while I’ve heard and seen some of the applications before, others might have not. Some tips are “tried n’ true”, but often overlooked by others….I really had to read through the entire thread of almost 120 entries THREE times and take so many things into consideration (my eyes are going to fall out of my head!)- “newness” and creativity, uniqueness, actual potential and logic, and so forth…..man, this was NOT easy….

The one’s we’ve picked (Kent and Deek) Kent will be contacting the winners today and shipping the books.

So the winners……

Leigh- storage in pull up floor spaces…..I’ve always wanted to do this in a home, and have contemplated it in my Vermont cabin- it just makes alot of sense if done properly, and if insulative factors are still preserved.

Nik- old ladder on the ceiling as a pot rack, or the back of doors as a coat, mitten, etc holder…I own an old ladder that I’m going to make into a wall hung bookshelf.  The ladder can be used to stow/stack containers/items too, if fixed in place (not hung from a chain). I see wooden ladders tossed ALL the time too, so this project is basically free! Same ballpark, but Nik has a cool, door-storage spin on it- and the pot rack, while not a new idea, would make for a great conversation piece.

Photo Credit Dairy House

Alison Joyal. I based this choice on the sheer volume of good, practical tips- one’s that she’s actually applied in her situation/camper. I felt her entry had more than a few tips that people could truly put to use and learn from. Not rocket science, but some really good advice that makes perfect sense- and saves space in not ONE case, but in ten or more.

Again, thanks all! Some of your tips may just be shared, so that many more can learn and benefit from them, in some of the upcoming Tumbleweed Tiny House Workshops I’m teaching- one in Miami (April 14-15), and another in Boston, MA that will soon be announced. Tumbleweed Cambodia is also in the works! No, not really….I’ll also be at the Seattle Tumbleweed and I look forward to meeting some of you out there perhaps.

Thanks again to all who submitted ideas, congrats on winning a copy of “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks“, and we’ll have more copies to give out down the road- and Thanks Kent!

PS- anyone can email me if they want a signed, doodled-on (tiny cabin sketches- each one different) copy of the book. kidcedar at gmail dot com. If you buy an amazon copy and send it my way with a pre-stamped return, I’ll gladly sign it (thereby lowering the value of the book) for you. Not sure why you’d truly want my signature, but a few have asked, and I’d be more than happy to do it.

Also- Both my book and Lloyd Kahn’s have been doing VERY WELL- thank you all, and him and I, when we’ve spoken, both can’t believe how this scene is growing, and how very supportive it is. THANK YOU!

-Deek

Photo Credit Dornob

Guest post by Paprika Clark

There’s a new tiny house company in town, and our name is Bungalow to Go (www.bungalowtogo.com).

Hi, my name is Paprika Clark, but a lot of folks call me Pepper. Although I only named it a few months ago, I started my house design company in spirit when I noticed an ad for a new subdivision in the newspaper at the age of six. Next to an elevation sketch was a floor plan. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The rooms were named. I could recognize an overhead view of a toilet, and the distinct round burners on the stove in the kitchen. I created a three dimensional projection in my mind and walked around “my new house” picking out my room and figuring out where we would put our couch. It was magical and I was hooked.

I started drawing my dream house then and I’ve never stopped. In the beginning they were huge and often strange, with lavish impossible features. Ponds with lily pads, indoor pools, waterfalls, tree houses, cave complexes, three story libraries with enormous rolling ladders, fireman’s poles, secret tunnels, maze gardens, green roofs, greenhouses, orchards, fire pits, dance floors… my houses had it all. Continue Reading »

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company has posted their 2011 workshop calendar. These workshops are taught by Jay Shafer and span 2-days where you learn how to design and build a tiny house of your own. You can choose to attend both days or just one. I have had the privilege of attending one of these workshops and I learned a lot and highly recommend them to anyone serious about building your own tiny home.

Day one focuses on the construction process where you learn about topics like the tools you’ll need and the special needs of a house that can be pulled down a highway. Day two is focused on tiny house design where Jay goes into detail on how he makes tiny homes comfortable and functional.

You can learn a lot about what it takes to build your own tiny house online, but taking a workshop from someone like Jay can really help fill in the gaps and I found it really worthwhile. Visit the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company website to learn more and register. Here are the dates and locations:

• Sebastopol, CA Nov 6-7, 2010 (last 2010 workshop)
• Orlando, FL Jan 22-23, 2011
• Santa Fe, NM Feb 5-6 2011
• Nashville, TN Mar 5-6 2011
• Honolulu, HI Mar 26-27, 2011
• Jackson, NH May 21-22, 2011
• Olympia, WA June 25-26, 2011
• Washington DC July 16-17, 2011
• Chicago, IL August 6-7, 2011
• Los Angeles, CA Aug 27-28, 2011
• Portland, OR Sep 17-18, 2011
• New York, NY Oct 15-16, 2011
• Santa Rosa, CA Nov 5-6, 2011

For next summer, I’ve been looking at taking a cob building workshop to update my building skills, learn some natural building techniques, and get closer to the natural world. The process of building a tiny house out of earth and found materials is very appealing. While doing my research, I came across a few tiny cob houses that I thought epitomized how warm, human-scaled and friendly they can be. Some of these were so beautiful, I just had to share.

Continue Reading »

Jay Shafer from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company has just announced his schedule for his Building and Design Workshops for 2010. He is offering a special discount if you purchase your tickets between now and the new year. You can bring a friend for free. The usual cost for an additional person is $99.

Be sure and Register Now and take advantage of this special offer. I have been to one of his workshops and highly recommend them if you are thinking of building a tiny house someday.

Building Workshops

On Saturday, Jay Shafer will explain how to build a tiny house. The language will be clear and easy for everyone to understand. He will start at the foundation with a look at different types of permanent footings and a detailed description of how to build on wheels. Explanations of how to frame, sheath, insulate and finish will follow. Particular attention will be paid to the best way one can easily guard against the condensation that small spaces are prone to. The merits of different trailers, heaters, kitchen equipment, windows and building materials will be assessed. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.

Design Workshops

On Sunday, you will be taught how to design a small home that meets your personal needs and those of your family. You will have a chance to talk with Jay Shafer, national expert on small living, about the best ways to meet your domestic needs without waste. You will be presented with seven principals along with several strategies for good design before you are asked to develop plans for your own little home. The class is open to beginners, professional architects and anyone curious about how a tiny house is created at the drafting table.

Click here to Register Now