designs

Custom designs and backyard office plans from Tiny Cocoons

Tiny Cocoons is a firm of designers, architects, and building specialists in Indiana who build traditional custom homes focused on sustainability. So, it seems to be a natural path for them to move into the tiny house market. Tiny Cocoons builds custom designed homes based on several models. What sets … Read more

Middle America Embracing Smaller Living with microMansions

by Christina Nellemann

Like many trends, tiny house living started primarily in the Western states. The idea has been a bit slower to catch on in the Midwest, but maybe that’s a good thing. It gives the industry a chance to work out the kinks and come up with plans that fit more … Read more

High Quality, Safe Designs from TinyHousePlans.com

by Christina Nellemann

Backed by many accumulated years of tiny house designing and building, TinyHousePlans.com should be the first stop for anyone looking to build their own tiny house. The new website was established by Gabriella and Andrew Morrison and BA Norrgard, all dedicated and well-established tiny house owners and builders who have … Read more

Ice fishing shanty: An original tiny house

by Christina Nellemann

Some of the original tiny houses were not built for Instagram-worthy photos, but for basic shelter from icy winds and harsh weather. The ice shanty or ice fishing house (also known as a fish coop, darkhouse or bobhouse) is popular in northern communities where ice fishing is a major winter … Read more

A Tour of DC’s Micro Showcase

by Christina Nellemann

It all started with Brian Levy wanting to grow fresh vegetables. When the Washington, DC resident lost his community garden to a new development, he decided to purchase an ally lot in the Stronghold neighborhood of DC next to the Glennwood Cemetery. Once the veggies were established, other sustainable possibilities came to light and the Micro Showcase was born.

Zero Energy Modular Concept Small Home

by Kent Griswold

Don Harmon contacted me after our last small home post. He said that he worked with a company that is specializing in small home designs. Though these are still concepts he plans to follow up shortly with updates on houses with photos that will be built using these plans. Again … Read more

Russ-Stick Farm Tiny Houses

by Christina Nellemann

Russ and Sherry may be familiar to anyone who reads the farming magazine and blog, Grit. The Michigan couple are known for the Russ-Stick Ramblings column which was named after their 40 acre Russ-Stick Acres farm where they live with their Alaskan and Siberian sled dogs in a small cordwood … Read more

The Tiny Houses of Black Rock City: Caravansary

by Christina Nellemann

The theme for this year’s Burning Man, Caravansary, might be one of the most perfect for how the event works. The Persian word means either an Asian or North African inn for desert travelers or a group of people traveling together in a caravan. Both describe Black Rock City and … Read more

Cedarshed Industries

by Christina Nellemann

Cedarshed Industries in British Columbia has been designing and building shed and small structures for backyard use since 1992 and several of their designs could be used as tiny houses—or combined to be a tiny house community—without taking up too much space. All the Cedarshed Industries kits are made with … Read more

Inaugural ADU Tour in Portland

by Christina Nellemann

Tiny house fans in the Portland area will get a rare opportunity to tour the interiors of 11 accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the Portland area next month. Kol Peterson and Deb Delman of Caravan-The Tiny House Hotel in Portland will be holding the first ADU tour in Portland, Oregon … Read more

The Tiny Houses of Black Rock City: Cargo Cult

by Christina Nellemann

Another Burning Man event has come to a close and Black Rock City this year was jam packed full of interesting camps and structures. The city is the area where the nearly 60,000 people who come to the event live. Their “homes” are a selection of unique structures, trailers, buildings, … Read more

Alek’s Tiny House Project

by Kent Griswold

My name is Alek Lisefski. I’ll be starting to build my tiny house within the next month and hope to complete it by this summer. I designed it myself and will do as much of the construction as I can to save money and because I believe it’s an invaluable … Read more