By Terri Barrie
In periodically stopping by the tiny house blog while researching small living spaces, it and other web sources convinced me to move ahead with my little home project. This now splendid studio home was originally a weekend getaway with garter snakes living in the wall. After six months of weekend renovations, it is now a relaxing place where the wildlife lives contentedly, outdoors.
The original structure (12 x 24) was likely a shed kit and is built on sand, which was laid on clay. The building leans a tad to the south. Total living space inside is 280 sq ft, not including the sleeping loft above the kitchen. There is electricity, but no plumbing. An electric Incinolet toilet was installed and works perfectly! The sandy, now snowy, beaches of Lake Michigan are less than a half mile away.
Prior to moving forward on this project, the last seven years were spent mostly outdoors. The original aesthetics were very appealing to 12 year old boys. A couple red riders and they were in heaven. The 12 year olds are now 21. They participated in the structures transformation as well as a core group of (retired) engineers. One engineer friend was there many days, for many months, measuring, cutting and maneuvering the unevenness of the place.
Three engineers from the paper industry came one day with all the necessary tools to build a deck, including a good supply of homemade chocolate chip cookies! Now that they’ve seen the place finished, one compared it to the Harry Potter tent scene at a quidditch tournament where Harry’s team enters a small tent and find a spacious inviting environment inside: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IMP2zIPc7lc Just what I was going for in my tiny house!
Thank you for looking at my little home.
Terri Barrie
