by Lynne Hopwood
I can tell you that there is nothing like owning your own place, and either having no debt or such a small debt that you don’t even feel it!! When you are not chasing high-paying jobs to make ends meet, you can focus on any number of things: a new career, travel, relationships, getting healthy and growing a garden; getting outside and breathing the fresh air instead of the stale air of an office cubicle; or just spending more quality time with friends and family.
Paying off a mortgage often consumes decades of your life. Then there are the unexpected jobs layoffs, medical emergencies, home and car repairs, and other emergency money drains that make choices FOR you.
Earning a non-profit wage and being in debt didn’t leave me much money after the mortgage was paid. I loved my job, but was ready to move on to find a higher paying one. I desperately needed more margin in my life: less debt and more financial freedom.
How I stumbled upon the Tiny House Blog I don’t remember, but I became fixated with all the darling miniature houses and happy, free-spirited people living in them. I could not believe that houses could be built on wheels. Such a great idea! I pictured myself living in one, imaging where my furniture would go. Each day, I eagerly devoured the stories. I doodled my plans on hundreds of scraps of paper and almost sold my house and just bought one.
Plans changed and overnight I became a foster parent. The tiny house dream would have to wait. It was a huge change of plans and challenge to my 50-something never-had-kids resume. Then it hit me, show the tiny houses to this young man and see if he wants to build one. (See Ben’s Tiny House) It was obvious that he had skills and interest and I needed something “constructive” for him to do for I thought he would live with me until he was 18. Once he turned 18, I wanted him to get a good start in life and a shot at kicking the mortgage habit from the start. As it worked out he loved the idea and went on to build a 12 x 24 ft. building.
Plans changed again and he moved back home. About a year later, the dream of owning a tiny house resurfaced and I bought an awesome tiny house on wheels which I have named “Tiny Red.” An here he is:
Tiny Red is for sale. Here is the link: http://nashville.craigslist.
Tiny Red is 8 x 24 feet and 10 feet high at the peak.
I just melted when I saw the fireplace! It is a faux fireplace, but there is an opening where there could be a flue. Right now it is filled with insulation.
View of the kitchen/living area and faux fireplace.
Another view of the kitchen into the bedroom (no loft!). The bathroom is on the right.
The bathroom is opposite the kitchen and consists of a tiled shower, toilet and tiny sink.
Shower/toilet.
The bedroom is just off the kitchen and has a built-in bureau and closet. I was thinking that someday the bureau could be taken out and a stacked washer/dryer and a couple shelves could take up that space perfectly. I am standing where the bed would go. The flooring is something I put in on top of the sub floor that the house came with. I love the tiled wood look!
When the full size bed is set up, it takes up the entire room! I managed to get a tiny table and lamp on the opposite side. There are windows on three sides of the bedroom! So much cheery light!
The bed/bedroom with a poofy down comforter. It takes up space, but it works fine!
In the back of the house is the water and electric hook ups along with the black water exit. There are two spots to place propane tanks.
After much thought and two tiny houses on my property, my tiny house needs became more clear: I don’t need a tiny house on wheels, just a tiny house. My hope is to finish out Ben’s house with his help and (ahem) his expertise.
Where did you buy your house. I would love to get one just like yours.
Thank you,
Maryanne Simmons
Thanks for the nice comments everyone! Maryanne, Tiny Red is actually for sale. I must have forgotten to add the link! Here you go:
http://nashville.craigslist.org/for/4499066170.html
I want a Big Red.
give us the background on how you can keep several tiny homes on this property? maybe a time limit?
I must have forgotten to add the link to the story of the young man who started building his tiny house on my property. He is an awesome young man and still a dear friend 🙂 Here is the link to his story:
http://tinyhouseblog.com/yourstory/bens-tiny-house/#more-28013
This is one of the best ones so far.. I like it’s all on one floor, (sleeping area) instead of the usual ladder to get to loft. Also the side entrance is another nice feature.. I could do with out the fake fireplace. (after all it still is a tiny house) I’d rather have the wall space for more practical usage…Closet space could be a little more. Outside color give the house curb appeal..
Not me! I LOVE the fake fireplace. It adds so much to the charm! This is one of the best tiny homes I’ve seen. I will be looking into buying it. 🙂
Nice to see a tiny house with a ground floor bed room.
I have issues with stairs or a ladder, a ladder between me and the toilet would be an absolute deal breaker.
Wife and I are closing on property this month (June 2014) and will have a small metal home built. Finding the right property has been a major pain.
I love all the cool ideas posted to the tiny house blog. I am sure what I see here will influence what we build.
Love your kitchen in Tiny Red. It seems that most tiny house people end up in someone’s back yard. Guess I’d have to get out of town where zoning doesn’t interfere. I’d love to see Tiny Red after its furnished.
Where can one purchase the plans?
The bedroom is heaven sent for those that love tiny houses but cannot climb ladders and have age or mobility problems.
The fireplace makes it a home.
Does anyone build one just like this?
Is there a fridge, stove, loft storage area?
The bedroom makes the design the best of all of the tiny homes!
Jean, I have the name of the man who built Tiny Red on the title. I will attempt to contact him and see if he would be willing to allow me to post his contact information. He did a super job designing this sweet tiny house! In the meantime, come have a look at this one!
Tiny Red is as sweet as can be! My son built me a tiny house with the bed on the ground floor as well (doubling as a daybed/couch). It’s 8×20, built on a trailer. I’ve lived in it for a year now, and love every inch of it. I was parked behind my daughter’s house, but the city kicked me out, and now I am in a trailer park in Whittier, CA. I would love to find (or create) a tiny house community somewhere in California. Maybe get property and license it as an RV or trailer park?
I also love the one floor plan as I am old with bad knees. For me, a single bed and a stackable w/d would fill one wall and still keep space for the closet and dresser. I haven’t heard any one mention it, but I absolute love the woods that you chose. Really beautiful! I think I would do a corner fireplace and use that space as a built in bookcase. Anyhow, great job and wonderful foster dad and son project. Good for you two!
I especially noticed the unusual (and gorgeous!) interior materials, and it made me wonder if you have allergies or MCS? I’d assume not MCS because of your career, but, anyway, it’s gorgeous, the floor and granite-looking counters made me drool, and like everyone else who’s commented, I *want* one, so please let us know when your son is set up for business!!
Compared to how tiny some houses are, this one looks practically palatial! It’s beautiful- and I also love the fireplace. I have a small electric heater that looks like a woodstove and has a fairly-realistic “flame”. I paid $99 for it at Home Depot and I think it would fit right into that fireplace. So maybe something like that?
Good job and kudos to you for being a foster parent. 🙂
Wow! What a great story. The interior of Tiny Red is breath taking! I echo the comments of others regarding a first floor bedroom. Tiny Red is a keeper! Looking forward to seeing Ben’s future projects.
Great Place and layout. Any chance you might have a basic drawing of the floor plan? If so would you please send it to me!
I’m starting to put things together and possibly build one myself and would like to see how yours is laid out.
Thanks,
Mark
I am so envious…this is absolutely perfect! My dream home…love it.
I LOVED what I could see of the tiny ‘Red House’ but it is so frustrating looking at these tiny houses, when you leave out showing the whole other side of the interior and floor plans so you can see how it is layed out? These pictures are charming but always taken from an angle, which is the nature of the beast! you can only see as much as you can fit into the camera lens! and I realize that…(that is why floorplans are so important!) I wanted to see the other side of the living room and bedroom, not three shots and two from the same angle of the bedroom but with a different bedspread!! I am more intersted in is there any more storage, and a wardrobe?, room for furniture? an eating space? and why could you not put something other than a single candle into the faux fireplace? What kind of water supply would it have, and where is it located? If it has no wood or propane heat…what options does it have? and where would it be located at? I want information that I can see and read about. It is’n’t just this tiny house that has irratated me, so many are like this, and leave me hanging! If you can’t fit it all into this small site…why not a video or a slide presentation, that moves slow enough that you can really see what is there? I’m sorry for the rant! But I really liked this one and I was hoping to see more, and that last picture, though stunning, really frosted me! That was it and no more?
If you have a look at the Craigslist ad (link in comments above) there are more photos and lots of details and information. hth Michelle
I love this one!!
NICE!
I like this one very much. I, too, want the bedroom on the main floor. Too old to be climbing ladders. I would make a few adjustments however.
I would like to know how to get hold of the plans to build one in Canada. There are some modifications that need to be made if living in Canada( winter weather, etc).
Tiny stove in the corner would work fine. Nice simple design keeps cost low. Like it !!!!!!!
This is the ONE FOR ME! FLAWLESS… I can’t find ANYTHING about it to change… it’s single floor, has an adequate SEPARATE bedroom space (a must for many of us who are older and/or disabled), lots of light (no scrimping on windows, tiny house builders take note!), functional AND pleasing kitchen, bath and living areas! And the exterior is just as sweet as can be… even the PRICE it’s selling for on Craigslist is a PEACH, I just wish I had it available right now, I’d snap this honey up in a minute! THIS is where tiny and little homes SHOULD be, between $5,000 and $25,000 (depending on amenities and size of course). There is room, for sure, for those extra-luxe, quality materialed tiny homes of the $35,000 to $70,000 ilk, but they’re more for idealists who have the extra income to splurge, while most of us are on tight budgets, appreciative of quality but NEEDING to consider economy, too… I would LOVE to see the plans for this little Red beauty…?