Tiny house trend can spark ideas
Tiny houses are becoming fashionable as both retreats and environmentally responsible lifestyle statements. I have been watching a variety of TV shows about families living off the grid and it reminded me to re-examine some of the hottest concepts for a getaway home.
Online, House Beautiful features “12 of the Most Impressive Tiny Houses You've Ever Seen” that includes several under 400 square feet. There is the 28-by-14-foot Park Model RV in the Canoe Bay Resort. This 392-square-foot unit on wheels is in the woods of Wisconsin and cost just under $80,000.
Another, the WeeHouse, was designed by Alchemy Architects in 2003 for a family in Minnesota to live off the grid in just 336 square feet near Lake Pepin. My favorite is likely the midcentury retreat that is a 300-square-foot Ipe-clad structure that is nestled between two rock outcroppings near Chappaqua, New York.
What makes each of these special is the sighting of the structures and the building materials themselves.
If a house really is a reflection of self, then people who are more open to alternative building materials and styles interest me the most. What is significant about the little houses discussed in the House Beautiful piece is that they are comely, first and foremost, and then practical.
The quality of cottages and cabins often is found to be special because most of the time they sit on undeveloped land, surrounded by natural beauty. The Crib at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland, takes its basic form from traditional American corncribs, which were common farm buildings that served to store and dry corn. The chic, modern, 250-square-foot interior includes a sleeping loft, an expandable kitchen wall, a bathroom and living room.
Made of sustainable and recyclable materials, the structure can be dismantled and relocated to another site. The Crib was originally designed for a client who owned a remote site on Nanjemoy Creek in Charles County, Maryland, and who needed to replace a dilapidated fishing cabin and aging outhouse.
Architect Dale Mulfinger, author of “Back to the Cabin: More Inspiration for the Classic American Getaway,” has designed cabins all over North America, from Nova Scotia to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He teaches a class on cabin design at the University of Minnesota School of Architecture. His latest book came out last year and features 37 inspiring cabins and includes useful ideas for all types of smaller homes. He is also author of “The Cabin and Cabinology.” Both of his books are published by Taunton Press.
Most design students are almost bored by the concept of using shipping containers in solving theoretical design problems for class. The idea has been around for some time. Yet, shown in the picture here is an example that transforms the corten steel units into a rather fashion-forward home based on economy.
Brothers Paul and Scott Stankey chose “the mother of all repurposed receptacles,” Mulfinger wrote, to replace a decrepit trailer on family vacation property two hours north of Minneapolis. Containers are used to move freight across the world via trains and boats. The metal boxes are 8 feet wide by 8 feet 6 inches tall, and 20 feet or 40 feet long.
Two shipping containers are joined together by a glass atrium and glass door entry. It has taken the two men years of weekends to insulate, trim out the interior with paneling and cabinets, and insert a wood-burning stove. They have added the refinement of a sun deck out back and the future will bring an indoor bathroom.
When building with containers, there are unique issues associated with insulation, the insertion of windows and outfitting them with electricity and plumbing. However, they do provide rather instant shelter and remain a compelling building material. Compliance with local building codes can be challenging and one would be wise to consult those before setting off on an adventure that cannot have a positive outcome.
In my city, one can build a structure of under 100 square feet without obtaining a building permit. Check into your own location's rules and regulations regarding tiny structures. Know that there are hundreds of prefabricated kits on the market that can make building extra space on your property in or outside of city limits much easier and affordable.
Cabins have historically taken advantage of local recycled building materials and often use local resources to generate power and heat.
• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of “Small Space Living.” Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
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