Vermont Home Owner Downsizes to 425 Square Feet

WCAX in Vermont has posted an video about Vermont resident Norman Wells who is in the process of building a 425 square foot house.

http://www.wcax.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=4050423&at1=News&h1=From McMansions to Micro-Houses?&flvUri=

The reporter stresses that this will be his full time home, not a vacation cabin, as if to highlight how extreme a choice he is making. I found that a little funny considering the number of people embracing tiny houses and not just small houses. Anyway, the feature has some great footage of the little gem of a house and Mr. Wells has clearly decided to have some custom work done inside. The timber features and tree branch style railings are just beautiful.

The reporter also interviews a spokesperson from the local builders' association who asserts that while Vermont residents already buck the national trend (i.e. the average house size is 2000 square feet instead of 2500), she expresses doubt that the average size will drop below 1600 square feet, suggesting that house of 400 - 600 square feet are too extreme an example of downsizing for most people.

Personally, I think it is really a matter of personal priorities. As I read the stories of people who have opted to build smaller homes, I see a recurring theme: resource allocation. Some opt for smaller houses to reduce their carbon footprint. Others want to have more time and money for their friends, familes, hobbies and interests. For some it is an economical housing choice while they finish school. And others want more freedom from the work-a-day world and having fewer shelter expenses enables them to have that.

I agree that the 2000 square foot house is in no danger of extinction at the moment as house size is still very much connected with our culture's definition of "success." However, as more people begin to redefine what success in life means to them, they will also look more critically at the housing options available to them. Some smart and successful builders and architects have already acknowledged this growing trend and have small house options on their website. And a growing number of people are taking matters into their own hands and building their own version of a small or tiny home with the help of websites like Country Home Plans, Andrew Sheldon and Jay Schafer (see my website list for the urls).

Tiny and small houses are a part of North American history. I, for one, am glad to see them increasing in popularity once again.

CBS News Item on Jay Schafer

Hi everyone. CBS has recently done a feature on Jay Schafer's Fencl (the tiny house he built to take on the road). The video is great and is evidence of the growing interest in tiny houses. Take a look for yourself!

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5244589n

An Update on the Last Posting

I had a lovely email from Jonny Barker regarding my most recent post about the tiny house and office he is building in the UK. He kindly let me know that the blog link I posted is somewhat outdated and suggested that I direct tiny house fans to track his progress via the following link www.tinylittlehouse.com

Another Beautiful Tiny House

Today I discovered http://www.tinyhouse.vze.com/ Jonny Barker's blog where he documents the building of a tiny house and a tiny office. The tiny house is built on a reinforced 7' x 13' trailer chasis. These exterior dimensions do not include the 3'6" deck which folds up for transport. The height from chasis to roof peak is 10', and 11' if measured from the units legs up. He is currently exploring what it will take to put the house on twin axels.

The tiny house has a charming wooden exterior that has been stained a warm oak. The entrance consists of a lighter stained dutch door with darker trim. He has fitted frames to hold flowers boxes under the side windows and has hanging baskets as well. He even recycled an old dog bed to act as a planter for green onions and herbs.

Unlike many tiny house designs, he has placed the bathroom/wet room near the front door and the kitchen just beyond that. An interior window cut out to the left of the kitchen counter allows long sight lines from the front door and gives a place to hang mugs. By closing in above the bathroom, the water tank and other mechanical bits are easily accessible yet nicely hidden.

What struck me as I looked at the many pictures of his projects was his attention to detail and creative use of found or used materials. The stainless kitchen sink was found on freecycle. The small freestanding kitchenette cupboard was purchased for £12.50 at a car boot sale (i.e. yard sale).

Mr. Barker has a short video on his website that provides a brief tour of his tiny house. The "progress" sections contain numerous pictures that give a detailed look at the construction of both the tiny house and the tiny office. If you are a tiny house fan, you should check out his blog!