CAMom Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I guess to me it says, "Don't come visit me." I like my home to be a place where I can nourish relationships and I don't see how I could do that in a tiny house.:confused: I want my house to be a place where the people I love can come in and put their feet up. Where they can sit at the island with me while I prepare a meal. Where they can browse my bookshelves and pull a book that interests them. I want my kids to feel like they can call me to keep the grandkids when they need a weekend away with their spouse. I want them to feel like they can come home and help decorate the Christmas tree. Where they know they will find their mom and a warm bed. I guess, for me, relationships revolve around the home. I'm not saying that those who live in or desire a tiny home don't value relationships. I'm just wondering how they nurture them without the space to do it.:) My house is just under 1500 sq feet. I wish I had just a little more room but we're comfortable. Especially since oldest is away at college. We also have a 225 sq ft (or so) guest house in our backyard so that would qualify as a "tiny house.";) We have it outfitted wonderfully in IKEA decor and it serves as my oldest's bedroom when he's home as well as a guest house for any overnight visitors we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I found these yurts with the cedar siding. That would be nice here in northern Maine. Wow. Those are way nicer than the one I saw on Design, Inc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I would love a small house really I would. But could somebody explain to me where I could fit a piano in a tiny house, my library and my year supply of food? :lol: Not to mention 3, soon to be 4 kiddos. Yes we have a 2000 square foot house and the thing I wish I had built more of was storage/pantry what was I thinking. I would love a redo on that, or maybe just a full basement for storage, then it would be out of sight. So someday I would love a small house. My kids can buy this one and I will have a little on built on the property with room for a piano at least, and a storm cellar for food storage. I'll just visit the kids to borrow books. :lol: And I don't know with my dh if I could do a loft for sleeping because of the fact he has bad knees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Gregg Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I think there it a romantic thought to want to live in a tiny house. For 6 yrs as our family was growing/starting we lived in just under 2000sq ft. It was a bit to big for us but it worked. Last year we moved for my husband's job and took the plunge into homeschooling. As part of the move we lived in a 900sq ft apartment for 6mos. It was very cozy but not ideal. Perhaps if it had been 900sqft with a yard. We then moved to a 1200 sqft townhouse. Still 2 bedrooms and the master bedroom has a lot of wasted space. We like having 1 1/2 baths though. We don't have a yard or really any access to green space so we are in pursuit of renting a house. The two we have looked at have been between 1200-1300sq ft and 3 bedrooms with a yard and either a small garage or basement. I think for us this is the ideal size. Enough room for two growing children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Wow. Those are way nicer than the one I saw on Design, Inc. Aren't they, though? I'm not even sure they can be called yurts. More like simple round houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessa516 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I guess to me it says, "Don't come visit me." I like my home to be a place where I can nourish relationships and I don't see how I could do that in a tiny house.:confused: I want my house to be a place where the people I love can come in and put their feet up. Where they can sit at the island with me while I prepare a meal. Where they can browse my bookshelves and pull a book that interests them. I want my kids to feel like they can call me to keep the grandkids when they need a weekend away with their spouse. I want them to feel like they can come home and help decorate the Christmas tree. Where they know they will find their mom and a warm bed. I guess, for me, relationships revolve around the home. I'm not saying that those who live in or desire a tiny home don't value relationships. I'm just wondering how they nurture them without the space to do it.:) :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 If I won the lottery (a big one, not a little one), then I would build a neighborhood with a big community center. The community center would have school rooms, a library, a huge communal kitchen, workout rooms, etc. Then, I could build small houses for all of our family members all around it. Our private spaces are clear and uncluttered. But, we don't have to give up our books (because that would never happen in my family, ever). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Innocent Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I guess to me it says, "Don't come visit me." I like my home to be a place where I can nourish relationships and I don't see how I could do that in a tiny house.:confused: I want my house to be a place where the people I love can come in and put their feet up. Where they can sit at the island with me while I prepare a meal. Where they can browse my bookshelves and pull a book that interests them. We live very happily in a two bedroom flat (apartment) of 650 square feet (including hallway, bathroom, cupboards). It is me, dh, ds (aged 6) and a seven month old Tibetan Terrier puppy (very bouncy!). We love having people over and do it all the time - many times during the week. My son had his 6th birthday party here the other weekend - 11 boys and 1 girl aged between 5 and 8. It was crazy but fun, and certainly do-able. Yesterday we had friends and their 3 daughters over for afternoon tea. Again, no problem whatsoever. I want my kids to feel like they can call me to keep the grandkids when they need a weekend away with their spouse. I want them to feel like they can come home and help decorate the Christmas tree. Where they know they will find their mom and a warm bed. I guess, for me, relationships revolve around the home. I'm not saying that those who live in or desire a tiny home don't value relationships. I'm just wondering how they nurture them without the space to do it.:) We are a long way from the grandchildren stage, but we have a sofa bed in our living room and have no problem with putting people up on it. :001_smile: I always thought we would have to move once we had a couple more children. I thought we had room for maybe one more child and a newborn here, but my husband recently pointed out we can just decamp to the living room once we need both bedrooms for our offspring! :001_smile: The only thing I miss living here is having our own garden, although we have a lovely 300+ acre park a couple of minutes walk away which we go to most days to walk the dog. Small homes are great! :D Emma x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edelweiss Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I guess to me it says, "Don't come visit me." I like my home to be a place where I can nourish relationships and I don't see how I could do that in a tiny house.:confused: I want my house to be a place where the people I love can come in and put their feet up. Where they can sit at the island with me while I prepare a meal. Where they can browse my bookshelves and pull a book that interests them. I want my kids to feel like they can call me to keep the grandkids when they need a weekend away with their spouse. I want them to feel like they can come home and help decorate the Christmas tree. Where they know they will find their mom and a warm bed. I guess, for me, relationships revolve around the home. I'm not saying that those who live in or desire a tiny home don't value relationships. I'm just wondering how they nurture them without the space to do it.:) My house is just under 1500 sq feet. I wish I had just a little more room but we're comfortable. Especially since oldest is away at college. We also have a 225 sq ft (or so) guest house in our backyard so that would qualify as a "tiny house.";) We have it outfitted wonderfully in IKEA decor and it serves as my oldest's bedroom when he's home as well as a guest house for any overnight visitors we have. I feel the same way. I honestly can't imagine living in some of the small spaces mentioned. :confused: Admittedly, our house is very large, so these tiny houses are truly hard for me to imagine. However, to your point, I feel like a small house wouldn't provide a welcoming environment for guests. DH and I were discussing our house recently. We were saying that we actually probably won't downsize once the kids move out. We figure that if they are coming home to visit with their families, we'll actually want to have all the space as there will be extra bodies here. :001_smile: I want them to feel comfortable coming and staying with us. I know that when it comes to most of our family members, we choose to stay in a hotel as there isn't enough room for us to comfortably stay at their homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I love those tiny houses - if I could have one as an adult playhouse in the backyard. Somewhere I could go with my book and some music or my writing notebook and the cat. But to live in with my entire family? Not for me. I agree. Good to visit for alone time, but not to live there. (And for some reason the phrase "adult playhouse" is making me giggle...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I think little houses like that are fun to look at...but I wouldn't want to live in one. It would feel too claustrophobic. I like lots of indoor space. I love the size of our current house. There is plenty of room for extras like my craft room and hubby's office. There's also plenty of room for the future grandkids to come and play/stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (And for some reason the phrase "adult playhouse" is making me giggle...) Hee hee hee... "adult playhouse"... sounds kinda dirty... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 It would be nice, though, to have a Small House as a retreat. Maybe even in the back yard. One little, exquisite, self-contained place. Like a Japanese tea house. We totally want to build a Japanese teahouse in our back yard! Someday. I thought the tiny house was cute and would be a nice retreat or summer home, but it's completely inaccessible. We need a turning radius in this family. If not for accessibility, I could happily entertain there during nice weather :-) I'm not sure I could be happy there long-term without my full kitchen. I get a lot of enjoyment out of cooking and using my various gadgets. Although, if you're going to have one pot, that Dutch oven she had was a sweet choice :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Or instead of a tea house, a tree house. But a really nice one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) What do y'all think of this one? http://www.simondale.net/house/ I could probably do this one. Otherwise....no. Also, if you google "hobbit house wales", then click "images", you'll get lots more photos of the house in the link and others. Edited January 24, 2012 by DianeW88 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I have absolutely no desire to go smaller than we have now. We have 5 people and a large dog is 750 square feet. It does not work well. I lived in a 450 square foot house when it was just my oldest when she was 8 or 9 and myself. One bedroom, galley kitchen, bathroom with shower stall and no tub. It might be okay for a single person with few possessions but it can be very uncomfortable otherwise. Same here - 8 (sometimes 9) people, 2 large dogs, 2 cats, 2 turtles...you get the picture. We have 1200 square feet and it is well-laid out, but after too many days stuck indoors due to rainy, dreary, muddy weather? No way! My next house will have 4 bedrooms and 1400-1500 square feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Hee hee hee... "adult playhouse"... sounds kinda dirty... :D :eek: I didn't mean it that way! (Though that would be convenient at times. . .:D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 What do y'all think of this one? http://www.simondale.net/house/ I could probably do this one. Otherwise....no. Also, if you google "hobbit house wales", then click "images", you'll get lots more photos of the house in the link and others. That looks damp to me. And how do you keep out pests? What happens if some of that wood rots or gives? I think I'd be afraid to live there. (But it's pretty!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 In *theory* I like the idea of a small home. In *practice* we'd be bouncing off of the walls and each other. My particular family needs more space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 No way would I want a house that tiny. My house now is perfect in size for us but my dream would be something like the house in Downton Abbey. No need for a tiny get away house with that one...my family could go weeks in that house and never bump into one another! :D Of coarse I'd want the servants that come with it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 A little too spartan of a lifestyle for my taste. Still, kind of inspiring to know that if someone can live like that, we could certainly do with less--just not that much less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I dream of that kind of lifestyle. We are in a 1000sf mobile home right now and I would LOVE to go to a tiny home. We have two adults and two kids here full time, two kids on revolving custody agreements, and now an adult child and a grandchild staying with us as they transition to move back into the area, and not only do I not feel crowded I hate having to heat all of the extra space. I really do feel that this space is much too large for us. Dh likes the idea also. He thinks it would be so much more efficient and sustainable. The kids, dd8 and ds4, would love it. The joint custody crowd (dd12 and ds15) find the idea amusing. I KNOW it would work. I have a large family but I do not have the least inclination to host huge holiday dinners! Isn't that why people rent halls? We would need to have our own land to do it, and land is inexpensive here. We could probably do it and pay cash if I went back to work, but of course that isn't an option. I really really wish we could. I've even made sketches of how I would want things to be, and researched really tiny kitchens and fold-out bunks. Keep your fingers crossed for me! If we do manage it (would likely have to build it ourselves and pay cash) I will blog about it, I promise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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