Well, I'm sorry if my mind is dirty, but...(tiny house)

[Ginevra]

I mean, come on with this sleeping loft. This particular one is SO tiny and sloping, I actually doubt they can sleep with their feet in any orientation but sideways. And that's assuming all the couple is doing up there is *sleeping*! But for having a TEa party? Nope. Maybe spoon-style, but nothing upright. There's no space!

 

And they have kids. So, presumably, the loft is the only place in the house where they have a semblance of alone time.

 

It's one thing to go with a tiny closet and only six outfits of clothing, and I can even see the idea of a composting toulet. But headspace in the bedroom loft is not a luxury.

 

I'm not sure they thought that through.

[lmrich]

I think that when I watch that show (missed tonight), but if you are living in a tiny house - a good form of birth control might be a good idea since there is no where to put that extra kid. 

[EKS]

Whenever I watch that show I always find it funny how the people always complain about how small the houses are.  I mean, duh!

[EMS83]

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Crimson Wife]

We don't have cable. Does the house have a shower? Maybe the couple is into getting frisky in there. Couples who share the same hotel room with their kids have been known to resort to that :blushing:

[Guest]

Whenever I watch that show I always find it funny how the people always complain about how small the houses are. I mean, duh!

I know! It kills me every time they go, "Wow this _________ is so TINY!" Might be the sink, might be the shower, might be the oven...but there's always that comment. "So tiny!" Well, yeah.

[Guest]

We don't have cable. Does the house have a shower? Maybe the couple is into getting frisky in there. Couples who share the same hotel room with their kids have been known to resort to that :blushing:

I didn't see the bathroom in this particular one, but typically, the shower is...TINY. Like, the kind on the worst room on a cruise ship. Like, 2' x 3'. If that.

[SKL]

I don't watch the show, but why isn't the loft for the kid?

 

Now you have me curious about this show!

[KungFuPanda]

I think that when I watch that show (missed tonight), but if you are living in a tiny house - a good form of birth control might be a good idea since there is no where to put that extra kid.

 

Maybe the loft design IS the birth control?

[Scarlett]

I love that show. I am amazed families are living in tiny homes. I think they have their place....like the 16 year old I know whose dad is helping her build one because she wants to do full time missionary type work and teach dance to support herself and her own family is already squished. I think for her, or even if she gets married it will work great. But adding kids? Just seems nuts to me.

[scoutingmom]

I don't watch the show, but why isn't the loft for the kid?

 

Now you have me curious about this show!

Because there are no bedrooms.....

[justasque]

I don't watch the show, but why isn't the loft for the kid?

 

Now you have me curious about this show!

 

These are super-tiny houses. They usually have one room downstairs that serves as kitchen & living room, with a teensy bathroom squeezed in somewhere, plus a sleeping loft under a peaked roof, often accessed by a ladder. Think studio apartment, with open sleeping loft. They are often smaller than a large RV - more like a gypsy wagon.  There generally is no room for kids at all; these are typically designed for one person or a couple who don't mind being together all.the.time.

[happi duck]

I could never sleep in a space that was so tight I couldn't sit up.

 

When I watch those shows and people struggle to climb that ladders I always wonder how they'll climb the ladder while tired or sick.

[Catwoman]

I could never sleep in a space that was so tight I couldn't sit up.

 

When I watch those shows and people struggle to climb that ladders I always wonder how they'll climb the ladder while tired or sick.

Yes, or the ones who have a rock climbing wall as the only way up to the loft. I don't care how athletic they are. It's a stupid idea. At some point, they're going to wake up in the middle of the night and need to use the bathroom. It's going to happen.

 

Will they really want to have a big debate with themselves over whether or not it's worth making the effort to maneuver their way down their rock wall or rope ladder to their eco-friendly composting toilet while they're half asleep -- and once they're down there, will they have the energy to climb back up to their tiny loft? And perhaps more importantly, will they always remember to duck as they heave themselves up onto their loft mattress so they don't whack their head on the ceiling and end up with a concussion?

 

I know a lot of people think the lofts are cute and charming, but one minor knee injury will have them sleeping on their tiny kitchen floor because they'll never make it up and down the stupid ladder or those ridiculously dangerous-looking and oddly-proportioned storage/staircase things that never seem to have any railings.

 

When even the tiny homeowners' cats look awfully nervous about going up to those lofts, I think that should serve as a valuable lesson to the rest of us who are far less likely than cats to land on our feet when we fall from high places, that perhaps that whole tiny loft bedroom with minimal head clearance idea might not be as much fun as it looks on TV.

[Guest]

I don't watch the show, but why isn't the loft for the kid?

 

Now you have me curious about this show!

In this particular version, one end of the house (trailor, really) had a bedroom with bunkbeds for the kids and they had a loft with desks for homeschooling. (Again, this would mean mom homeschools on her knees. Also, maybe I'm unusual, but my kids got bigger as time went by...) The opposite side of the house (trailor) had only room for the parent's loft, which could not have been deeper than 4'.

 

The show is amusing in the way any oddity would be.

[DawnM]

I think tiny houses are ideal for those 20 somethings who are either single or with just 2 people who are just starting out and can't pay a mortgage but can park something in their parents' backyard.   And there is the occasional single who is older but divorced or whatever who wants independence but can't afford a place.  

 

Otherwise, it doesn't make sense.  

 

I was watching a Tiny House nation thing and some of them are spending $80K or more to get some trailer type thing to poop in a compost.  I get that you can't afford a house, but yikes!

 

What I want to see is a "Tiny House Nation-10 years in" where they show how many are still in tiny houses and loving it.

 

A tiny house type thing might be great for my 20 year old son with Asperger's for a while, but last time I suggested it he said, "Can't I just live with you?"  Yup, he knows he has it good!  :lol:

 

But TeA in those spaces?   :crying:

[HomeAgain]

I always find the lists of "musts" to be hilarious.  Needs a fireplace, an extra sleeping space, a full sized bathroom (or 2), and a place for a side by side washer/dryer.  And do it in 287 sq. ft.  :lol: :lol:

 

But it's the ones who spend $100,000 building it so they have something to travel with, and I'm like - seriously, you could have gotten an RV that is already done and probably more efficient!

[Guest]

I could never sleep in a space that was so tight I couldn't sit up.

 

When I watch those shows and people struggle to climb that ladders I always wonder how they'll climb the ladder while tired or sick.

On one show, it was a young couple and the guy said, no matter what, the bed cannot be lofted. The builder asked why not. The guy said, "Because I like to drink a lot. And that does not seem like a good idea." 😀

 

For their home, there was a platform that had basically a trundle bed type of bed. I think there was an office on the top of the platform.

[Joules]

Maybe they are all members of the Mile-High Club and want to recreate the excitement of a tiny airplane bathroom at home?

 

[Guest]

I always find the lists of "musts" to be hilarious. Needs a fireplace, an extra sleeping space, a full sized bathroom (or 2), and a place for a side by side washer/dryer. And do it in 287 sq. ft. :lol: :lol:

 

But it's the ones who spend $100,000 building it so they have something to travel with, and I'm like - seriously, you could have gotten an RV that is already done and probably more efficient!

Yes, that's what I always think - why not buy a travel trailor? I guess it's often because they do want their wish-list things.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Doesn't seem practical.  I imagine myself trying to get up in the middle of the night to use the loo and falling down the ladder or whacking my head on the ceiling.

 

 

[HomeAgain]

Doesn't seem practical.  I imagine myself trying to get up in the middle of the night to use the loo and falling down the ladder or whacking my head on the ceiling.

 

Seriously.

 

Our house here has a stair railing that stops short of the top steps.  That enough was to throw me off for the first few weeks we lived here because I couldn't figure out why it was so awkward to start going down.  There's no way I'd survive going up and down a ladder each night.

[kewb]

I like the idea of a tiny house if I was living my hermit dream.

Reality is, my dh and I are larger than average. There are health issues that make climbing a ladder for bed impossible

I have kids. I live in a place with 4 seasons and to be stuck in my tiny house because it is too cold to go outside is not appealing.

I don't like tiny showers. I like a little breathing room.

And so many more reasons. I could probably make do on a smaller home than I currently live in but everyone has to have a room to retreat.

[ktgrok]

I could never sleep in a space that was so tight I couldn't sit up.

 

When I watch those shows and people struggle to climb that ladders I always wonder how they'll climb the ladder while tired or sick.

 

Agreed. 

 

I'd think in all reality a fold out bed/couch combo would make WAY more sense and be more practical. 

 

Full disclosure, I sleep on a fold out couch most nights right now, because the baby sleeps best with me, and my husband is not a safe cosleeping partner so I can't take her in the regular bed. (he once put a pillow over my head, in his sleep, and laid on me.)

[FriedClams]

My daughter wants to build one as a senior project. I think it's an awesome idea. She plans to take it to college and live in it. We've had a blast researching and going to tiny house shows. Some are just dumb. And $100,000 - That's idiotic!!

[DawnM]

I like the idea of a tiny house if I was living my hermit dream.

 

 

That is my nightmare!  I can't imagine being alone, all the time.  That would depress me greatly.

[Guest]

Oh, it definitely meets my hermit dream idea, but not as my actual home; I want a "tiny studio." I want my own little playhouse for cats and books where I can have total silence.

 

The one episode that actually made me angry was one where the couple gave their cats away because he had a dog and she had two cats and they were not compatible. So, he got to keep his dog and she agreed to give the cats to a friend "temporarily." :(

[alisoncooks]

Tiny houses are right up there with miniature bottles of shampoo and travel sized soaps.  Super teensy and cute and I kinda want to buy them all...but they wouldn't last.

 

[SamanthaCarter]

I'd probably watch it just for the spectacle, but we don't get it. I'm sort of philosophically opposed to the tiny house thing, because there are already so many cute little dilapidated old houses all over our country in need of love, but won't get it because they are "too small."

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Catwoman]

Oh, it definitely meets my hermit dream idea, but not as my actual home; I want a "tiny studio." I want my own little playhouse for cats and books where I can have total silence.

The one episode that actually made me angry was one where the couple gave their cats away because he had a dog and she had two cats and they were not compatible. So, he got to keep his dog and she agreed to give the cats to a friend "temporarily." :(

I remember that one! I was so angry with her!!!

[Mimm]

I live in a low cost of living area so someone spending $100,000 on these things blows my mind. You can get a small house for less than that in my area. I feel like the tiny house movement has gotten to where it's a competition to see who can live in the smallest space, and no one is really thinking about what it'll be like to LIVE in that space day after day, month after month.

 

But maybe I'm just too materialistic. I love my alone time, I like shutting my door, I like buying books and art supplies. I'm not a minimalist at heart.

[DawnM]

I'd probably watch it just for the spectacle, but we don't get it. I'm sort of philosophically opposed to the tiny house thing, because there are already so many cute little dilapidated old houses all over our country in need of love, but won't get it because they are "too small."

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Some developer has bought some land up in a prime location in our city and plans to build tiny homes/affordable homes for small families.  

 

It is crazy how now you simply can't find a newer home that is small and affordable for families struggling.  Developers just want to build bigger/better/more money making houses.  It is unfortunate.  

 

There are some old homes in sketchy areas (here) that are affordable, but unless you absolutely have to, you wouldn't want to live there.  

[kewb]

Oh, it definitely meets my hermit dream idea, but not as my actual home; I want a "tiny studio." I want my own little playhouse for cats and books where I can have total silence.

 

The one episode that actually made me angry was one where the couple gave their cats away because he had a dog and she had two cats and they were not compatible. So, he got to keep his dog and she agreed to give the cats to a friend "temporarily." :(

Giving away your pets so you can live in a tiny house grinds my gears. That would make me so angry I might spit.

[Guest]

I'd probably watch it just for the spectacle, but we don't get it. I'm sort of philosophically opposed to the tiny house thing, because there are already so many cute little dilapidated old houses all over our country in need of love, but won't get it because they are "too small."

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, this is part of what so "funny" about it. I watch House Hunters all the time and if I had a nickle for every time a prospective buyer deemed some part or parts of a house "too small," I would be rich. And I grant you, many times, I agree. But it's some sort of weird disconnect to me that all these houses are rejected because the closets (normal size for 1940s, say) are too small, but there is the entire other group of people custom building a tiny house with a tiny closet. It's kind of mind-boggling how those two trends are going on simultaneously.

 

Side note: I also think it's funny (unrealistic) when people claim to want an old or historic home, but then they don't like that it's constructed with the ideals of that era. So, they want an old house, but they want the ubiquitous open floor plan, not the galley kitchen that is appropriate for the era of the house. It makes me think they don't really know what they're asking for when they say they want an old home.

 

Another side note: This is what I like about Rehab Addict. She renovated old homes in keeping with their era.

[happi duck]

Yeah, this is part of what so "funny" about it. I watch House Hunters all the time and if I had a nickle for every time a prospective buyer deemed some part or parts of a house "too small," I would be rich. And I grant you, many times, I agree. But it's some sort of weird disconnect to me that all these houses are rejected because the closets (normal size for 1940s, say) are too small, but there is the entire other group of people custom building a tiny house with a tiny closet. It's kind of mind-boggling how those two trends are going on simultaneously.

 

Side note: I also think it's funny (unrealistic) when people claim to want an old or historic home, but then they don't like that it's constructed with the ideals of that era. So, they want an old house, but they want the ubiquitous open floor plan, not the galley kitchen that is appropriate for the era of the house. It makes me think they don't really know what they're asking for when they say they want an old home.

 

Another side note: This is what I like about Rehab Addict. She renovated old homes in keeping with their era.

It's the ultimate dissatisfied...everything is too small or too big!!

 

Since I was a kid I always loved a certain house. It was probably built in the 1920s. When I noticed it for sale recently I went online to see photos of the inside. The inside was all new with an open floor plan that didn't match the outside of the house at all. I was so disappointed.

 

I like Rehab Addict for the same reason.

[SKL]

Honestly, the idea of a small house appeals to me if I ever live alone. 

 

I never have lived alone, and maybe I never will.  Right now nearly everything personal I own (other than my car) is in my bedroom [a child's bedroom per the original floor plan], which is also my main work location and my storage room for my kids' most important stuff.  I don't feel cramped in here; in fact I could do with less space.

 

But the cost of building each of these individual houses can't really be efficient compared to larger shared spaces.  It seems like just another wasteful fad to me.

 

If I didn't have to consider other people, I would love to buy a cute little old cottage in my parents' rural town.  Just keeping it nice would be my retirement project.

 

I go for walks in older neighborhoods and I wonder why today's families don't feel like they can live in those small houses.  I guess in the case of my household, it is the "need" to be able to host guests.  Which we hardly ever have.

Edited October 3, 2017 by SKL

[goldberry]

We previously lived in a house where we were in the loft, open to the downstairs.  When we moved, that was one of DH's non-negotiables - a private and enclosed master bedroom. ;)

[goldberry]

We don't have cable. Does the house have a shower? Maybe the couple is into getting frisky in there. Couples who share the same hotel room with their kids have been known to resort to that :blushing:

 

I have a friend that swears by the laundry room.  Apparently the washer is just the right height?  :huh:

[LMD]

Our honeymoon cabin had a loft bedroom overlooking the living area and fireplace, and it was gorgeous! I'd have that cabin any day of the week - though it wouldn't count as tiny.

 

Our tiny house has a tiny bedroom, we do have above bed storage - as opposed to a loft bed with under bed storage. The head space is less than ideal but we make it work ;)

 

As an aside, plenty of kids in bunks have to scale ladders at night. I know kids are generally more nimble than adults, but a reasonable ladder doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Rock climbing wall and similar craziness not included.

[Guest]

I have a friend that swears by the laundry room. Apparently the washer is just the right height? :huh:

But not in a tiny house, where the laundry, if there is one, is usually built under the stairs or something like that. No laundry "room."

[Mimm]

Maybe they go outside. In the woods or something. Or maybe they didn't think about it and their first night in the tiny house they were like, "Well darn."

 

I always picture a nasty stomach flu going through a family in a house like that. Yeah, when I'm sick and rushing for the toilet, I really want to climb down from a loft, stumble over the rest of the family eating dinner (I'm probably vomiting because I had to smell it because my "bedroom" is directly above the kitchen) and cram myself into an airplane bathroom too small for me to kneel on the floor. ;)

[Guest]

Maybe they go outside. In the woods or something. Or maybe they didn't think about it and their first night in the tiny house they were like, "Well darn."

 

I always picture a nasty stomach flu going through a family in a house like that. Yeah, when I'm sick and rushing for the toilet, I really want to climb down from a loft, stumble over the rest of the family eating dinner (I'm probably vomiting because I had to smell it because my "bedroom" is directly above the kitchen) and cram myself into an airplane bathroom too small for me to kneel on the floor. ;)

😂 Thanks for that great visual!!!

[KungFuPanda]

I've taken to calling them Yuppie Trailers or Hipster Trailers. The yuppies get real defensive: "Oh no. It's much more solid construction." I'm sorry, but you putting up your own plywood walls doesn't REALLY make it safer than a regular RV or trailer. You've just paid more for less space and I guess they're willing to do so to avoid the stigma and because it's cuter.

[Guest]

I've taken to calling them Yuppie Trailers or Hipster Trailers. The yuppies get real defensive: "Oh no. It's much more solid construction." I'm sorry, but you putting up your own plywood walls doesn't REALLY make it safer than a regular RV or trailer. You've just paid more for less space and I guess they're willing to do so to avoid the stigma and because it's cuter.

Right. Trailer = Redneck. Tiny Home = Hipster. Yet they have the same amount of space; the Tiny Home is just chic while the trailer is practical. ðŸ˜

[Amber in SJ]

Around here where there is very little to no affordable housing the city has suddenly drastically reduced the cost of permitting a tiny house if you have room in your backyard.  I know people who call them casitas.  :huh: Some people are building them larger than my current house with their own address to use as a rental.

 

We are considering building one for dd #2.  We have a small, 3/2 home (1160 sq ft) on a large for our area lot.  We have plenty of room to build a tiny house in the side yard.  We are facing the fact that with this particular child's mental & physical health needs she can't live alone right now.  She has been away at college in another state off & on for the last 2 years and almost every semester is a disaster. She ends up in & out of the ER and/ or hospital, so for the time being she is back at home & we are happy to have her.  However at 20 she is currently sharing a room with her 12 year old brother.  Not the best situation except they are both slobs so they are perfect together.  Dh is working on plans to build her a tiny house with a mini bathroom including a shower, a mini kitchen & a bedroom/ living area.  There can't be a ladder or steps and many other things will have to be built to accommodate her physical limitations.  She says she is  not going to live with us forever, so I tell Dh that the tiny house will be mine after he is gone & whichever kid wants to live in our house will just have to deal with Grandma in the back :)

 

Dh's dream is to buy a piece of property somewhere & build a huge house & shop on it.  He is a mechanical engineer but one of his hobbies is restoring old motorcycles.  I told him I don't want a huge house, he can build a tiny house for the two of us, a second tiny house for the kids to stay in when they visit and he can build as large a shop as he likes, but after this thread I will make sure the tiny house for us has enough headroom in the bedroom area :)

 

Amber in SJ