As a resident of New York City I have been planning my escape from the urban jungle since about day two. Most of my day dreaming has centered on moving upstate or to Maine, at least somewhere rural. Enter the California based Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, which is a maker of, you guessed it, miniature homes. On the Tumbleweed website, founder Jay Shafer explains the idea of taking residence in a tiny home. “My decision to inhabit just 89 square feet arose from some concerns I had about the impact a larger house would have on the environment, and because I do not want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space. My houses have met all of my domestic needs without demanding much in return. The simple, slower lifestyle my homes have afforded is a luxury for which I am continually grateful.” Sign me up. The little houses may be pricey as built by Tumbleweed, but you can always buy the plans and have your house built by the contractor of your choice.
If you missed it, The New York Times covered the tiny house trend a few months ago.
I know a Manahattan garage whose top floor has a wonderful midtown view. I wonder what they’d charge me a month to put one of these in a corner?
I wonder how secure such homes are, and how comfortable the bedding area is, and…wait. Where’s the bathroom?
Apart from these concerns, I think pocket-homes are sooo sexy.
The Z-Glass house looks rather nice. It’d be great to purchase a bit of land off the Pacific Coast Highway near Big Sur and build one of these. http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses/z-glass/
Regarding the bathroom, it seems to depend on the particular plans of the house.
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/faq/utilities/
Where is the bar? I’d have to have a few martinis to sleep in the tight quarters of this house if I was sharing the bed.
The concept is beautiful and is in fact in use all over Scandinavia. Yet I’m not too sure about those wheels thought…it makes the whole concept seem redneckish thus what one gains in having a smaller house one looses in polluting when driving around with a heavy building.
After finding a magnificent spot to place your house to, the wheels just ruin the image.
saw these a while back in dwell, (verging on stuff white people like, maybe throw in some “modern” eames rockers ;-) but love ’em. talking of scando- tenious segue to that movie Kitchen Stories http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi178913561/ (english trailer doesnt do it justice)? more retro caravanning.
Don’t most new yorkers already pretty much live in tiny tumbleweed homes? But, like, stacked?
Seriously though, new yorkers have some of the smallest environmental footprints around, due to the ubiquity of public transit and the efficiency of multi-level residential building. If every new yorker with a Thoreau streak plopped one of these down next to a finger lake, it would be urban sprawl all the same, albeit shrunken and smug.
P.S. anti- way to confuse classism with environmental sanctity…
I hope you like pine…
so rad!!!!! i love this. i have a million flight fantasies too.
TINTIN — I’d like to see you do that. Send photos. I’ll let the NY Times know.
Gary — I’m not really that obsessed with the environmental part, but I understand what you are thinking. Either way, I’m going to be towing this with a nice F-150…
Michael / Justin — the tiny homes do have a bathroom and you can of course have a bar in yours.
Regards,
ACL
Did anybody see the CNC milled, flatpack shotgun house that MIT put up in as a part of that prefab housing exhibit at MOMA? DO WANT.
That would make a great deer stand.
Where’s the bathroom you ask? Well, here it is: http://www.thebrowncorporation.com/
Michael- Call up the company and tell ’em you have a great idea for a NY Times piece – – and steal my idea and then get ’em on retainer.
I’m driving up to NY this time. I’ll stop by the Brooks Brother’s shirt factory in Garland, NC and get you a button down and a pouch of Redman – – to go with those boots you like so much.
ideal for a little office to spend long hours making type.
always loved small spaces . always have lived like that. could i live in 300 feet or smaller? it makes you feel free, and liberated from stuff.