Tiny House Lust

I wish we had built a small house.  Today, when I received my online update from Houzz, I was tortured again after being shown a fabulous 540 square foot house for a family of 4.  They did a great job making every inch pay off.  It may be small on space, but it's loaded with charm.

Interestingly, the roof is a "living roof" and provides valuable insulation.

To see two more of my posts on tiny cottages with lots more inspiration, click here and here.

Tiny Houses... Again

Cynthia wrote a post on her blog, A Love of the Past,  that has sent me back into a longing for a tiny house.  She found some beauties, too!

These two aren't necessarily my favorite ones, but they are the ones I can actually see myself living in.  They are dream-able!

This one is move-in-ready!

My hubby would be perfectly happy here, but I consider it a fixer-upper with loads of potential.

 Both of these houses would need an addition as well.  I see a screened porch as a non-negotiable essential.

A number of the houses are actually sheds or pool houses, but I don't let that stop me from imagining.  Click here to see the rest of them.

My house is not big, but it is definitely larger than we should have built.  That is a huge regret.  I drew it out.  I thought about how much room I'd like to have in each room.  It seemed great on paper.  I know now that it was wasteful... for us.  Nothing we can do about it now.  But it has caused me to daydream about tiny houses a good bit over the last couple of years.

I try to picture myself actually living in a tiny house. I'm not sure how tiny I could go.  Anyone with a husband with high testosterone needs plenty of room.  Without some space of my own, I might end up on an episode of Snapped! 

Some space is needed for function, too. The tiny kitchen in my previous house drove me crazy.  No storage space in my previous house drove me crazy.  Maneuvering through rooms with dogs and cats underfoot drove me crazy.  Tiny doorways that were not wheelchair friendly drove me crazy when I broke my ankle.  Remembering my previous house does impede on my tiny house daydreams a bit.

On the other hand, the layout of the previous house was not good.  Maybe I can lay the blame there.

So I keep dreaming and planning ahead.  I am slowly downsizing my "stuff".    As I find things I've loved for ages, but no longer need, I either take them to Goodwill or I sell them in my booth, if suitable.  I picture someone new getting joy from them.  By the time I get to move to a tiny small house, hopefully, I'll have a lot less to have to move. 

If you, too, dream of living in a tiny house, then you'll love My Shabby Streamside Studio and  Tiny House Blog.  I have links to those on my sidebar, too, so I can visit when I need a tiny house fix.

Tiny Cottage of Her Own

I can't remember where I first came across this story.  After searching on Google, I know that many others besides me have blogged about it.  All I know is that I haven't been able to stop thinking (fantasizing) about it.

Here's the story as succinctly as I can tell it (I'm not known for being succinct).

The main character is Sandy Foster - an itty-bitty, cute and talented,  but frazzled woman.  She has experienced financial troubles all her life.  She marries a man who is loving and sweet and a wonderful cook.  She clearly married him for love - not money.

 They end up living frugally on a beautiful piece of property in the Catskills where their main abode is a not-so-smartly decorated trailer (man cave decor).  

It just so happens, there was a tiny, run-down hunting cabin on the property. 

It's not easy to get to - it's across a creek.  

worked her magic and it's now the exact opposite of the trailer -

a totally feminine white-on-white getaway.  

It has no electricity or water and likely never will.  No TV.  No phones.  It's a place she can go to when she needs to catch her breath.  A place to relax and feel all girly.

The NY Times did a story about Sandy and her cottage and has a fabulous slide show to go with it.  The story hit a nerve and captured the imagination of so many people.   Now she has people coming by to do photo shoots, TV spots (like Nate Berkus), book deals and more.   She created her dream in the best way she could and the dream became more than she could have imagined. 

I'll bet lots of women would love 

such a serene getaway.  

I suspect it would not be a place to escape, 

but rather a place to be quiet and recharge.

Want more?  So did I, so I started Googling.  One thing I came across was an entire blog devoted to tiny houses - Tiny House Blog.

But, best of all...  Sandy has a blog - My Shabby Streamside Studio - with loads of photos!!!!!!!!!!    Enjoy.

I have linked up to the following parties:
Mosaic Monday at Little Red House
White Wednesday at Faded Charm Cottage
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage