Tiny House Living

Tiny House Living is a weekly newsletter that is published every Friday morning (except this issue, which is a bit late). We cover the world of tiny houses and simple & sustainable living. You can also follow us on our Tiny House Design Facebook Page, Twitter and as always Subscribe by Email.

• Read Now… Tiny House Living – Issue 40
• Also see: RowdyKittens – Simple Living News Update
• Also see: Small Living Journal – Issue 14: Finding Land for Living

Haiti is on a lot of peoples’ minds right now and I know I’m not alone in trying to find a way to help. I’ve got a fund raising/design idea cooking on my front burner and hope to make it a reality soon, but in the mean time I wanted to share a list of well known organizations who are already mounting large disaster relief efforts. I also spotted this article on how to avoid donation scams which is worth a quick read before donating to any unfamiliar organizations.

Here’s a short list of well known organizations:

• Architecture for Humanity
• Habitat for Humanity
• American Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• UNICEF
• The White House, Help for Haiti

My personal favorite humanitarian architectural design organization is Architecture for Humanity. It’s a highly respected group founded to help people in situations just like the disaster in Haiti. Below is a video from a past TED Conference that describes what they do.

As someone with a background in ceramics it always makes me happy to find another potter building a tiny house. Most people don’t know this but potters tend to be Jack & Jill’s of all trades because of the diverse set of skills needed to be a ceramic artist. This is totally evident in this concrete block dome house build by Alfred University graduate Peter Roberts.

A Potter’s House

Ryan, over at The Tiny Life, posted an article on some cool convertible furniture ideas for small spaces. Furniture that transforms into other useful forms can extend the functional use of any space. I like finding products like this because it gives the woodworker in me some inspirational ideas for future projects.

Furniture for Tiny Spaces

One of my readers, David, tipped me off to these simple prefab yurts made by Geo-Lite Systems. They also sell some very interesting stand-alone home utility systems that combine the bathroom, kitchen, heating, electric power  and waste handling systems. Great find, thanks David.

Geo-Lite Hybrid Yurts

While this is a treehouse designed for kids, it’s a really inspiring design. I suspect it’s not completely practical with the translucent fiberglass cladding but the design was so well done I just had to share it with you. It was designed by Canadian designer Nicko Björn Elliott.

Treehouse for Play

This is a small building made to look like a woodpile. It’s the office and music studio of Piet Hein Eek in The Netherlands but I see some excellent camouflaging ideas here.

Log Home Redefined

OK… this is just weird, but I like it. It’s a cluster of seven Airstream trailers on the roof of the Grand Daddy Hotel in South African. While this kind of turns my stomach a little I must admit I like the idea of extending habitable space but using small modular units. I would just prefer to see it extending habitable space for people who need it and not more luxury rooms in an expensive hotel… but then I’m weird that way. Rooftop Trailer Park

While this 1000+ square foot house isn’t tiny, it is a good example of how new technology and reclaimed materials can be blended in a new energy efficient home with a traditional appearance.

Zero Energy Casita

Tiny House and Simple Living Websites:

• Tiny House Blog
• Tiny House Design
• Tiny House TV
• Shedworking
• Shedblog
• Natural Homes
• Tiny House Journal
• Small House Society
• Small Living Journal
• Coming Unmoored
• Rowdy Kittens
• This Tiny House
• The Tiny Life (Map) (Forum)
• Constructing a simpler life
• Gypsy Rose Tiny House
• Green Hamlet
• Small House Style
• Building With Awareness
• Shelter Publications
• Living Large in our Little House
• UrbanRancher
• Laptop and a Rifle
• (Dan’s) Tiny House Project

Tiny House Builders, Plans, and Kits

• Sonoma Shanty
• Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
• Tortoise Shell Homes
• Little House on the Trailer
• I Stock House Plans

Please feel free to send me suggestions for these growing lists.