What is tiny house?

A tiny house is the focal point of a social movement called tiny living which quickly gained worldwide popularity in the part few years. The movement encourages people to right size their living conditions for both economical and ecological reasons.

Tiny house are defined as residential spaces that measure 400 square feet (36m2) or less, with the average being around 160 square feet (15m2).

These house are skillfully constructed to ensure that the layout maximizes the available space. Creative living and storage spaces are well thought out to ensure that despite its size, it still has everything a person needs. Most of these houses are built with quality materials that would normally be too expensive for traditional sized homes, such as hardwood floors or chemical-free insulation. A tiny house will provide you simple comforts.

Interior Design

The interior usually features a loft area which serves as the bedroom. There are sparsely furnished with a mattress and some storage spaces. Since the floor area is limited, it is quite common to see spaces that serve dual purposes. Some examples of these are galley kitchens that are built into hallways. and bathrooms that also serve as laundry rooms.

Sliding door are also quite common is this type of house, allowing rooms to be expanded to make more space when needed.

One of the most important design ideas in tiny houses is to make sure that everything in it is efficient and functional. Storage spaces are integrated into this design in different ways. Some furniture items, such as sofas and tables, come with concealed cabinets of drawers. Stairs and loft areas are also created with this purposed in mind. Some of the furniture designs used in these homes are quite interesting as they fuse aesthetics with functionality. This means that aside from being attractive, the furnishings are quite useful as well.

Furniture

The small spaces in tiny houses have brought new designs for furnitures. Murphy beds have been popular with folks who live in small apartments and these became the craze for tiny house residents as well. These types of beds have been repurposed so they do not simply fold up to create space. Murphy beds that transform to desks once you put them away have become a staple in smaller tiny house models. It allows people to use the room both as a bedroom and an office.

Other popular furniture choices include daybeds and foldaway tables and chairs.

Exterior Design

The façade of tiny houses is designed to resemble traditional sized homes so it is also possible to use similar architectural designs. Below are some popular exterior designs that most builders use.

Cottage - This design is reminiscent of country cabins. Log or wood sidings are used for both aesthetic and practical purposes. These materials are capable of creating a more rustic appeal and helps insulate the homes as well.

Industrial - This design makes use of steel and bricks to create the industrial look made popular in converted warehouses. The sidings are often corrugated metal combined with unfinished wood.

Colonial – This formal design is characterized by evenly spaced shuttered windows and classic columns. Although not all these elements are often integrated into the tiny house exterior, the influence of this specific design is clearly discernible.

Victorian - This is another formal design that has found its way to tiny houses. Its ornate shingles create an attractive exterior. Though much smaller in size, houses with this design are just as enchanting as their full-sized counterparts.

Aside from the structural design, tiny houses also come in two different types which are mobile and stationary.

Mobile tiny houses are built into trailers, so expect them to feature wheels that allow them to be transported to where the owner prefers to stay. Although these have been compared to RVs, tiny houses are not classified as a mobile home. Mobile tiny houses are also not classified as trailers since they are not often allowed at trailer parks. These houses are both designed and built to last as long as traditional homes. Stationary tiny houses are built to be placed at a permanent location.

Sustainability

Most tiny house dwellers opt to design their homes in a way where they will leave as little carbon footprint as possible. To make this possible, additional features that make these houses self-sustainable are built in. These often include compost toilets, solar panels, and environmentally friendly water filtration system, so owners can virtually live off the grid and have a less destructive impart on the environment.