Small Houses

NPR recently did a story on the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company (http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses.htm). This company based in Sabastapol, California offers a variety of small house designs.

Each home appears to be of very high quality and offer one or two rooms plus kitchen, bath, closets and a desk area. The Bungalow is the largest of the designs at about 500sf. Smaller small houses come in at 40-160sf. They all seem to be designed to sit on large lots or in wooded areas. One would feel quite at odds with the surroundings in Brooklyn or Nashville. I started to think that perhaps a city comprised of these tiny homes could be established, perhaps it has. Priced in the $15,000-$40,000 range (plus land and utility connections), they’d also be attractive options for college students with financially able parents.

I suppose there are historical examples of this even in Pittsburgh. Two-room worker houses dot some of the hillsides. These are still used today and still serve their purpose well, although the inferior construction, and simply age don’t lend themselves well to saving energy. Still I suspect it is possible to arrange these modern day “small houses” in an urban setting. They could be attractive to single work-at-home types who want the ease of maintenance and access to city amenities. They also may be an attractive option for seniors who find their bigger house too much to handle, but want to live independently.

The tiny house idea seemed romantic, even practical, but I couldn’t help but think there a more efficient “small house” design already in existence. Then it dawned on me-- it’s called the studio condo. Condo’s have become so popular now they’re average price is more than a single-family house. In many downtown areas the “highest and best use ( a real estate term meaning most profitable)” has switched from translating into commercial to translating into “condo building.”

Whether a tiny house in a village of tiny houses or a stackable version in a city, smaller living spaces are an idea to explore. Many of the occupants of such spaces speak of a “simplicity” they find in living with less. Looking at the tasks that surround me, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to think that one day I may reach the same conclusion.

See more in my column September 1, 2005 at http://www.newcolonist.com