From keeping all your money in a shoebox, we move to living in a house the size of one. The idea is nothing new. Minimalist architects have been pushing the envelope forever. But I think they might be finding more takers in the current Eeekconomy.
The houses featured range in size from a mere 65 square feet to 700 square feet. I know that seems like a crazy small footprint, but a lot of times they build upwards so the actual square footage of living space is a lot more.
I’ve seen some really small houses (I can’t remember the site it was on right now) that were a lot more elegant and modern than the ones pictured in the article. I sort of like the idea of having it on wheels though. My parents have a small motorhome, so I’m used to the idea of living in a “cozy” environment. We had foldout beds and tables, drawers hidden in places you wouldn’t expect and a bathroom the size of a postage stamp. I didn’t mind it as a kid or even as a young adult. There were dorm rooms that were much smaller than the motorhome.
I suspect it helps that I’m only 5′ 5″ tall.
Whether this will continue to be just a gimmick remains to be seen. I know in other countries (was it the Netherlands?) tiny modular houses are the norm instead of curiousities. Our own house is a rather grandiose 1200 sq. feet. We’ve considered building upwards, but right now it’s fine. Regardless, I don’t think I’m going to move into a shoebox anytime soon.
Source: CNN
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October 22nd, 2008 at 7:25 pm
This might be what you’re looking for:
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
I’m very tempted at times but I think I would lean towards the 700ft. end of the spectrum.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:53 pm
The apartment my husband and I share is 350 sq. feet, and is a bit bigger than some Tokyo apartments. We don’t feel overly cramped, but the main problem with small spaces is that you have to be meticulous about organization, cleaning, and not accumulating too much junk. It takes very little to transform small spaces to utter chaos. In our case, all it takes is waking up (messy bed), making breakfast, and getting ready for work. There’s literally no place to temporarily put aside clothes, dishes, etc. so you have to deal with it right away.
I think the small footprint movement for homes is being propelled mainly by environmental concerns. They’re cheaper to heat and cool and require less energy to light up and clean.
October 28th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
@kirk - thanks! This wasn’t the same housebuilders, but it’s very interesting to see the designs.
@orchid64 - oh wow, that is pretty small. OK - I’m not allowed to complain anymore about not having enough space =)
I have to agree with the “accumulation” problem. I’ve been trying to retro-fit the garage with another storage level in the back to let us keep seasonal items like the Xmas tree, fans, heaters, etc. Those kind of things take up so much closet space, leading to spillage out into the rooms. I’ve also been trying to buy less in general.