Coolest Ideas for Tiny Houses

The Perfect Place to Call Home
Source: Tammy Strobel

Tiny houses are taking the simple living community by storm.  As tiny homes are popping up across the country, they are making their way into the mainstream.  Companies like The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, Four Lights, and Humble Homes, are making tiny homes accessible to anyone with a few power tools and some elbow grease.

Living small has many benefits, including a low housing costs, transportability, the ability to be moved "off grid," low utility costs, and inexpensive maintenance.  Here are some very unique ideas to inspire you to live small.

1. Tiny House with a Staircase. 

Several of the 100-200 square foot tiny homes on the market require the home owner to climb a ladder to the sleeping loft.  This custom tiny house has small stairs, but leaves no wasted space.  Under the stairs are cabinets for storage, a much needed item for small living.   An added bonus for the house is the extra loft across from the staircase, that can be used as guest accommodations or extra storage.

2. Shipping Container Homes 

Real Estate Broker Jeff White, took two shipping containers, and bolted them together to create an incredible tiny house in Salt Lake City.  The house has a very open floor plan, with one bedroom.  With an elderly tenant in mind, he created the house to be wheelchair friendly, with a larger shower and easy to reach cabinets. 

This house of the future was designed with a large, shaded overhang, to promote front yard socializing, like in the days of wrap around porches.  It adds some much needed shade for the long, hot Salt Lake summer days.  

The house was constructed on a large plot of land, in hopes that the owner could do some micro farming.  The company has designed roofs, not installed on this unit, to gather water in the winter.  The coolest idea, is that the creator intends to create container tiny house kits, where everything you need to build the home is shipped to its destination in the shipping container itself.  It's a build a house from a box idea.  

The estimated price of the home, including the land, is $109,000, making it an affordable and sustainable habitat.  Bring on the revolution of suburban tiny homes!

3. Using Re-purposed Materials

Ella Jenkins didn't let her Tumbleweed Tiny House fit into the usual cookie cutter mold.  Instead, she added several very interesting features to her home, to creatively enjoy tiny living.  From the antique door knob, the wood porch post, the unique copper features, to the natural wood countertop, this is the most unique Tumbleweed home I have seen.  

What's amazing is that a 23 year old pulled off the tiny house thing, with style.  Maybe all it takes is a little determination, and the guts to jump in with both feet.

Other articles on Tiny Houses:

What Would You Do Without A Mortgage

Appliances For Your Tiny House 

Micro Houses