Spent a bit of time after work creating some of the storage solutions we have in mind for the tiny house.
These two particular pieces will have multiple functions as they’ll serve as storage space for shoes and such, armrests for the couch, as well as pull out to create supports for when we convert the couch into a twin size bed.
Each cubby measures 28″ high X 7 1/4″ wide X 17 1/4″ deep and were constructed out of pine 1X8s and 2″ screws. Next step will be to build in adjustable shelving, creating 3 or 4 compartments within each unit.
Realized our visualization of the ‘Great Room’ desk and dining table this afternoon.
We wanted to create an area that was substantial enough for us to sit comfortably and work or share a meal, but would not eat up too much floor space or make the room feel smaller. One side of the desk is supported by a closet wall, the other by an angled brace. The brace gives the desk more of a ‘floating’ effect and does not intrude too much into the open feel of the Great Room.
The desk measures 48″ wide X 21 3/4″ deep X 29″ high and was constructed with 2X2 framing and 1X8 pine decking.
Huge Thanks to Robert and Hunter Coulson! It was great working with you guys today.
One of the earliest decisions as we began wrapping our heads around this tiny house project was to depart from conventional plumbing and pursue a composting toilet. We decided to take this leap for two reasons in particular:
-We did not want to be tied to the demands related to proper disposal of black water, wich really limits where a tiny house can be located.
-We felt like we had a real opportunity to re-evaluate our impact with this project. While we do appreciate the luxury of conventional waste management, it really is staggering how much water is actually consumed to dispose of our waste. We had the ability to make a deliberate and conscious choice regarding our waste, and took the opportunity.
We researched many different types and brands of composting toilets, eventually landing on the Biolet 10 Standard. We like the simplicity and features of this particular model, and felt like it would be the best fit for our needs.
The installation was a bit challenging as it required venting for the composting system to work properly. We opted to vent out the bathroom wall as opposed to up and out the roof. Cutting a hole in a wall seemed a bit more manageable than through the ceiling and metal roofing, though it then required navigating a couple of 45 degree angles.
Another challenge was that the vent pipe must be insulated anywhere it is not kept warm by the interior of the house. We ended up ordering another length of exterior vent pipe as well as two of the 45 degree angle fittings from Biolet to complete our project. Otherwise, every thing we needed for this unit came with it in the box.
A lot of thought goes into the layout and design of a Tiny House. We appreciated seeing some professionals take on the challenge of creating space solutions to make these little houses a great big place to live.
One year ago tonight we drove down to Sikeston, MO to pick up our car-hauler trailer. It’s been a blast ever since!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the help, support, and positive energy poured into this project by the many friends and family who have joined us with tools in hand over the last year. You have all been instrumental in helping us realize our dream. Thank you.
We’re close. Just a few projects left, and some detail work here and there. Then the real adventure begins…
Our vision for the ‘Great Room’ includes a bench seat/storage bin on one side and a built-in desk and shelves on the other. One half of that vision is now complete.
Some of the aspects we appreciate most about this project are the challenges to maximize limited space and to find multiple uses for things. One thing that really caught our eye when considering taking on this project was the similarities between living well in a tiny house and one of the general principles of backpacking: take only what is truly needed, and those things should have multiple uses.
Living simply -and intentionally- while on a backcountry trip is one of the aspects that makes such trips so gratifying. It was definitely a draw for us to be able to take this backcountry concept into the indoors…
With this in mind, we wanted to design our couch/bench seat to serve multiple purposes. It would need to be a very comfortable and inviting place to spend time, as it would be our only real sitting area inside. As well, the couch should serve as a storage solution as it is taking up so much of the limited real-estate in the Great Room. Lastly, we wanted it to be able to convert into a spare sleeping space.
We constructed the frame for the seating area out of 2X2′s and 2X6′s with 2 1/2″ screws. We dressed it with knotty pine, and decked it with 1/2″ plywood. Dimensions are 17 1/2″ high (at the seat) X 19 1/2″ deep X 75″ long. The back of the seating area rises another 19″ high. To determine how high to make the seat, we measured the hight of one of our existing kitchen chairs, and made it long and deep enough for a twin-sized mattress.
Thanks to Kyle and Emma Klues for helping us wrap up this project!
