Let's Obsess Over Tiny Houses

Photo © Ava Brackett / Dwell magazine

I told myself I was gonna come back from this impromptu two-week hiatus with a post that had some meat to it, with something to say, but I'm posting about tiny houses instead because THIS IS ALL THAT'S IN ME. Sorry, Internet, but I spent like forty hours collaging together my dream tiny house living room and now you're gonna see it, and you're gonna like it. Well, you may not give two flying fucks about it, but I'm gonna see it, and I'm gonna like it and pin it and pat myself on the back while crying about my life choices. Ready? Let's begin!

Tiny houses are so random, but I'm kind of obsessed with them. Or, I was last week, but I was busy and couldn't talk about it. (Computer broke down, life came to a halt—everything's better now.) It all started with Tiny House Hunters on HGTV, which is a thing. I was shocked that an entire (tiny) home could cost under $50,000, and I was like—I want one! How great would it be to have a tiny house upstate in the woods? I feel like it's a great way to trick guys into thinking they could love you, like, 'Yeah, I've got a house upstate' I say with a knowing wink. And then they get there and see the composting toilet out back and make to run, but it's too late because the plan was to murder them all along and turn their body into organic mulch or whatever it is people do in the Hudson Valley, duh.

Photos © Ava Brackett / Dwell magazine

Anwyay, my point is that I then did some research on small space living and found a few really cute places that Dwell has featured, including this renovated 100-year-old barn in Oakland, California and a surprisingly svelte converted shed just outside NYC. I think it just never occurred to me to not equate small space living with apartments. The idea of building a diminutive single family home (albeit for a ~confirmed bachelor~ such as myself) had never really crossed my mind before.

Photos © Brian Ferry / Dwell magazine

But then I got to fantasizing. I let my imagination run wild. I read about a Le Corbusier-inspired pied-à-terre in Paris that's only 322 sq.ft. Doesn't that sound just perfect? I'll take two.

I brought up tiny houses to a few friends, all of whom confirmed that they're definitely something with which one should be obsessed, though it was noted that my definition of "tiny" is quite liberal. Apparently, tiny houses should be literally tiny—like, 100 sq.ft. I think that's insane. To help clarify the situation I watched the documentary Tiny on Netflix. I think builder and #TinyHouseMovement pioneer Jay Shafer summed it up best: "I want people to get past the idea that a house has to be something in particular...a small house is just a house in which all the space is used well." I'm dtf with that.

Photo © Kent Dayton / Dwell magazine

I still want my tiny house to be comfortable (read: expensively furnished courtesy of an enigmatic older gentleman suitor who, in this scenario, is apparently all about that composting toilet lyfe) and have thusly put together the below moodboard using the compact apartment above to set the tone, except I went for a blue "color story" instead of a red one.

I broke down my pinboards recently (sidenote: this activity is the exact opposite of having sex) because it's 2015 and I'm trying to be a purposeful pinner who keeps track of design references, styles and oeuvres. Which brings us to my imaginary tiny house living room. The enameled desk lamp is Kurt Versen (love that shape); the nude figure drawing is by Helen Sewell Rennie (it was available at Serena & Lily, but it looks like it sold out); the chair is Larsen & Madsen; the kilim is vintage (and Swedish!); the cushions are by Trine Ellitsgaard and the cabinet is Edward Wormley.

So, long story short: yay tiny houses! Who wants to buy me one? Daddy?