Comments on: Cube Shaped Vacation Rental by Carre d’etoiles

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 01:16:02 +0000

The tiny house movement may have started with the Tumbleweed House. But there are more and more great tiny houses and solar home ideas coming into the market. But I have to say…I think that the Carre d’etoiles is one of the best to date. I’m amazed of how all that can fit into that little cube space. The floor plan is unique. And the cube is very beautiful inside and out. I really like the wood and the round windows. The only things I would change, is add an emergency exit window for the loft/bed area and do without the sunroof. I personally, have to have two exits. Sunroofs have a tendency to leak. And I would add a very little stainless sink in the toilet area on the wall…towards the door. And have the toilet set off center for extra room. But I would just have a pump faucet pulling warm water from an espresso system water container for the sink. Just to keep things simple. Other than that…I could live in one of these tiny homes.

By: Prefab Resources, Tiny House Ideas, and Small Dwelling Design Links : Green Building Elements

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:00:22 +0000

[...] Above image via Micro Compact Home and all of the above links via Tiny House Design. [...]

By: Michael Janzen

Michael Janzen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:21:55 +0000

Stephen,

You point is well taken but there are ways to make a tiny house a reality. Ironically several of us that contribute to a simple living ezine recently wrote articles on this very topic. Take a look: http://smalllivingjournal.com/category/issue-8-bureacracy/

-Michael

By: Stephen Gatlin

Stephen Gatlin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:51:29 +0000

Can’t please everybody. Whatever the practical liabilities of this little house, I for one think it is ideal and would live in it. Storage would have to be addressed:)

But a more general concern is this: I live in suburban Philadelphia. I venture to say that doing something as simple and modest as erecting this house would be impossible. It would be zoned out of anyplace you wanted to place it.

The only way it could be done is a) have a very good friend who would allow you to essentially build it on his/her property as a curiosity (even here there might be flack); or b) possess enough land to build it so it would be thoroughly hidden, wherein the land would coast 100 times as much as the house.

We have these great little (tiny) designs. But if one wants to actually build and live in one, obstacles fly out of the woodwork. It is a sad thing. We are ruled by fat-cat contractors who build what “everyone” wants and devil take the hindmost. Zillions of track houses everywhere. But no room for anything modest.

By: SteveR

SteveR — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:19:01 +0000

What an odd thing. Totally cool on the inside but a total tragedy in construction and character from the outside. It needs a roof overhang for one thing if it is to last more than a few years and while I am into ‘green’, as a window trim color, it sucks.. and for a small living space, I would think bringing in the outdoors with large windows and for passive solar would be a given.
I do like the round skylight idea for the ‘bedroom’ though and the use of wood throughout.