Living small - living simply - living better

Posted on Posted in eco-friendly, Gardens, Houses, Small House, sustainability
Tiny House Scotland presents The NestHouse!
Tiny House Scotland presents The NestHouse!

Whether in a tiny house or a small house - Living Small also implies a degree of self sufficiency, but is this realistic - must we become Hippies from the 60’s to have a better lifestyle?!

You can simplify your life wherever you live - urban or rural; Lloyd Kahn the original small living guru wrote, rather comfortingly, in Shelter that

- self sufficiency is a direction, not an attainable goal. The idea is to do as much for yourself as possible - not ploughing your own fields with horses or growing your own wheat or making your own shoes but doing something within the context of your life: remodelling a house, creating a studio, building a table or bed, fitting in things like a productive garden or chickens or homemade bread, or lettuce and chives in pots on the window sill.

It’s a tightrope act, finding the right balance these days, between work for others and work for yourself, between creating things with your own hands and buying things from others. Just like finding a balance between sitting at a computer and physical activity.

Small is a path on a journey - houses evolve naturally - adapting to the needs of their occupants - this is ‘proper architecture’ in my opinion - see Stuart Brand’s fascinating book How Buildings Learn - if small facilitates young people achieving their first home then being able to add to it as needs and funds allow - means they means will have a healthy regard for their own property and not be pressurised by having to aspire to some unachievable mansion lifestyle which is not only un-affordable but unsustainable.

Windowcill herbs - an element of achievable self sufficiency
Window cill herbs - an element of achievable self sufficiency

Cool websites

    Gothic Arbour

    Posted on Posted in Architecture, Design, Gardens, Timber Frame

    Tiny House Scotland’s latest construction - a garden arbour in a neo-gothic style. To be used as a view point, weather shelter and sculptural landmark. L 2.1m x W 1.1m x H 3.3m. Heavy timber frame post and beam with new and recycled materials. Redwood shiplap cladding. Sixty degree roof. Hand cast concrete piers. Recycled windows set asymmetrically for standing and sitting heights. Reclaimed corrugated steel sheeting for the roof and rear elevation.

    L 2.1m x W 1.1m x H 3.3m.

    To be offered as part of the Tiny House Scotland buildings range - prices starting from £1495 (details to follow - email if you are interested in one!) See the product page here.

    Tiny House Scotland Gothic Arbour.
    Tiny House Scotland Gothic Arbour.
    JA6_1511
    Hand cast piers.
    JA6_1472
    Bench seat.

     

     

    Finial and ridge crest detail.
    Finial and ridge crest detail.

     

    JA6_1495
    Rear elevation.