Deciding to live in a tiny house involves making some big lifestyle choices. You’ll need to be happy with minimal belongings (hoarders need not apply) and have maximum tolerance for intimacy if others will be sharing the space. And you’ll need to check your local laws to make sure you abide by building codes.
But cozy quarters also offer huge advantages. Tiny houses are far more affordable than standard-size houses. Most tiny-home owners live mortgage-free. The lower building costs allow many people to pay cash up front, but mortgages are tougher to get for these homes because the homes are unique and hard to compare with other properties. Plus, they would require smaller loans, which banks are less inclined to give right now. Monthly costs -- such as for heating, cooling and lighting -- are relatively low. And your environmental footprint will be equivalent to a toddler’s flip-flop.
Sometimes, less is more! Here are.fun, and value-conscious, tiny homes under 500 square feet:
Painted Lady
Builder: Tiny Texas Houses
Area: 312 square feet
Location:
Round Top, Tex.
Cost to build: $95,000
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Painted Lady is a lovely 365-square feet.
Photo: Tiny Texas Houses |
Special features -- such as the vibrant, six-color paint job and uniquely shaped stained-glass windows -- drive the price up on this custom-built home. But low energy bills -- about $35 to $45 a month in the summer and even less in the winter -- and low taxes (based on square footage) help keep monthly costs down.
Outside, it offers both a front and back porch. Inside, you’ll have sufficient living space with a king-size Murphy bed, as well as a loft area and a built-in couch that can also be used for a bed. The kitchen includes a small Sub Zero fridge and freezer under the counter, and a two-burner induction cooktop and a microwave above. In the bathroom, the shower has walls made of galvanized, interlocking roof shingles from the late 1800s and a river-rock floor. Tiny Texas Houses employs these “Pure Salvage Building” techniques, “transforming what the public sees as trash into sustainable housing,” in all of its projects.
Z-Glass
Designer: Tumbleweed Tiny House Co.
Area: 370 square feet
Estimated cost to build yourself: $26,000
Construction plans: $595 to $795
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Z-Glass stretches 370-square feet.
Photo: Tumbleweed Tiny House Co. |
The modern design pictured here is built with rolled hot steel siding, but you can choose any durable exterior finish you like if you go with this plan for your own tiny house. The kitchen includes a dishwasher, full-size range with oven and built in microwave, as well as a washer-dryer combo. The tankless water heater provides plenty of hot water. There’s a small fireplace in the living room and the option to install an air conditioner.
XS House
Designer: Tumbleweed Tiny House Co.
Area: 65 square feet
Ready-made cost: $38,997
Estimated cost to build yourself: $16,000
Cost to download plans: $99
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XS House is the smallest on our list at 65-square feet.
Photo: Tumbleweed Tiny House Co |
The tiniest of tiny houses, the XS House doesn’t meet size standards required to be built on a foundation and so must be built on a trailer. Still, the home on wheels provides enough space for one person to live in comfort. The living room includes a built-in desk and couch, as well as two closets. The loft bedroom has room for a queen-size mattress. And the stainless steel fireplace can keep you warm in the coldest of climates. To stay cool, you could add a small air conditioner.
Unfortunately, you won’t have much kitchen space in the XS House -- there’s just enough room for a small water heater, refrigerator and hot plate beneath the sink and stainless steel counter. In the bathroom, you’ll have no choice but to save on water bills: The water heater will allow you just five minutes for a hot shower, and you’ll have a low-flush toilet meant for recreational vehicles.
Bodega
Designer: Tumbleweed Tiny House Co.
Studio/1BA: 261 square feet
1BR/1BA: 356 square feet
Estimated cost to build yourself: $22,500 for the 261-square-foot plan; $29,500 for the 356-square-foot plan
Construction plans: $695
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Bodega comes in two sizes, the smallest is 261-square feet.
Photo: Tumbleweed Tiny House Co. |
The smaller plan for the 261-square-foot Bodega offers a full bath, kitchen and fireplace, while the less-small, 356-square-foot option includes a bedroom in addition to the loft. In both versions, the kitchen has a dishwasher, full-size range with oven, and built in microwave. The smaller version also has a washer-dryer combo; in the larger plan, you’ll have a closet for a stackable washer and dryer. The tankless water heater provides plenty of hot water.
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The skirt is lightly gathered with an attached bow sash at the waist. These details make this dress perfect for hiding bumps and bulges around the belly! The flattering design of this dress makes it so easy for every day wear! The white flower appliqué adds the perfect final touch!
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo.
Baa, baa, black sheep,
The reason to the words and history to this song were to associate wool and wool products with the animal that produces it, not to mention the sound that a sheep would make! The first grasp of language for a child or baby is to imitate the sounds or noises that animals make – onomatopoeia (words sound like their meaning e.g. baa baa in “Baa, baa black sheep”).
The History and Origins of Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme:
I love many kinds of arts and crafts. My favorites are crocheting, and jewelry making. I learned how to sew at a very early age. I remember my first home-ec. class in Jr. High I was surprised that not everyone all ready knew how to sew. (The cooking everyone else had me beat by a mile:-) I love to travel, and get a lot of inspiration on my trips. I was born in West Africa raised in the USA. 