But I did just buy these awesome cabinets from Construction Junction for my kitchen. They used to be in a chemistry lab.
Tomorrow I leave for my first vacation in almost 8 years to spend a week in the mountains, so radio silence will continue.
The journal of a girl's adventure into the world of tiny homes, as she works to build her very own in western Pennsylvania.
Showing posts with label design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label design. Show all posts
Apr 18, 2017
Blinded with Science (furniture)
As the lack of activity on this blog has likely relayed, I've hit a roadblock with finding a place to park my home.
Jan 17, 2017
Retail Therapy
This time of year is often a gloomy one, drained from the holidays and gloomy from the dreary weather. What better way to lift one's spirits than with spending money on material possessions!
A while back I had found this wonderful little sconce at Construction Junction. Without any idea originally where to put it, I couldn't pass it up for just $15.
While browsing Craig's List, I found another light. It kept popping up in my searches for lights and eventually was being offered for free. At first glance it looked quite tacky, and not a surprise that it was being given away. But looking closer at it, the glass looked similar to the sconce I bought- the pair could be good for my bathroom. I took a Saturday morning and drove 40 minutes south of Pittsburgh to pick up the light and a bathroom door. We rendezvoused at a BP and to my delight, the glass was an exact match! The light as a whole was in nice shape too, just needs some cleaning and paint. (Remember if you can't have someone go with you, meet in public places!)
While I was in the area, I planned to pick up a door on clearance at 84 Lumber. First hurdle, the place is a friggin' maze! There are at least half a dozen buildings but none are labeled well from the outside and there wasn't a soul around to ask. When I did find the retail shop, second hurdle; the staff said they didn't have the door, was in their book but nowhere in the warehouse. I had called the day before to confirm it was still for sale, had cleared out my car and drove almost an hour, and now they don't have it?! The guy went back a second time, still nothing. I was so angry and frustrated- this was the first and only door I have found in months of searching that fit what I wanted. The second staffer went to look. He found the door and thankfully I did not have to write a scathing review about a horrible experience and incompetent staff (though the one kid light a cigarette while in the warehouse. Seriously why does anyone under 30 even try smoking? Expensive, gross and we all know better).
So my new $15 bathroom door and light made the trek back home! It was a bit crowded in the car if I'm honest, and I may have broken some laws since I couldn't see anything to my right.... Still worth it.
My latest trip confirmed a vision for my bathroom. Once again I stopped off at Construction Junction after church and found the perfect medicine cabinet. Solid wood with an aged mirror, with a little paint and tlc it will fit wonderfully in the shabby chic white bathroom in my head. But the cherry on my recent shopping spree was in the lighting section. Can you find it?
A while back I had found this wonderful little sconce at Construction Junction. Without any idea originally where to put it, I couldn't pass it up for just $15.
While I was in the area, I planned to pick up a door on clearance at 84 Lumber. First hurdle, the place is a friggin' maze! There are at least half a dozen buildings but none are labeled well from the outside and there wasn't a soul around to ask. When I did find the retail shop, second hurdle; the staff said they didn't have the door, was in their book but nowhere in the warehouse. I had called the day before to confirm it was still for sale, had cleared out my car and drove almost an hour, and now they don't have it?! The guy went back a second time, still nothing. I was so angry and frustrated- this was the first and only door I have found in months of searching that fit what I wanted. The second staffer went to look. He found the door and thankfully I did not have to write a scathing review about a horrible experience and incompetent staff (though the one kid light a cigarette while in the warehouse. Seriously why does anyone under 30 even try smoking? Expensive, gross and we all know better).
So my new $15 bathroom door and light made the trek back home! It was a bit crowded in the car if I'm honest, and I may have broken some laws since I couldn't see anything to my right.... Still worth it.
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| That is the top of my door. It is about 3 inches from the windshield. |
My latest trip confirmed a vision for my bathroom. Once again I stopped off at Construction Junction after church and found the perfect medicine cabinet. Solid wood with an aged mirror, with a little paint and tlc it will fit wonderfully in the shabby chic white bathroom in my head. But the cherry on my recent shopping spree was in the lighting section. Can you find it?
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| If you look closely, you can see a sleeping cat in the reflection. |
Another glass cover exactly like my lights! I have never seen this design before in my life and now I'm stumbling upon it everywhere. I'm sure I'll find out it is something made by Wal-Mart in the 90s that I'm just naive too, but for now it is a fun treasure.
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| Happy little family. |
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| Oh look, a cat in the middle of something. How surprising. |
Tune in next time folks for a riveting tale of zoning laws, the department of transportation, and occupancy laws! Stay sexy and don't get murdered!
Oct 9, 2016
Shopping!
With building my house I plan on using mostly salvaged materials, to be eco friendly and save money. This does cause a little issue because I can't make any solidified plans since I don't know what materials I'll find and those dimensions. So even though I don't have a house or even the trailer yet, still shopping!
Next on my shopping spree, a kitchen sink. I really like the old fashion farm house sinks. Another Craig's List find for just $50. Other people were asking over $100 (and new, this could easily be $300+). The look is unique and having part of the sink continuing as a counter is handy for washing dishes or working with messy food. This thing is friggin' heavy though! I ended up having to drive around with it in my car for a few days, I could feel the difference in my car's acceleration. I was a bit worried about the weight with having a foundation with a weight limit; I reached out on a fb group and it was almost unanimous "Awesome, you should get that!". And they suggested to just cut weight elsewhere.
Remember shoppers, always be safe when buying off Craig's List! Either meet somewhere public or take a buddy. And always follow Jack Donaghy's advice,
I've been searching Craig's List quite frequently for windows. Being such an important part of keeping my house insulated, I'm only looking at new windows. On the one end of my house I want to make a bay window. Instead of using an actual bay window, I'm going to use three separate windows and build the walls out. I got the idea from the Cleone design from Tiny House Design.
I found a set of three matching windows and negotiated with the seller for a total of $135, that is $45 per window! When I went to pick them up I discovered one casement window and two single hung. They were also brown on the outside. Well, I did find them on Craig's List and for what I paid I can't complain (too much...). And the seller had a dog so I gave him my business card for the shelter because I can't help myself.
Next on my shopping spree, a kitchen sink. I really like the old fashion farm house sinks. Another Craig's List find for just $50. Other people were asking over $100 (and new, this could easily be $300+). The look is unique and having part of the sink continuing as a counter is handy for washing dishes or working with messy food. This thing is friggin' heavy though! I ended up having to drive around with it in my car for a few days, I could feel the difference in my car's acceleration. I was a bit worried about the weight with having a foundation with a weight limit; I reached out on a fb group and it was almost unanimous "Awesome, you should get that!". And they suggested to just cut weight elsewhere.
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| This thing took up most of my car, my poor little hatchback! |
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| Just needs new hardware and some tlc. |
Remember shoppers, always be safe when buying off Craig's List! Either meet somewhere public or take a buddy. And always follow Jack Donaghy's advice,
Apr 13, 2016
Из России с любовью
When I started this journey, I honestly thought I would take a year to plan and a year to build my tiny house. Looking back, there isn't one big thing that screwed up my timeline; I had to move out of my apartment, was assigned new responsibilities at work, had to find a new car, was diagnosed with Lyme disease then un-diagnosed with Lyme disease. Most recently a family member struggling with depression was hospitalized. It is amazing how you can so easily get caught up in surviving the day, weeks and months quickly pass.
People in my life keep getting pregnant as well, which means baby showers, which means presents, which means paintings for me. Cost effective but time consuming.
I am determined to begin my build before this year is up and have been researching trailers. There are so many options to choose, it is almost paralyzing. Thankfully there are quite a few online resources available that weren't around even a few years ago, but it still requires research.
To break up the stress of trailer shopping, I've been shopping for other house parts. Mostly trivial but still cool. Example one: this sweet mail slot.
Courtesy BolshevismLand on Etsy, I found this slot that says "Pochta"- the name of the Russian postal service. Most of the slots I found were either so bland they ruined the aesthetics or yelled "LOOK AT ME, I AM A FANCY OLD TIMEY WAY TO DELIVER MAIL!" This one is the perfect combination of character, simplicity, and will hopefully be helpful if Red Dawn ever comes to fruition.
Since I cannot expect you to be waiting by your computers for my next update, may I recommend my newest favorite podcast: Mystery Show. As stated on their site, Myster Show is "A podcast where Starlee Kine solves mysteries." Simple but charming, much like my sweet mail slot. Only it isn't in Russian.
People in my life keep getting pregnant as well, which means baby showers, which means presents, which means paintings for me. Cost effective but time consuming.
I am determined to begin my build before this year is up and have been researching trailers. There are so many options to choose, it is almost paralyzing. Thankfully there are quite a few online resources available that weren't around even a few years ago, but it still requires research.
To break up the stress of trailer shopping, I've been shopping for other house parts. Mostly trivial but still cool. Example one: this sweet mail slot.
Courtesy BolshevismLand on Etsy, I found this slot that says "Pochta"- the name of the Russian postal service. Most of the slots I found were either so bland they ruined the aesthetics or yelled "LOOK AT ME, I AM A FANCY OLD TIMEY WAY TO DELIVER MAIL!" This one is the perfect combination of character, simplicity, and will hopefully be helpful if Red Dawn ever comes to fruition.
Since I cannot expect you to be waiting by your computers for my next update, may I recommend my newest favorite podcast: Mystery Show. As stated on their site, Myster Show is "A podcast where Starlee Kine solves mysteries." Simple but charming, much like my sweet mail slot. Only it isn't in Russian.
Oct 5, 2015
Like the Phoenix
Summer is usually the time for relaxation. School is out, people go on vacations, the sun is high and it is time to rejuvenate. Not so for me. Those who don't know, I work in the animal rescue field and summer is the busiest time of the year. Kitten populations explode exponentially, people are in a hurry to either adopt or surrender a pet, and there is always a big shelter event around the corner requiring all staff on board. Just as work was slowing down and allowing me to focus on this tiny project, this happened:
That is what happens when a little hatchback is sandwiched between two pickup trucks. Thankfully no one was hurt (including the instigator of the accident, who sped away quickly after the crash). Needless to say, sorting out all the particulars with insurance companies and finding a new car consumed all my free time. But after a month of scouring car sites, bumming rides off people, and physical sickness from stress- I have a new car and can focus on my tiny house once again!
My latest (and hopefully final) design for the house begins with the front door on the end of the trailer. Upon entry, you will be in the kitchen and under the sleeping loft. I figure most time in the kitchen will be spent standing, so the door will not take away useful chilaxin' space. Through the kitchen will be the living/working area; I will have a freestanding couch and desk. On the far end of the house will be the bathroom that will stretch across the back end of the trailer; it will have a small loft above it for storage. One frequent element of tiny houses I have decided to pass on is built in furniture. More on that in a later post.
Having the entry at one of the ends also allows me to create a cottage look that I love. When researching tiny houses I would get suggestions from friends to build in a shipping container, but part of the appeal to me in tiny homes is the cozy feel from a little farm house. I have been having a lot of fun playing with porch designs, mixing different siding patterns, and adding window boxes (likely to be filled with dead plants...).
My latest (and hopefully final) design for the house begins with the front door on the end of the trailer. Upon entry, you will be in the kitchen and under the sleeping loft. I figure most time in the kitchen will be spent standing, so the door will not take away useful chilaxin' space. Through the kitchen will be the living/working area; I will have a freestanding couch and desk. On the far end of the house will be the bathroom that will stretch across the back end of the trailer; it will have a small loft above it for storage. One frequent element of tiny houses I have decided to pass on is built in furniture. More on that in a later post.
Having the entry at one of the ends also allows me to create a cottage look that I love. When researching tiny houses I would get suggestions from friends to build in a shipping container, but part of the appeal to me in tiny homes is the cozy feel from a little farm house. I have been having a lot of fun playing with porch designs, mixing different siding patterns, and adding window boxes (likely to be filled with dead plants...).
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| porch design with random sketch below |
Feb 9, 2015
Fish shouldn't ride bikes
Through this process I have learned two major things:
1. There are too many ideas I have found to fit in a tiny house.
2. An art degree does not make you an architect.
Pinterest is a vast sea of tiny house ideas. Try my best, I can't seem to create a design that fits in all my wants without needing multiple tiny houses.
1. There are too many ideas I have found to fit in a tiny house.
2. An art degree does not make you an architect.
Pinterest is a vast sea of tiny house ideas. Try my best, I can't seem to create a design that fits in all my wants without needing multiple tiny houses.
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| Door on the side allows for a cozy couch/desk nook. |
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| Long layout makes separate areas for office, relaxing, and kitchen. |
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| Cozy loft with storage and a skylight. |
Dec 30, 2014
Don't Stair at Me
One of the quintessential aspects of a tiny house design is the use of vertical space. Most designs have a loft area that acts as a bedroom. And since an average staircase would take up almost half a tiny home, ladders are frequently used. But as anyone who has been with me for a single minute knows, I plan on sharing my home with at least one furry companion- cat, dog, maybe one of each. Most quadrupeds aren't great with ladders. I'm not good with ladders either, and they scare me. Not scared of heights, just ladders.
Thankfully, I am not the only one adverse to vertical death traps. There are multiple designs for tiny house stairs. Some are just as compact as possible to save space, others utilize the space taken up to create storage.
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| Storage Stairs in Lucy |
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