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...).

porch design with random sketch below