This small, off-grid, sustainable cabin on Ragged Island twenty miles from the coast of Maine was the brainchild of the owner’s architectural designer daughter, Alex Scott Porter, who designed the structure for her retired father, Bruce Porter, former professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
A laneway house, as I’m sure you’re all aware by now, is a house built on existing lots (typically in the backyard of an existing house) that face onto the back lane or alley. Their popularity rose on the west coast of Canada, particularly in metro Vancouver, but have since spread across North America as a chic development in crowded residential areas, which is where Smallworks Studios/Laneway Housing comes in.
Obviously space is at a premium on metro lots, so small house sensibilities are often applied in tandem with the obvious economic advantages of building with a small environmental and physical footprint. In Vancouver, the average laneway house measures only 550 square feet and consists of 1.5 stories.
Canada’s Form & Forest present this unique cabin built on a pristine five-acre lot in the Rockies. Rather than go the traditional route of log homes, Form & Forest wanted to try something a little different.
We recently received a NewAir AC-10000H Air Conditioner to review from Air and Water, Inc..
Although many people prefer window units to portable air conditioners, people that live in small homes, apartments, etc. or in neighborhoods that restrict window units from being used (mostly for aesthetic reasons) turn to portable air conditioners to cool their homes. Others prefer portable air conditioners because they are easy to install and don’t require heavy lifting (other than getting it out of the box!) And some prefer a portable units because they are still able to enjoy sun light coming through their windows (vs. having it blocked by a window unit) and have the flexibility of opening the window on occasion.
The eco-friendly, small home movement marches on with this offering from Karoleena Homes, the Calgary builder’s first move into prefab and modular housing.
Advertised as a holiday home, backyard studio or laneway house, the Karo Cabin will be factory-built and shipped to a site of the client’s choosing anywhere in North America accessible by road.
The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company is offering another one of their amazing small house plans for sale this month.
The Harbinger features a bump-out on the front that can be used as a sitting area or a sleeping area. It is large enough to fit a Queen size bed. There are 2 versions of this home: one measuring 310 square feet, and a 2nd version with 1 bedroom totaling 407 square feet. The house is 16′ 7″ tall.
Harbinger Building Plans (310 sq ft) Studio: $695 on sale $299
Harbinger Building Plans with additional room (404 sq ft): $695 on sale $299
Read the rest of this entry »
Remodeling an Airstream is one of the most sustainable things one can do.
I’m an architect. I know, it’s ironic, but I don’t prefer designing a brand new home.
Like you (I hope!) it’s our job to take care of the earth by our own behavior.
The most unsustainable thing one can do to the earth is to design and build a new home where there wasn’t one before. Worse still, is tearing down an old home and building a new one in its place.
A new home takes an enormous amount of energy and natural resources build.
Using the empty shell – the floor, walls and roof – in an existing building requires significantly less energy than new construction. By eliminating the need for building a foundation, erecting walls, installing windows, and placing on a new roof thousands of dollars of resources that would have been required to build these elements can be transferred, or saved all together.
The end result is a win-win. Sustainable and more cost effective.
Read the rest of this entry »
There are many levels of accessibility in home design, with variations even within the current federal laws that mandate accessibility for public buildings and multi-family housing. Individual homeowners are not usually required by law to make their new small ADU or stand-alone single-family house comply with any accessibility guidelines so what standards you set for your use are your choice.
The traditional carriage house above a garage is difficult to make accessible unless an elevator or a lift is included, but it could be made safer with the stair inside out of the snow and ice.
This is a guest post in a series by Mike Kephart of Kephart Living, LLC, a design and consulting firm dedicated to the support and resurgence of the Sidekick Home or Accessory Dwelling Unit with offices in Denver, CO. View the first post in the series, “Accessible Small Houses,” here.
Read the rest of this entry »
When it comes to an environmentally friendly home one simple thing to consider is: think small. Studies have shown that reducing the size of a house has the biggest benefit when considering your green options. Whether you are thinking of building a small house, already live in one or want to live in one, you are likely interested in living more simply “simple living” for environmental and economic reasons. Susan Susanka’s ubiquitous Not So Big House
“Since you spend one-third of your life in bed, commit some time to shopping for your new mattress. A little research about the features and benefits available can pay off a many times in the quality of your sleep for the years to come. If you are like most people, you won’t replace your mattress for 7 to 10 years. Therefore you will have to live with your decision – so make a good one! Remember, a good mattress can make a noticeable difference in your health, attitude, and well being.”
What reason is so important or so costly that anyone could continue building new homes that are not usable by some members of our society? It seems that all new houses should allow seniors and those with limited abilities to maintain a degree of independence in their home. Simple, everyday activities such as going through doorways, opening windows, using a dishwasher, or taking a bath can be extremely difficult for some people. Including a few special features in home design can make these activities possible and even easy.
Image by Kate Ferris via Flickr - © All Rights Reserved
This is a guest post by Mike Kephart of Kephart Living, LLC, a design and consulting firm dedicated to the support and resurgence of the Sidekick Home or Accessory Dwelling Unit with offices in Denver, CO.
Read the rest of this entry »
