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Collection by Scott Saunders

Tiny Homes

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“Designing a house is like writing a song: You try as best you can and you have to finish at some point. You’re probably best to write another song than driving yourself mad.”—Jamie Norton, resident
“Designing a house is like writing a song: You try as best you can and you have to finish at some point. You’re probably best to write another song than driving yourself mad.”—Jamie Norton, resident
The first floor of the house used to be a warren of five tiny rooms, and the first thing you saw when you walked in the front door was the attic staircase. Waechter opened the space up into one large, light-filled room. A birch plywood-sheathed box was designed to look like an oversized piece of furniture, mimicking the light wood of the Eames chair and Case Study Daybed, while cleverly hiding the stairs, storage, and powder room inside. Photo: Atelier Waechter. The first floor of the house used to be a warren of five tiny rooms, and the first thing you saw when you walked in the front door was the attic staircase. Waechter opened the space up into one large, light-filled room. A birch plywood-sheathed box was designed to look like an oversized piece of furniture, mimicking the light wood of the and Case Study Daybed, while cleverly hiding the stairs, storage, and powder room inside. Photo: Atelier Waechter.
The first floor of the house used to be a warren of five tiny rooms, and the first thing you saw when you walked in the front door was the attic staircase. Waechter opened the space up into one large, light-filled room. A birch plywood-sheathed box was designed to look like an oversized piece of furniture, mimicking the light wood of the Eames chair and Case Study Daybed, while cleverly hiding the stairs, storage, and powder room inside. Photo: Atelier Waechter. The first floor of the house used to be a warren of five tiny rooms, and the first thing you saw when you walked in the front door was the attic staircase. Waechter opened the space up into one large, light-filled room. A birch plywood-sheathed box was designed to look like an oversized piece of furniture, mimicking the light wood of the and Case Study Daybed, while cleverly hiding the stairs, storage, and powder room inside. Photo: Atelier Waechter.
The Whitman House.
The Whitman House.
The homes are painted wood, and include a shaded deck space, plus full insulation and electricity, for a price of about $29,000.
The homes are painted wood, and include a shaded deck space, plus full insulation and electricity, for a price of about $29,000.
The homes are built on a concrete foundation and are typically constructed in only two days.
The homes are built on a concrete foundation and are typically constructed in only two days.
Many tiny home dwellers develop eco-friendly habits when they downsize—like adopting a capsule wardrobe, carpooling more, and harvesting rainwater.
Many tiny home dwellers develop eco-friendly habits when they downsize—like adopting a capsule wardrobe, carpooling more, and harvesting rainwater.
Robie House, Chicago, Illinois (1910)"Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose honest arrogance." It should come as no surprise who uttered those words—the architect of the famed Robie House, Frank Lloyd Wright. The residence, with its tight recessed entry leading to dramatic light-filled openness, seamless space unencumbered by needless partitions, continuous bands of windows, its horizontal, low-slung form, and overhanging eaves, is what the architect called "a cornerstone of American architecture."
Robie House, Chicago, Illinois (1910)"Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose honest arrogance." It should come as no surprise who uttered those words—the architect of the famed Robie House, Frank Lloyd Wright. The residence, with its tight recessed entry leading to dramatic light-filled openness, seamless space unencumbered by needless partitions, continuous bands of windows, its horizontal, low-slung form, and overhanging eaves, is what the architect called "a cornerstone of American architecture."
“Our central challenge was to add a home to the forest without undermining nature,” architect Paul Bernier says. “We allowed the house’s function and relationship with its site to shape the design.”
“Our central challenge was to add a home to the forest without undermining nature,” architect Paul Bernier says. “We allowed the house’s function and relationship with its site to shape the design.”
The Leaf House is a lightweight, mobile trailer that was carefully engineered to weigh less than 5,000 pounds. The designer, Laird Herbert, used a metal-mesh, open-joint rainscreen as the cladding on the front end, and spruce pine at the back.
The Leaf House is a lightweight, mobile trailer that was carefully engineered to weigh less than 5,000 pounds. The designer, Laird Herbert, used a metal-mesh, open-joint rainscreen as the cladding on the front end, and spruce pine at the back.
When settlers first made their homes on the prairies of North America, the sod house was the prevalent form of architecture because wood wasn’t readily available. Settlers cut patches of sod into long rectangles and layered them together to form small huts. Photo via schmidt-thesman.blogspot.com
When settlers first made their homes on the prairies of North America, the sod house was the prevalent form of architecture because wood wasn’t readily available. Settlers cut patches of sod into long rectangles and layered them together to form small huts. Photo via schmidt-thesman.blogspot.com
Topped with translucent polycarbonate roof panels, the carport and storage shed helps buffer the home from the road. “It’s part of easing into the site with increasing enclosure along the entry axis,” Hart says. “We created a purposefully drawn-out experience that’s intended to heighten awareness of the site and gradually transition from the forest to the home.”
Topped with translucent polycarbonate roof panels, the carport and storage shed helps buffer the home from the road. “It’s part of easing into the site with increasing enclosure along the entry axis,” Hart says. “We created a purposefully drawn-out experience that’s intended to heighten awareness of the site and gradually transition from the forest to the home.”
"I won’t take the job if I can’t be real with myself in order to get it done," Hasui says.
"I won’t take the job if I can’t be real with myself in order to get it done," Hasui says.
Nestled in a forest, the residence consists of three volumes. The patio, enhanced by a German-made beer garden table, is an extension of the living room floor, creating an indoor-outdoor living space. “It’s one way a small space can be made to feel larger,” says architect Jason W. Hart. All of the exterior doors are painted marigold, providing a friendly pop of color.
Nestled in a forest, the residence consists of three volumes. The patio, enhanced by a German-made beer garden table, is an extension of the living room floor, creating an indoor-outdoor living space. “It’s one way a small space can be made to feel larger,” says architect Jason W. Hart. All of the exterior doors are painted marigold, providing a friendly pop of color.
A shipping container is perfectly sized to serve as a tiny guesthouse, as San Antonio artist Stacey Hill finds.
A shipping container is perfectly sized to serve as a tiny guesthouse, as San Antonio artist Stacey Hill finds.
A Norwegian boathouse by TYIN featured in Cabins (Taschen, 2014).
A Norwegian boathouse by TYIN featured in Cabins (Taschen, 2014).
A polychrome facade made of salvaged, 100-year-old barnwood gives this small, lofted cottage space its unique character. Its copper roof is also reclaimed, a lucky Craigslist find from a local remodel. Though the structure has a footprint of just 11' x 14', it provides a useful space to entertain, catch up on work, or relax.
A polychrome facade made of salvaged, 100-year-old barnwood gives this small, lofted cottage space its unique character. Its copper roof is also reclaimed, a lucky Craigslist find from a local remodel. Though the structure has a footprint of just 11' x 14', it provides a useful space to entertain, catch up on work, or relax.
Exterior of the backyard studio Riley McFerrin of Hinterland Design built for his client, a children's book illustrator.
Exterior of the backyard studio Riley McFerrin of Hinterland Design built for his client, a children's book illustrator.
The roughly 160-square-foot modules, dubbed Mini House 2.0, were built in collaboration with Swedish manufacturer Sommarnöjen, and are delivered flat-packed. The homes are painted wood, and include a shaded deck space, plus full insulation and electricity, for a price of about $29,000. The modules come in various layouts, and can be configured and combined to include a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and living space.
The roughly 160-square-foot modules, dubbed Mini House 2.0, were built in collaboration with Swedish manufacturer Sommarnöjen, and are delivered flat-packed. The homes are painted wood, and include a shaded deck space, plus full insulation and electricity, for a price of about $29,000. The modules come in various layouts, and can be configured and combined to include a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and living space.
A recycled barndoor track and wheels affords privacy behind a siding covered panel.
A recycled barndoor track and wheels affords privacy behind a siding covered panel.