In recent years tiny houses have boomed in popularity. There are several reasons for this boom such as wanting to save money, having a desire to live a more simple lifestyle and wanting to reduce your carbon footprint on the world.
If any of these reasons to build a tiny house sound convincing to you, then you will want to next look at how to design a tiny house. However; before we discuss designing a tiny house, we must first understand what a tiny house is.
So what is a tiny house? Is it worth it? If you want to custom-make your own tiny home, you need to be 100% sure that it comes out just the way you had envisioned.
What is a Tiny House?
A tiny house is a simple, small abode in which you can live a simple life without all the extra space that comes with a regular sized home. A typical home in the United States is about 2,600 square feet. A tiny home however is usually between 200 and 400 square feet.
Although between 200 and 400 square is the usual size of a tiny house, some people have tiny houses that are as small as 100 square feet. If you can manage with such a small space then go for it. That is what the tiny house living is all about; living life as simply as possible.
Custom Made Tiny for You
Tiny houses come in different shapes, sizes and styles. What you get depends entirely on your preferences. You may choose to build your tiny house so it stays in one spot, but creating a tiny house on wheels or on a trailer is also an option if you want to travel with your tiny house.
Designing your own custom home is best because it allows you to be creative and to design your home in a way that meets your needs and fits your lifestyle.
Small home living has become so attractive that even celebrities such as Matthew McConaughey, Christina Ricci, Kesha and Ellen Pompeo have embraced the growing trend.
Now that you have made up your mind to start living in a tiny home, you need to start thinking about how you want to design your tiny home. These are 16 tips to help you design your tiny home.
How to Design A Tiny House? 16 Tips
A house is a house, regardless of the size. A good house starts with the right design.
If you fail designing your home, you may waste a lot of time and money going back and fixing things that should have been addressed during the design stage of building the home. The following are 16 tips for designing your tiny home:
1. Search Tiny Houses Online for Ideas
The first thing you need to do is search for images and videos to gather ideas of what kind of styles you like.
By checking other’s designs, you can come up with a unique one for your small home. A basic search should give you a good idea of what small living is all about.
If after your online searches you still feel uncertain, you can always contact a professional to help with the design. However, this will cost you a good amount of money and so you must decide whether or not it is worth it.
While you are checking out the kinds of tiny lives that other enthusiasts are living, you may begin to see some of the benefits of downsizing your life such as less expenses each month.
2. Research Local Laws Governing Tiny House Design
In the United States, tiny house laws differ from state to state. Therefore, it is best to check out what the law governing tiny homes is in your state.
In some places in the country, a tiny house may be considered illegal if it is not wheeled. In this case, you would have to include wheels in your design so that your small home can be classified as a camper.
Tiny House Living in Alabama
In certain states within the United States such as Alabama, tiny living is still not permitted state wide. However, tiny house living may vary from country to county and from city to city. It is imperative to research local laws and regulations.
Tiny House Living in California
There is no better state in the United States than the Golden State to start a tiny house and live in it. It can be wheeled or it can be grounded.
Several counties in California are very accommodating to those wanting to build tiny houses. This new and innovative lifestyle is booming but of course there are some guidelines.
In some places such as San Francisco and Fresno, you are allowed to have a tiny house on wheels alongside an existing home. This means you can have a tiny house in your residential place.
Tiny House Living in Florida
In the state of Florida, tiny home living is more common than in most other states. However, just like in other states, laws may vary from county to county and city to city..
In Orange County, tiny homes are required to be no less than 400 square feet. In St. Petersburg, tiny homes should be a minimum of 350 square feet. In Sarasota County, you are required to place the tiny house on a foundation if you are going to stay in an RV park for at least 45 days.
3. Consider Your Budget
The cost of building a small house depends on factors such as size, choice of materials and the type of tiny house that you decide to build. According to The Spruce, in a 2015 survey, the average cost of building a tiny home was $23,000.
This price is much lower if you decide to build it yourself as hiring builders to construct your home will greatly add to your costs.
4. Tape Out Your Design
To begin envisioning your tiny house, try taping out your design. This means taping out the bathroom area, the kitchen area, the walls, the furniture area and so on. If you build your tiny home on a trailer, tape the design out on the same trailer.
You also need to tape out the distance between the walls and the furniture to create walking space. Once you have taped out the design of your house, walk in the walking spaces, see how much space you need.
Do not be afraid to alter the customization of your tiny house to suit your wants and needs. It is best to make alterations to your design in this beginning stage to reach your visualization of your tiny home.
5. Go High When You Can
This is already a small house and therefore the last thing that you want is a low ceiling. You want to downgrade your life and bills , but you cannot downgrade your height or weight. When you cannot increase the size horizontally, increase it vertically, even if it is just by a few inches.
When you have a higher ceiling, you will have more air circulating inside maintaining a cool temperature especially during hot summer days. This can also allow you to install appliances such as fans on the ceiling having them at a proper distance.
Planning for a high ceiling is not enough in the process of how to design a tiny house.
You need to go an extra mile with your furniture. One of the ways to do that is to get low-sitting furniture. That way, you have plenty of headspace. High headspace also creates an illusion of space even where there is none.
6. Include More Windows in Your Design
Having sufficient lighting in your tiny house creates an illusion of more space. At the same time, it helps you see better in the day time.With enough light coming in, you do not have to switch on the lights during the day which will inevitably lower your electric bill.
Large windows may not be necessary for your tiny house in order to let in enough light. Small sized windows placed close to the ceiling will allow enough daylight to light your tiny house.
7. Using the Walls for Storage
One of the biggest issues when you are designing a small house is where to store things. However, one way that people have overcome this obstacle is by using the walls as storage.
Installing hooks on the walls and hanging certain items can greatly help to maximize your storage space. Try to think of how you can use the walls in your tiny house about and how you can get the most out of them.
Hanging things on the wall makes your small living space clear and easier to move around in. After all, you do not want things cluttered all over your tiny house.
Of course, you should also take the time to sort out your things when you move into your tiny home. Only bring the basics into the house and try to get rid of anything that you do not need.
If hanging things on a wall is not an option for you, consider using the space inside the walls for storage. For example, you can make drawers for the walls and store your items inside of them. Doing this is a great way to maximize the space inside of your walls
Decide whether or not you want to include drawers in your walls during the design stage. The reason for this is that the drawers need space to open and close.
Similar to drawers, you can build cabinets into your walls as well.
However, whether you decide to build drawers or cabinets into your walls, you must consider the fact that these storage spaces will need space to open and close. Regardless, building drawers and cabinets into your walls can be a great way to maximize space inside of your tiny house.
8. Use Sliding Doors, Walls, Cabinets and Drawers
This type of door design may be beneficial for your tiny house because sliding doors do not need a lot of space to open up. You can apply the same design to your windows as well.
One important concept of tiny house living is keeping the space as open as possible. In fact, the only space that should be secluded should be the bathroom, for privacy purposes. Partitions take up a lot of space and typically shouldn’t be used in tiny houses.
As tiny as the kitchen may be, you will still need some drawers and cabinets to store your food.
Installing drawers and cabinets with sliding doors will allow you to save more space in your tiny house. If you have to install a door, it should be a sliding one, irrespective of where you will install it.
If you have to install walls for privacy, you should ensure the wall is either collapsible, sliding, or both. That way, if you have guests over and you need to convert the bedroom to a sitting area, you can fold up the bed, slide the wall out of the way and bingo! Sorted.
9. Think about Your Roof Choice
The roof is the most exposed part of the tiny house. It has to bear the brunt of all weather conditions. When it comes to choosing the best roof design for your tiny house, it comes down to two choices – flat or slanted.
Between these two options of roofing, having a slanted roof would be a better choice because it allows debris to flow downwards and fall off the roof.
If you intend to use your tiny house in a place that experiences snowfall,it is best to choose a slanted roof because it will allow the snow to fall off. A flat roof would just collect more snow and debris and eventually start sagging.
If a roof sags, it affects the structural integrity of your house.
10. Weight of Your Tiny House
The weight of your tiny house is very important if you are building your tiny house on a trailer. You have to use a truck to tow your house from place to place.
Depending on how you intend to use the house, you can choose different materials for the job. For example, a wheeled small house should be made of lightweight materials.
When you have to transport the house on a trailer, you must consider the tongue and back weight of the trailer.
If the weight is too much on either the back or the tongue part of your trailer, there will be some risk. The trailer will sway dangerously from side to side when you start moving. It is crucial to take precautions to keep you and your tiny house safe.
11. The Type of Foundation
A tiny house that will remain in place needs a good foundation. If your state allows the construction of tiny houses off of the trailer, you can consider different foundations.
The most popular foundations include concrete slab, stilts, poles and skids. For an immobile house, you should create a foundation that will last for many years.
12. Combine the Toilet and Shower in the Same Room
You will not have the luxury of having a shower room that is separate from the toilet. Therefore, you just need to combine both of these facilities.
The only downside is that when you are showering, your partner will not be able to use the toilet and vice versa. However, if you like, you can even sit on the toilet as you take your shower.
Sorry, but for a tiny house, you will likely have to forego the luxury of soaking in a tub since one would occupy too much space. However, if your tiny home is immobile, you could design an outdoor tub space somewhere beside it.
13. Add a Deck for an Immobile Tiny Home
If your tiny home is going to be stationed in one location, you can create additional space by creating a tiny deck.
Believe it or not, if you live with your partner, you will need some breathing space and the deck makes a perfect option for this alone time. The deck will also make the house appear larger than it is.
14. Opt to Build Rather than Buy
Surprisingly, it is much cheaper to build than buy a tiny house.
It is estimated that building your own tiny house can cost you from $12000 to $35000. However, buying one can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $150,000. Building your own tiny home allows you to construct how you want to meet your specific needs and wants.
15. Knowing the Maximum Size Your Tiny House can be
The maximum size of your tiny house will depend on where you are constructing your house. However, the general rule of thumb is that a tiny home should be a maximum of 400 square feet.
To break down this size, in most states, you will be allowed to build a tiny house of 40 by 8.5 by 13.5 feet (L by W by H).
Check with the local authorities as to what size of tiny home you can build in your county. This will help you determine what can do with the space that you are given to work with.
16. Draw Your Own House Plans
Yes, you can draw the plans of your house by yourself. All you need to do is to know the size of the tiny house that you want to design. Find out what sizes of doors and windows you will use so that you can make your drawing as precise as possible.
Once you draw the walls, start adding other features and furniture. Given the size of tiny houses they are much easier to design and draw plans for when compared to a normal sized home.
Final Thoughts
You have now reviewed our 16 tips to consider when designing a tiny home. Designing a tiny house is simple and easy and can be done without the help of a professional. Not hiring a professional will obviously save you money which you can use to build your home instead.
With time on your hands, you and whoever else may be living with you can build your own tiny house which can save you even more money.
Whether you want an immobile tiny house, or a wheeled one, the 16 tips discussed here apply to all tiny houses and are things to consider when designing your tiny house.