Nomadic Homes (175)

• From Dylan Magaster’s YouTube channel
• Zyl Vardos is featured in our book Tiny Homes on the Move.

This tiny house is a true head-turner. Made from natural, eco-friendly materials and built by Tofino couple Alan and Venita entirely as a DIY project, this impressive home is filled with very clever design elements.

The exterior is clad in a mixture of weatherboards and cedar shingles which give the home a warm cabin aesthetic. Fortunately, the couple were able to find an ideal parking spot for the tiny house which had existing hook-ups for power, water and sewage already in place for RV parking.

As we step inside this home it’s hard not to be impressed by the simple, yet beautiful and functional design. The house feels open and light, while all the timber used brings an undeniable warmth to the space. Wherever possible, this home has used natural, non-toxic materials, including natural oils and finishes and sheep’s wool insulation to keep the tiny house nice and warm in the winter…

• From www.livingbiginatinyhouse.com/…

On my way to see Foster Huntington in Washington this morning, crossing the Columbia River on Highway 5, I spotted this floating community.

Some quick Google research:

The Portland region has more floating homes than Seattle or San Francisco. Hayden Island alone has four moorages for floating homes, including West Hayden Island Moorage, with 57 floating homes, on the far west side, Jantzen Beach Moorage, Inc, the largest with 176 floating homes (south of Home Depot), Island Cove Floating Homes with 55 units (just west of Lotus Isle Park), and Tomahawk Island Floating Homes with some 72 community members…

• www.hayden-island.com/…

At just 21 years old, Milla Delphine knows what she wants in life and has a plan on how to get it. Ever since she was little, Milla has dreamed of living on a sailboat. Converting a van to live in full-time was initially just a plan to allow her to save more money in order to manifest her nautical dream; yet in the process, Milla has completely fallen in love with van living…

• From www.livingbiginatinyhouse.com/…

At only 24 feet in length (7 meters) this tiny house has been designed to include some extremely impressive features. Built by Asheville couple Andrew and Rachel the home is designed to comfortably accommodate their small family while also being future-proofed for retirement.

The exterior of the home is clad in cedar and metal and has an impressive presence in its spectacular forest setting. A deck has been built by the entranceway to provide easy outdoor living space and extend the home’s usable area. Andrew, who works as a carpenter, had a wealth of skills that he was able to bring to the project and the high quality of his work is evident throughout the house…

• From www.livingbiginatinyhouse.com/…

• From www.livingbiginatinyhouse.com/…

Located in the forest on Hornby Island, this little house on wheels is inhabited by myself, two cats, and a chihuahua. After university, I realized that building a tiny house would be an attainable way to have a private and personally planned living space. Inspired by tiny house creators, I set to work designing the 250 sq. ft. (10 × 25 ft.) space, plus loft. The journey became official upon purchasing a second-hand steel trailer frame. It was towed home from Vancouver Island across two ferries. Because the frame was a little short, an extra 5 ft. were welded onto it.

The design evolved around two main features: an enormous window found on Craigslist and the roof’s curved beams gifted from a local builder. I tried to use and reclaim many recycled items. The live-edge maple cabinet doors came from my childhood home. The cast-iron tub was purchased from a guest house on a neighbouring island. The Pacific Energy wood stove (placed on an old table saw base) was found at the local free store. And all the wooden windows and doors were fixed up, along with much more! While I gathered and refurbished materials, several builders brought the vision to life.

Some unusual building techniques were used during construction. For instance, the studs on the side walls are exposed on the inside, allowing for more width. The S-shaped curve of the loft was constructed by cutting beams in half and joining them back together with one side flipped. I have been living here since September 2016. The next stage will be to build a cedar porch in front of the French doors and expand the garden.

–Sarat Colling

This school but to tiny home conversion could easily be one of the most impressive we have seen so far. When standing inside this home, it’s hard to believe that you’re actually in a vehicle! That’s largely thanks to some great design mixed with skillful execution of the conversion, which involved raising the roof by an additional two feet and cleverly shaping it to feel more like a house.

One of the things that I like most about the idea of a bus conversion compared to a traditional tiny house on wheels, is that they are designed to sustain long-term travel and life on the road. This home in particular is fitted with lots of off-the-grid features including ample solar power, water storage and propane to enable the family to live for extended periods while adventuring in remote locations…

• www.livingbiginatinyhouse.com/…