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The McG Tiny House with Staircase Loft: Photos, Video and Plans


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Every week I like to show you a different option for tiny house plans. Many of my new favorites are coming from a company called Humble Homes, including the McG Tiny House Design with a staircase to the loft.

I’ve been in touch with the owner, Niall, and he’s always creating some outstanding designs. The McG Loft is great because it’s designed with a sleeping loft but a real staircase. So if you’re afraid of the ladders but would still like to enjoy the space saving features of a loft, this might be the one for you…

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The McG Loft Tiny House Plans

The McG Loft Tiny House 3d Model

Humble Homes Customer Build of the McG Loft

Humble Homes Customer Build of the McG Loft

Take the complete photo, floor plan and video tour below:

Rear View of the House

Rear View of the House 3d Model

View of Sleeping Loft and Kitchen

 

View of Sleeping Loft and Kitchen

Isn’t the staircase to the loft great?

Skylight and Exposed Beams

Skylight and Exposed Beams

Kitchen with Exposed Beams

Kitchen with Exposed Beams

The door you see there leads to the bathroom which I’ll show you in a minute. First, let’s take a better look at the kitchen…

Kitchen

Notice the deep kitchen sink so there’s plenty of room to do your dishes. That would be important for me!

Kitchen Sink

Finally, let’s head into the bathroom:

McG Loft Tiny House Bathroom

Shower Bathroom Bathroom

Tiny House Staircase to Loft with Bookshelves

Stairs

Genius! And I just love the window on your way there. It’s like going up a lighthouse.

Window Window by the stairs

Below is a view from up top.

Stair View Down

Sleeping Loft in a Humble Home

Loft Loft

McG Loft Tiny House Floor Plan

McG Loft Tiny House Floor Plan

Living Area in this Tiny Home

Living Area Model View

Video Slideshow with Music of The McG Loft Tiny Home

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Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!
{ 59 comments… add one }
  • jerryd
    April 6, 2013, 3:03 pm

    Very nice for the loft end set up giving bed, bath, kitchen in a 7’x7′ space!!

    Still trying to figure out just why tiny home builders have to have a 2 plane roof especially on the narrow width? It’s far more work, money, less room, a lot weaker and taller vs a shed or curved roof.

    Personally I’d do a loft with foot steps on the wall, etc or a ladder to save the work, space, money. Though in a home this small I’ll just sleep in the living room and use the loft for storage.

    • April 6, 2013, 3:19 pm

      jerryd

      You must be new to this. This one is rare in that it has a stairs rather than the usual ladder. Most of them have a movable ladder. They are showing one with the staris because there are folks that do not feel they can do the ladder. I can, but I may get a dog who could not.

      • Nerida
        April 8, 2013, 10:23 am

        “but I may get a dog that could not” then stick to the ladder. Believe me if your dog cant climb a ladder it is a blessing.

      • Christine
        April 9, 2013, 3:15 pm

        I’m grateful to see plans that include stairs. I was diagnosed with MS 19 years ago, am still ambulatory so a ladder would work now, but maybe not sometime down the road (unknowable), so having integrated stairs would be a blessing.

        • jerryd
          April 9, 2013, 4:48 pm

          Hi Christine. I’m likely to have problems too. There are 2 solutions that take little space, first is a folding stair and another is a lift.

          Though you’d be better off if you just added 20-80sq’ to the bottom floor instead of a loft as 95% would.

          On lofts I have to ask why? They are a pain in so many ways that I’d only use one as a last resort.

          I do have them but use them for a lot of storage 2′ wide full length on 2 of my 12’x 12′ walls. Best put light things up in high spaces and leave ground level for humans and 3′ to 5′ high open for seeing comfort with storage in furniture and any space left after putting in the kind of kitchen, bath and living area you want.

          A tiny home can’t be universal as it just doesn’t have the room to waste so it needs to provide exactly what the owner needs the way they need it and no more makes the best tiny home.

          If going 8′ wide I like in the back the kitchen on one side or both sides with the bath on the rear or one side.

          Then you just need the living area which there is no reason but preference that it shouldn’t be the sleeping area. It’s your choice as you have to live with it.

          Then add whatever else you need for business, hobby, etc and you are done.

        • Cahow
          April 10, 2013, 10:37 am

          jerryd wrote: “On lofts I have to ask why? They are a pain in so many ways that I’d only use one as a last resort.” Oh, jerryd, I couldn’t agree more with you! I have hardcore statistics on the “Loss of Love for Lofts”, well, at least 10 years direct experience with them so that’s gotta count for something, right?

          My husband and I bought a 3 bedroom condo in Chicago when we sold our home, so we’d have somewhere uber cheap to stay when we worked in the city. We intentionally bought a 3 bedroom condo to rent out the other two bedrooms to students (keeping the largest one for ourselves) and the rent the students pay covers the mortgage 100%. When we bought the place, one of the bedrooms (10’x8′) had a loft built into it by the former owner, who was a set designer for Steppenwolf Theatre, so we knew it was built like Noah’s Ark and would be problem free, so we kept it. The loft is 8’x5′ with 5 feet of head room to it, which really bumps up the square footage of that bedroom.

          So, let me tell you about that loft bedroom: we can’t keep ANYONE in that dang room for over a year!!!! That’s 10 different ‘turn-arounds’ on that stupid room and we’re finally ripping the loft out this year! Oh, everyone who sees it LOVES IT and tells us stories about “I’ve always DREAMED of having a loft bed…blahblahblah..” but after a year’s time, they are sick-to-death of climbing up and down that ladder and either move into the other bedroom when that becomes vacant or we loose them altogether as a renter! Grrrrrr!

          The demographic of the typical age is from 18-23, NONE have a single disability or weight issue, so they can technically clamber up & down that ladder like Spring Goats. What kills it every time is 1) If you’re sick, drunk or pee a lot, climbing up and down the ladder just wears you out, 2) If you’re injured it’s downright impossible to use, and 3) the boyfriend’s HATE it!!! (sex issues involved). One poor girl we rented to had a job as a catering server. On a cold and snowy December day, she took a wrong mistep off of a curb and fractured her wrist, dislocated her shoulder and twisted her ankle! She was utterly incapable of climbing into the loft for the bedrest that she needed, so she ended up moving back in with her parents so she could heal her injuries and paid off the rest of her lease! And please don’t think she wanted to move back home: her parents lived 30 miles away and it took Andrea more than an hour’s time on public transportation to get to school and work. 🙁 More than 3/4’s of the girls who rent the loft bedroom end up just using it for storage and move their bed down to the floor level; only a 1/4 of them keep their bed up in the loft.

          So, there you have it: hardcore life experience on my end of the Love/Hate Affair that some people have with lofts. Perhaps the folks who have them in their Tiny Houses that love them are just a different breed than what we’re getting as renters. ~shrug~

    • Mary McGuirk
      May 19, 2013, 4:09 pm

      If you look, you will see that the stairs are useful as countertop for the kitchen area too, as well as total storage for kitchen or general stuff. I think the biggest waste of space is the roof above the kitchen. I would prefer seeing an old fashioned ROPE BED, where the mattress sat on top of a thin spring or rope instead of 2 x 6’s using up head room.

  • LaMar
    April 6, 2013, 3:23 pm

    Nice design guys!
    The only thing I would do different is lose the porch and extend that front wall out. That would gain you about 24 squft of space for a dining nook or pullut bed. The porch could be attached with hinges and folded up against the trailer for travel and put down when parked.

    I like the staircase but they do use up space and if you had a couch bed dowstairs a ladder would be fine for kids using the loft.

    Just my thought!

    LaMar

  • Dominick Bundy
    April 6, 2013, 4:59 pm

    Nice layout, But I don’t see ant closets in this place or storage areas..

  • Cahow
    April 6, 2013, 5:17 pm

    Alex: I just LOVE how you keep finding these tiny treasures for us to drool over!

    Now, my comments:
    1) A staircase!!!! Woo & Hoo! Two damages knees = NO Ladder or even Stepstool climbing for me, forever. I can still do stairs so I like that!

    2) Visable Storage Under the Stairs? Hmmmm….hope you have a GREAT maid service! If I have to dust my books in my ABOVE the floor bookcases every frickin’ week, I can imagine the Dust Bunny Cultures that would exist on the top of the books and especially BEHIND them! Yikes! Plus, if you have a long foot like my husband, you’d kick the spine, which is not good for books! I’ve seen where this space is turned into drawers; a much more useful and less dusty alternative. And if I have learned ANYTHING about Tiny House People: they all proclaim “I do NOT like to clean!”

    3) LOVE the kitchen and bathroom! Finally…a kitchen for someone who doesn’t just live off of fruit!

    4) About the bed situation: has anyone lived with a significant other with this situation? I have…and it sucks, BIG TIME! Our 1st apartment had a “bedroom” that was SO tiny, we had to remove the door to use it. Basically, it fit the king-size bed that my husband’s frame needed and that was it. So, we were forced to decide, “WHO is sleeping up against the wall, so THEY are forced to climb over the sleeping partner?” You better have the person who pees more, sleep on the staircase side! (Especially if you’re preggers!) Also, HOW do you make up the bed? You’d literally have to lay down on it to tuck in a fitted sheet; you couldn’t even kneel.

    I’d much prefer to have the entire ceiling closed in, move the bed into the much larger area that is over the living room, so both parties could leave when they wanted to. Would also allow for bed maintenance and no bumped heads.

    Overall impression: cute design, killer kitchen and bath, some tweaking on the 2nd floor for clothing, storage, and not getting kneed when someone needs to climb over you in bed. 🙂 And, I agree with LaMar: close up that porch!!!!! If this was used in a cold climate, that Heat Loss from the exposed floor overhang of the porch would plummet the inside temps! Been there, had that, paid the gas bills for it!

    • Erik Markus
      April 8, 2013, 12:33 am

      “a kitchen for someone who doesn’t just live off of fruit!” I just lol.
      I don’t know why. I thought it was cute. Like you have some serious de-boning to do of a creature you just caught, roaming your neighborhood.
      A squirrel, a wild buffalo, neighbors dog, the neighbor, …. whatever.
      lol.

      But seriously, you need to the kitchen that works for YOU. In fact, you have to have only the features in your home, you need. I’m glad this kitchen would work for you.

      I agree with your other insights, as well.

      • Cahow
        April 8, 2013, 10:49 am

        Mornin’, Eric! 🙂 So glad that I could provide an LOL moment for you. Who doesn’t like a free chuckle? The “Fruit Eater” comment came about from a youtube video I saw, where a Tiny Houser was showing off his digs. The house had NO BATHROOM AND NO KITCHEN, so most of the comments were centered around, “Dude! How do you wash up? WHERE the he!! do you prepare your food???”. The “dude” replied back that he “…mainly just ate fruit and showered in the rain.” :O All I could think of was 1) the guy was ‘regular’ and wouldn’t get rickets and 2) HOW do you score with the Ladies if it doesn’t rain for a couple of days? LOL Seriously, you gotta be one skanky dude during a drought!!!

        Just like the rest of life, it takes ALL kinds, I guess. ~snort~

        • Erik Markus
          April 8, 2013, 11:58 am

          lol. :o)

          But seriously, If a person can live in only 96 s.f., good for them. They’ve lessened their carbon foot print.

          Personally, I’m mostly vegan, but, I still need occasionally, the toaster oven. I also had to have full plumbing including a bathtub, water heater, full size kitchen sink, and front load washer.

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 12:09 pm

          You have a great attitude, Erik. Too bad we can’t Thumb’s Up people’s comments.

          I agree wholeheartedly about folks reducing their carbon footprint, in whatever sq.ft. they can thrive in. But…what about those of us (me and others) that repurpose spaces not meant to house humans? My “cottage” was a Ma & Pa grocery store in the country, from the 20’s – 60’s, when the owners retired and moved INTO the grocery store. In 7 years, my wee cottage, (nee grocery store), will be 100 years old! Think of the reduction of carbon footprint on THAT! If I hadn’t rescued it, it would have been either doomed to become yet another antique shoppe or torn down for a yuppie palace (we live in a resort community in Michigan).

          I was a vegetarian from 18 to 36 y.o. and 4 of those years I was a vegan. Only had to quit because of skin conditions brought on by the limited protein I was taking in (my fault completely as I despise rice and beans!). Now, I’m 90% vegetarian but eat butter, milk, cheese, eggs and a random fish or two. (and I’ve learned to make peace with rice & beans…sorta.) 😉

        • Erik Markus
          April 8, 2013, 1:56 pm

          Cahow, I would have taken you as being from the U.K.

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 2:41 pm

          And “right” you’d be, Erik. Raised by Europeans, married a Scot, lived in U.K. for first 5 years of marriage, all 3 kids living back in Scotland their middle years with grandparents; go back 3-4 times per year to visit family. His family takes the mickey outta him for his Americanisms (cell phone vs. mobile) but then I’ve absorbed THEIR ways: loo, Irn Bru, football (soccer). 😉 Ain’t Life Grand?!

    • Paul
      October 3, 2014, 6:41 am

      I woulda thought that “insulation” in the floor of the overhang would cure any heat loss problems… after all, isn’t that why they have underfloor insulation for regular houses… ie. not on a concrete slab foundation???

  • April 6, 2013, 5:55 pm

    yeah not much storage but looks cool

  • TomLeeM
    April 6, 2013, 7:30 pm

    I like the stair case better than the ladder. I really like how it is also used for storage, giving the stairs dual usage. I think it looks really nice.

    • Alex
      April 6, 2013, 8:09 pm

      Me too, thanks Tom!

  • Mike Haley
    April 6, 2013, 8:27 pm

    Alex,
    I love the whole idea of tiny spaces, Do you know if California has any special rules governing tiny houses, or where i could find such info? keep up the great work! thanx
    Mike

    • Alex
      April 8, 2013, 8:33 am

      Hi Mike as far as I know there are no special rules for California. It’s simply more popular over there. But most folks end up parked in a backyard in communities/areas where RVs are allowed or out on rural land.

  • Nerida
    April 6, 2013, 8:47 pm

    Agree with Cahow, making that bed is impossible and climbing over is going to be difficult without baning your head and really you’d be climbing over your partners chest to get traction on any floor space. Needs some rethinking.

    Now has everyone forgotten how to wash dishes by hand? You need bench space both sides of the sink, somewhere to stack diry dishes and then clean dishes also you need a bit of elbow room.

    I would also think a little a bit more bench space around the cook top too for safety reasons.

    Window on the stairs – great touch.

    • Cahow
      April 7, 2013, 1:54 pm

      Hi, Nerida! Well, you referenced me and now I’m referencing your good comment about the dishes. (Sidebar: ever notice how the bulk of Tiny Homes are designed by MEN??? And most of them 1) don’t cook; 2) hate to clean; 3) and don’t need a shower unit? Makes ya go “Hm-m-m-m-m….) Obviously, the layout for working kitchens, mundane tasks such as making a bed or as ET said, “Where the heck do you store brooms, mops, linens, etc???” escapes some male designers. But, I’ve seen that, too, with huge estate homes. Honest to God, I saw a 3,000 sqft. home designed where the architect completely forgot to include the refrigerator in the kitchen or a bathroom downstairs, on the main floor!!! You had to run up a grand staircase with 3 story open atrium to use the loo! :0

      Back on topic: I’ve owned 8 homes in my life and flat out REFUSED to use the dishwasher, if one came with the home. Use it for storage. LOL So, your point of having space on either side of that deep sink was a GREAT call! Unless you’re one of those types that eats nothing but fruit or carrots that you pull from the garden and own one plate, cup and spork, y’all better place that sink in the middle of the counter. You can always throw a cutting board over the top for extra space, if need be. I did that in my 1st studio apt., at Uni.

      • jerryd
        April 7, 2013, 7:14 pm

        Cahow ever notice how many tiny houses are design by inexperienced people, many that don’t live in tiny homes or even a clue how to build them?

        Did you notice women under 40 don’t know how to cook as well as men?

        As for the space I can easy make a 6 course holiday dinner in it. You think this space is small try some small boats!! Yet us poor males can put out a fully cooked fine meal in 10-20 minutes. Amazing but true.

        I like a deep sink and have the dirty dishes in it for washing and then on a rack to dry, store. So the set up shown is fine though sink in the middle is best for most.

        Your cutting board over the sink is a good trick I, boaters use a lot and agree completely on dishwashers as a complete waste of money, space and energy. I can wash my dishes in little more time that cleaning them to/and loading, unloading the machine takes.

        The porch and the space above it, the living room is just costly waste. Using the primary structure for porches increases cost and weight. A fold up lightweight one with a PV awning would be a better way and cost the same at 30% of the weight and supply power for 25 yrs as an example.

        • Nerida
          April 8, 2013, 10:58 am

          oh dear is this going to spin out into WWIII on how to wash dishes? Sorry I live with someone who does that, sticks all the dirty dishes in the sink, then fills with sudsy water and starts washing – well 1/2 hour later when the water has cooled down (cold). This always makes me go iky cant stand it and have to re do them as 50% is defiitely NOT clean (because that was their plan all along – and yes I know it). I have a system – cleanest to dirtiests or what goes in your mouth gets washed first. Otherwise the grease on the frypan ends up stuck to the champers glasses or whatever. So each to their own.

          And now that I feel awful that I was picky to begin with as the guys are getting offensive/defensive and I’m worried someone will slash their wrists cause really you never know what is going on on the other side of the screen do you? The 2 things I do find the trickiest with designing these tiny houses is putting in a staircase to a loft and KITCHENS!!!! I really want a bigger kitchen than is reasonable in a tiny house (bit like over capitalising) and I really really would use it all for about 3 weeks of the year. But those 3 weeks are really really important to me.

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 11:24 am

          Nerida: my big joke among family and friend’s is “If I could have a bed in my kitchen, that’s all I would need in life!” LOL Cooking and baking give me the greatest pleasure in life (outside of my company, which I <3 ). The kitchen in our cottage actually could accomodate a single bed and I'd be complete. Of course, I'd have to become a Widow Lady (not much fun, there!) and chain saw the kitchen off of the rest of the house, but dreaming is free and fun. 🙂 Oh, and I design NOTHING Off Grid so that would preclude me from having many folks interested in my designs. My ancestors didn't travel by ship, train, and horse to have their granddaughter living in a hut. LOL

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 11:01 am

          Hey, JerryD. “Did you notice women under 40 don’t know how to cook as well as men?” Well, you busted me but good and I’ll take it. LOL You’re right, there are a growing amount of young women who know NOTHING about cooking, whatsoever. My granddaughter has proved that when she describes her roomie’s at Uni; of the 10 girls sharing a massive Painted Lady on campus, more than half can barely make toast. Pity. 🙁 But, the other half are fabulous cooks; I’ve shared many a meal when hubby and I visit her and her friends.

          Regarding this statement: “..ever notice how many tiny houses are design by inexperienced people, many that don’t live in tiny homes or even a clue how to build them?” I haven’t seen much of that. I’m a practicing architect, specializing in additions to vintage homes and for sheer pleasure, I design tiny house designs but they are utterly ON THE GRID. I grew up Off Grid for the first 16 years of my life and want nothing more to do with it! LOL Neither did my immigrant grandparents or neighbors when Ol’ Mr. Grid came a visitin’ their county: they sat right up, baked a cake and said, “Bring it!” to the whole grid network.

          I must admit, that the tiny “houses” that I’m most attracted to are the folks who are geniuses at redesigning urban spaces, where you’re trapped by shared walls and must work within that footprint and existing infrastructure. I take copious notes of their ingenuity of designs; they rock my world. They also aren’t very interested in going “primative” and they love their plasma TV’s, gas stoves, flush toilets and decorating their homes. But, each to their own, and if it doesn’t directly impact me, I’m happy with the full Bell Curve of designs.

        • jerryd
          April 9, 2013, 5:10 pm

          Cahow you seem to not understand off grid.

          For instance here in Fla I’m going off grid with just a $1,5oo PV system to run everything but mostly my A/C. So for 2 yrs electric bills I have power for 25 yrs. Think about it.

          Of course each location is different so other RE, etc would be best. There is no reason one has to suffer living offgrid or pay electric bills which causes me suffering working to pay them.

          It’s what I call total cost accounting. And for me having to work is a cost as you only have to work as much as you spend. Plus you have to add the cost of working and taxes, etc means you end up paying 2x’s for things, first in working costs and then in cash.

          I have a septic tank and haven’t done ANYTHING to it for 20 yrs. Vs the huge costs and waste of connecting to the sewage grid and the monthly bill.

          Nor will I miss dealing with the water company that because I use little water, 10x’s as much/gal as water wasters do.

          If you have well thought out, done systems because you learned what you were doing before you bought or built, you won’t have problems.

          Nor is the grid that reliable. So forgive me if I disagree with you on off grid. Or as I call it, off monthly bills and the work, costs to pay them.

        • Cahow
          April 10, 2013, 11:02 am

          jerryd wrote: “Cahow you seem to not understand off grid.” Hi, jerryd! Thanks for keeping it civil and just explaining, no name calling. 🙂 I did quite a bit of research into the Off The Grid livestyle, and I’ll describe my research, below.

          Sidebar: Like Alex, I’ve been obsessed with tiny structures my entire life. Growing up on a farm, they are EVERYWHERE: hen house, pump house, milk shed, potting shed…and as a wee lass, I made full use of them as playhouses. This might be the origin of why I became an architect and why I specialize in Add-Ons, which are like tiny houses…sorta. Thirty to twenty years ago, when I was designing Tiny Houses for my own pleasure and clients, they were NEVER meant to be lived in…they were writing spaces or kid’s play houses or guest quarters, period. Then, I got too busy to design them and forgot about tiny houses for a couple of decades until I stumbled upon Alex’s site by serendipity and subscribed to his emails. (End of Sidebar.)

          Now, to respond to your comment, jerryd:
          Boy, was I in for a shock with what’s happened to these tiny houses! No longer are they wealthy people’s follies but are viewed as inclusive structures that people live in…full time! I heard a lot about “off the grid”, had NO IDEA what that meant, so I actually joined two Off The Grid websites so I could learn what it really entailed.

          Here’s my disclaimer: I have NO IDEA if the two websites I visited represent most Off Gridder’s. What I came away from it was the following: 1) like life, there was a HUGE discrepancy of what “off the grid”meant to everyone! Some people had solar panels to power their big screen plasma tv’s, internet, cell phones and other’s lived by lantern and candlelight. 2) Some people had wells and actually set up pumps to have circulating water while others used gallons of spring water they gathered in a pail and brought back to their house. 3) Some folks had septic, some had sawdust toilets and some…collected their urine in bottles and dried out their poo to burn INSIDE their home as fuel!!!!! :0 4) Then, there were the radical fringer’s that actually got banned from the sites because they wrote curse and hate-filled posts that said, that if you “…had a roof over your head you still were tied to the teat of society and to TRULY be “off grid” you’d be living on ‘gubmint land’ with only a Buck Knife and NOT posting on the Internet.” LOL

          Do you think this is accurate, jerryd? These folks welcomed me with open arms, didn’t try to take me apart when I said I joined to “learn about them”, were worried that most folks thought that “off gridders=uni-bombers” and just represented the vast variety of society…from backwoodsman to savvy internet sellers on ebay. So, this is my experience of the world of Off Gridders, in their own words. Hope my explanation sheds light on the subject. 🙂

      • Erik Markus
        April 8, 2013, 12:40 am

        That’s an excellent point.

        It would be interesting to see the NEEDS list for Female Tiny housers.

        I have to say, it seems that there are plenty of women making the choice for Tiny house. That says something, right there. Probably because it is often Women who have to organize, clean, and generally fuss over the daily routine of the goings on in these structures. Which means more tiring work and time wasted.

        Your contributions are needed.

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 11:15 am

          Hi, Erik. YES!, it would be exceedingly interesting to see the NEEDS for female tiny housers! But, where do you begin? Do you quantify the search by stating that the tiny houser MUST be fully independent of sqatting on someone else’s property and using the land owner’s bathroom/laundry/garden hose for their needs? Otherwise, aren’t you just living in an independent bedroom from the main house? Do you have separate divisions for Off Gridders and FULL gridders? Seems like there would have to be several sections of research since the female tiny housers (like men), live in so many different examples of tiny living.

          From watching 100’s of youtube videos of both male/female tiny space lovers, if you’re Urban, you want The Full Monty of luxury. If you’re on Wheels/Country, all rules are called off. I’ve seen the most spartan of monk-like dwellings to respendent jewels of tiny houses.

          Someone needing a topic for their Master’s Thesis could do well by this topic.

        • Erik Markus
          April 8, 2013, 1:00 pm

          My guess is that women need certain bathroom and kitchen features (functioning plumbing), and of course, adequate storage/closet space/rack space.

          As for differently appointed Tiny homes, which really have nothing to do with gender preference, All ranges of categories are valid:

          A). small, single room, with no plumbing, maybe 15′ long. perfect for the back yard bedroom or office. Not really practical for travel due to limited amenities.

          B.) small to medium, 1-2 rooms/spaces, 15′ to 20′, some plumbing fixtures on grid. perfect for backyard room, office, or living where exterior facilities are available.

          C.) medium -full, 2-3 rooms/spaces, size 20′- 28′, some to most plumbing fixtures, on or Off-grid, perfect for backyard room, independent housing, in-law suite, or for travel.

          D). Full, 3-5 rooms/spaces, 28′-40′, Full plumbing (including washer, filters, water heater, etc), Off grid or on-grid, Perfect as a self contained home anywhere, not really practical for travel.

          Really, things like on-grid or off-grid, type of toilet, types of plumbing fixtures…. are options for any home, regardless of size.

          As for equating Urban with luxury (it should be “luxury”), that’s a contradiction in my book. Any place where the volume of glass, steel, and cement outweighs natural elements, there is a constant stream of artificial odors, and a never ending hum/noise… is not a luxury.
          And it isn’t viewed as a challenge to see how much one can tolerate. The only challenge, when faced with this nightmare, is the quickest escape before my headache(which I normally don’t get) gets worse.
          And each to their own. That’s what I like about the tiny homes compared to say rvs. Most camping RVs are the same. There is like 3 companies and they’re making the same product, only in different lengths. Sure you can add a whimsical option here and there, but nothing relevant. Its rare they are insulated well, none are off-grid, they are toxic, but they are meant as portable, temporary structures that are light weight. They are rather generic. They have a market share.

          Tiny Homes are Houses built with what features you want and need, in a comfortable package, intended as a long term home of choice.

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 1:20 pm

          Awesome post, Erik! Applause, applause for your thoughts and time that you placed in it.

          Regarding this statement: “As for equating Urban with luxury (it should be “luxury”), that’s a contradiction in my book.”. I was referring to the outfitting of the tiny space, not so much the environment. Many rural/country tiny housers appear to like to recycle materials and also have very minimal interiors. (this is from youtube videos I’ve seen.) In the urban tiny spacers, you’ll see state-of-the art custom cabinetry, high end EVERTHING and a price point of from $100,000.00 to $400,000.00 to outfit their space in Manhattan or San Francisco. That’s what I meant by “luxury”. Of course, if you’ve watched your share of youtube videos, you know that you can toss $$$$ at ANYTHING, even in the country. A French video has a 10’x10′ cube selling for $40,000!!! That’s $400/sqft!! Dang! Also, I’ve seen videos of frickin’ HELICOPTERS air-lifting “country tiny houses” to a prepared concrete pad…on a lake…in Switzerland! No cost was given for THAT.

          Sorry that Urban areas give you a headache. 🙁 I’m a hybrid: I could never live full-time in either the country or city; I must have BOTH to thrive.

        • et
          April 8, 2013, 4:13 pm

          @Cahow: Why “tiny houser MUST be fully independent of sqatting on someone else’s property and using the land owner’s bathroom/laundry/garden hose for their needs”? Independence is not the same as self-contained.

          I live in a tiny house (8×18′) on friends’ property (it’s called community), use their laundry (but could use the laundromat instead – would that be more independent?), run a hose for water (shared water system).
          My house is my home – it’s certainly not “an independent bedroom from the main house”. I cook all my meals and store all my things in my house.

          Why is sharing or using a space that wouldn’t be used otherwise considered less independent? Many “landowners” are a mortgage payment or two away from losing their homes. Are these landowners independent?

          Why not applaud the tiny houses ability to forage, glean and scrounge living spaces in places that would otherwise be overlooked?

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 5:50 pm

          Hi, et. Thanks for adding your personal experiences to the conversation.

          I guess it’s a matter of semantics for each individual. For instance, if an adult child is living in the basement of their parent’s home, sharing the laundry, bath, utilities, etc., but they have a microwave downstairs, are they Independent? Dependent? Self-Reliant? Is the adult child paying the market value for that space or a pittance? Ask 10 people and you’d get 10 different answers.

          I guess I get confused when I read some tiny space blogs or see videos in their own words and these folks are happily declaring themselves “free, independent and proud tiny home owners”, when they are actually living on someone else’s land who must pay taxes; infrastructure fees; and probably a mortgage, too. It seems kinda confusing to me: Grid=Bad in a tiny home, but Grid=Good when a person is living on their friend’s land and they can tap into the Grid. It’s what some people find so confusing about the Amish: they won’t allow technology IN the home, but will use cell phones, computers, cars and planes OUTSIDE the home or if it’s someone else’s. My best friend comes from the Amish community in Ohio and even she can’t understand where the line is drawn.

          So, I guess if everyone is happy: land owner, friend of land owner, parent, kid of parent, than all is good. 🙂

  • ET
    April 6, 2013, 9:45 pm

    Show me where to store:
    clothes (including off season clothes)
    wet coats
    broom and mop
    linens

    • Nerida
      April 8, 2013, 11:02 am

      your mothers house 🙂

      • Cahow
        April 8, 2013, 11:27 am

        Bwhahahahahahahaaaa! Good One, Nerida, and SO true!

        All 3 of my kid’s have stuff stored at our home; it’s my Catnip to get them to visit. 😉 Nah, we have a very close family so they and the grandkids come over all the time. Yeah!

  • Catherine
    April 7, 2013, 8:08 pm

    Humble homes is my favorite tiny house site so far.
    They have an extended version of the McG Loft that I prefer.
    I think it was a custom design. It extends the house by enough to fit a W/D into the kitchen under the stairs as well as a 4 burner stove. This extension naturally adds room to the bedroom upstairs for a bureau and straightens out the staircase. I agree that a porch is wasted space with a trailer this small. I also find that kitchen hallway to be wasted space and am trying to figure out how to change that for my own design. I believe that all spaces in a place this small need to be multifunctional.

  • Erik Markus
    April 8, 2013, 12:45 am

    I think this house, in general, is workable. The irregular shaped roof is unique, quaint, and practical. It also represents tradition cottage design.

    The house needs to be at least 5′ longer, though, to address the issues others have pointed out. Storage space, and the sleeping loft.
    If the house were extended 5′, for example. The stairs could be pulled forward, giving the bed the full width of the house. Also, if the stairs were split down the middle with tread off-set, one could get the same amount of steps in half the floor space.

  • Erik Markus
    April 8, 2013, 1:21 am

    I forgot to dis the awful millennium grunge décor.

    Seriously? That front door? It looks like a commercial fire door from any office building or hotel stairway. (?)
    And that hardware? Ohh, dear god. Knee cap removers for base cabinets, ouch!
    Is that drywall? 🙁 heavy, cracks, dusty. No.
    The radio-active granite counter tops are NEVER, EVER, a good idea in ANY house(.) Ugly, cold to the touch, difficult to clean, heavy, very complicated to install, not a good choice for a home that is weight sensitive, they are NOT eco-friendly because of the noise and pollution created to cut them out of the earth, oh, and yes, they have been found to leach radiation. Minor problem, I’m sure.
    What does one do when they crack? lol.
    gas water heater, that’s not good.
    That awful soap stone sink, or whatever it is. Too heavy and ugly and shoved against the wall?
    The bathroom, oh, what a nightmare. Ugly black tile with white grout. You can see that as it ages badly and white hard water stains. All that ceramic is heavy and not a good choice for a tiny house on wheels. Nor is a heavy glass shower door in a tight bath area like this. There shouldn’t even be a door to this bath area. It’s pointless and adds more weight. Again with the firecode door. ugh.

    If I had to live in a place that looked like this, I think I would be suicidal. It looks AWFUL. Does ANYONE actually live, by choice, in something that looks like this? Who created this terrible software, is my question. I can smell the petroleum products and male delusions of interplanetary corruption and theft from here, and it ain’t desirable.

    True, the actual house that was built looks better. Has a decent front door, nice windows, and cedar siding, though the siding exposure is to too large for a house this size (should never be more than 3″-3 1/2″). The posts on the porch are simple, but well trimmed. The window on the front loft should have been aligned with the peak.

    All in all, it’s workable. I give it a 9/10.

    With proper décor and expanding the length, this place would be nice.

    • Nerida
      April 8, 2013, 10:41 am

      Erik,

      decore has little to do with the layou, is quite personal and it probably has more to do with the design software used than advertising or promoting a personal style

    • Cahow
      April 8, 2013, 11:37 am

      “…awful millennium grunge décor.”

      Nah, Erik, that’s Hipster Chic! You’re required, by law, to own black-rimmed glasses and a skull-hugging cap if you want this decor. LOL

      But, Nerida is probably correct: it’s what came with the software and more importantly, decor is HIGHLY personal and should remain that way.

      • Erik Markus
        April 8, 2013, 1:47 pm

        “You’re required, by law, to own black-rimmed glasses and a skull-hugging cap if you want this décor..”
        LOL.

        This is why I asked WHERE did this software come from. I have some design software that came with my computer. It’s not much better. It defaults to some of the ugliest design features.

        Yes, in fairness, décor is subjective. Each to their own. I just look at the various different design styles that have been around for several centuries.
        For example: French Provincial, Greek Design, Midwestern Farm, Victorian, New England, and Southwestern Abobe, just to name a few.
        Each has a history and a comfort to it. I wouldn’t chose to live in most, but I wouldn’t object to living around neighboring structures that are themed after that.
        Millennium grunge however… Its essentially plastic, a creation of the oil industry.
        Ok, I did the contemporary thing in the early 80s, when I was a teen, but at least it was fun then.
        The crap they’ve had out since 2000 is… awful. Like the way a mobile house was designed to look in the 1950s- type awful.
        Ugly stainless steel appliances, granite anything, tarnished metal fixtures and hardware, bland down-beat colors, kitchen cabinets that look like the cheap toxic particle board they are and made to look like they are simple 1×2 screwed together. Lets not forget the toxic foam furniture. Ugh. The format of a walmart store is not a template for good design.
        Whenever I have to stop at some place like home depot, and walk past the appliance dept., it’s inevitable you will see some over weight, white, 25ish couple (apparently eating the steroided, factory farm meat with lots of carbonated beverages in abundance). They’re be looking at a 25 cu. ft. side by side, stainless steel refrigerator and saying, with gasps of ignorant bliss “wouldn’t it be perfect”. While they reach for their credit card, I’m holding back the barf, and quickening my pace to the check out.
        There was a time (1970s) when harvest gold and avocado appliances sold in abundance. Not to mention asbestos curtains and other handy asbestos tools, plastic furniture designed to look like antiques, and women literally had towering Marge Simpson hair. Yes it happened, and continues to happen.

        Chose carefully, regret can be costly and embarrassing.

        • Cahow
          April 8, 2013, 5:52 pm

          Erik: you rock! I love your posts!!! <3

  • Danielle
    April 10, 2013, 4:41 pm

    Love it! Where can I get one!!

  • Valerie
    April 28, 2013, 3:14 pm

    Under the stairs – why isn’t there more in the kitchen under the stairs? Looks like room for a small, energy efficient washing machine, which would have my vote, although the sink is excellently deep enough to also wash clothes. Unless something else is under the stairs? water tank, or…?
    I agree with above about the loft – how on earth could you make that bed? or sleep 2? As a guest room and storage…

  • Jeorgia Roach
    May 1, 2013, 7:57 pm

    Hi,
    I was just wondering if anyone knows the dimensions for each floor of this house?

    I’m thinking of building a tiny house in the future, and I love the concept behind this design.

    Any help would be appreciated.

  • David Ridge
    May 18, 2013, 12:06 pm

    Here again, Get rid of the loft, lower the roof, throw out the overstuffed chairs, and replace them with a desk/daybed configuration then I could be “in”.

    • David Ridge
      May 18, 2013, 12:08 pm

      Opps, I forgot, and put a stackable W/D where the stairs are!

  • April Hansen
    May 18, 2013, 7:31 pm

    Every time I see a staircase and/or ladder to a loft in a tiny home, the idea occurs to me that someone (I’m techy challenges, so not me. LOL) needs to invent/create a staircase that 1. has drawers, and 2. has wheels on the bottom that lock, so that 3. the stairs can be slid up against the wall when not in use, and slid out on an angle, if you get me, to become real stairs instead of a ladder. Something on the order of an accordian staircase with real steps instead of a ladder, but not taking up the space of a permanently fixed staircase. Does that make sense?

    • Beth
      January 21, 2014, 6:10 pm

      Hey April,
      I know this was a long time ago, but I love your idea!
      I want to own a tiny house, but at 54 years old and some arthritis working in my knees, I do not want a loft to sleep in.
      Maybe for guests, like my grown kids.
      anyway, I love your accordian staircase idea.

      Beth

  • Sam
    January 21, 2014, 7:34 pm

    I lived in a house that was 40 feet long and 10 feet wide for 3 years. It was in a vacation community and it had a bedroom downstairs and a loft accessed by a ladder like most tiny home plans I see. No one other than children had any interest in climbing the ladder or sleeping in the loft and usually after one night the kids came down and slept on the couch. The loft ended up being used as a storage area only and I ended up converted a storage shed into a guest room. My recommendation after living in a small house would be put your bed downstairs if there is anyway possible. Lofts that are not high enough to stand up in are not user friendly spaces. My neighbors cat was the only one that liked it. Every time I opened the door he shot through the door and up the ladder. I hated to but I had to run him out of there and make him go home at night. Lol!

  • Comet
    January 21, 2014, 7:41 pm

    OooooKay—as for that “Female Perspective”–

    We have been looking at RV’s now for several years as an alternative to retirement in a fixed location. OR maybe building something small somewhere and using that as a base to wander around on our motorcycle.

    And the use of SPACE and the things you can DO with space—is a fascination with me. Partly because I now live in a house where space was designed so BADLY. Modular house built in late 70’s. NOT a “double wide” but set on a foundation and stick-built.

    What I would like–and I am handicapped so some of these might not apply to you—is:::

    First floor bedrooms that have a WALK AROUND BED

    Some form of washing machine/dryer
    Kitchen that is useable. So many of these seem not well thought out–and I grew up in boat cabins so I know a bit about this! For an undercounter fridge—the bending over will get old; fast. So mounting one on a “pedestal” as I believe they commonly do in Europe would be a “need” for me and a lot of people over the age of say—50. And helpful to those under that age!

    I don’t like the baths in most of these either—picky picky I know!—as they mostly seem cramped and overly twee if they are not. Women DO need perhaps more “stuff” in the bath—and I am not talking excessive make up etc. And a lot of things THOUGHT of as “womens stuff” is really universal STUFF—soap; shampoo; towels; bath mat; cleaning items. We are probably NOT going to be interested in showering at the “Y” as one Tiny House article mentioned. We probably ARE going to be interested in RV or “regular” style toilets!

    Just a few days of our septic being dug up gave me a VAST new appreciation of this!!!! And in our former house we had a dicky well and used the hose to run water to the house from a toss-in pump in a lovely spring—also–NOT the finest solution! We DID it but—-hauling the laundry to the laundromat for 5 people was NOT fun. Not likely to have that many in a Tiny House but—-

    You probably are not washing your clothing on a rock in a stream in -40 either.

    I am not the entertaining type but you do need space to SIT—I prefer chairs to couches. And I have seen a lovely drop down table that has STORAGE on the bolt to the wall side—def MY choice for sitting and eating or working!

    And yes–some place to STORE STUFF. A broom can be hung on the wall–but WHAT WALL are you going to use? Mop? Bucket for cleaning?

    And thank you ERIK for “outing” the GRANITE! I hate granite! (Love soapstone tho!) The more I read about radioactive granite the more I am bothered. And judging from the amount I have seen turn up just at our small Habitat Re-Store—cracked or not–other people feel the same.

    Clothing–where ARE you going to store your clothes? Most of these seem more suited to nudist colonies than functional humans who have to deal with seasons and go to work. Again—some men design for the T-shirt and jeans–and that IS me as far as my choices go–but it won’t serve for most.

    Cookware—Yes I can cook for many in a VERY small space but cookware by it’s nature takes UP space. Altho I guess you could just use the pot and a spoon.

    I see a large number of these with a (to me!) huge price tag and I have to wonder—Who IS paying that for WHAT???

    The biggest “beef” I have with current RV “design” is—they are pretty if you LIKE matchy-matchy fabrics etc BUT they will sun damage and wear out and the floors are dreadful and the faux wood–ugh—and the kitchens look like they were designed for midgets who need to SLEEP in the fridge. They expect you to have acrobatic talent to get in and out and possibly UP to the bedroom! I need a bedroom WITH a bathroom! The slides leak. One good hailstorm and you will be wrangling with the ins co. The bathrooms are even worse design than some of the Cad-Cam Tiny house ones. And NO we don’t NEED or WANT a TV on the OUTSIDE. OR a grill that takes up a lot of storage and then is over my HEAD to try and cook! And the faux ahem fireplace in the living quarters–NO! A thousand times NO! We prob don’t NEED outside access to the SECOND bath room. We don’t NEED to sleep a platoon!

    We DO need to be able to MAKE that bed. We DO need to be able to WALK from one end to the other and not have to turn sideways. We NEED to be able to get IN and OUT without an elevator! We need a sink big enough to actually wash and rinse a PLATE off in muchless a pot. The sink in this article I suspect it is a “slop sink” made of vinyl and will be way too deep for most to lean over to wash that dish. And placed oddly. And they stain. Meant for discharge water from washers or cleaning in garages etc. Noisy too. Or maybe just a bad CAD design.

    Oh and—do they still make washers that USE the rinse water for the next load and USE these sinks !!!!

    Maybe not all of these are helpful and some have been covered amply by others. Just sayin’.

  • Paul
    October 3, 2014, 7:04 am

    I’d say, personally, that the Leaf 2 tiny house is better designed than this one. It at least has storage and is better shaped for towing. Just my 7.238 cents worth (sorry, damned inflation we’ve been experiencing ya know)… : p

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