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Modern Tiny House used as Office: The Think Tank House


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I love this type of tiny house because it has a bit of that modern touch that I enjoy so I just had to share it with you.

Well, it isn’t exactly a tiny house, it’s actually a backyard study and office.

The owners, Celestino Piralla and Cornelia Stumpf, wanted more space in their home where they can work, do art and study.

So instead of adding another room and risk changing the footprint of their house, they decided to utilize the extra space in their backyard to create a 320 square feet studying/working headquarters.

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Think-tank

I encourage you to come inside for more information and many interior pics:

This is totally the type of studying/working habitat I would love to get to use and these photos are inspiring me to want to make one of these on my own someday.

I also really like the oversized window.

Think-tank

I can’t get enough of the modern/retro look of the inside including the unique floor design.

Think-tank chairs

Another pic of the exterior below, I really like the way they used the corrugated metal sliding here. And how the entire structure is slightly elevated. It must make it feel like a balcony and not just a front porch which I really value.

Think-tank exterior

Below is a closeup photo of the fencing riding along the stairway and front deck.

Think-tank fencing

My hat goes off to Celestino and Corneila on keeping everything as simple as possible which allows in the great amount of working space we see below yet still combining their artistic flavor into the design of the structure. It was noted that they collaborated with this custom construction company for helping to create this unique, modern design.

Think-tank interior

I really like the floating bookshelves and how the chairs that they chose seem to be reclaimed. The tables are really unique too and seem like they may have been salvaged too.

Check out the structure up close and you’ve got to love the bench so you can sit outside when you need some fresh air after being inside working/studying for a little too long.

Think-tank Office

The photo below is one of my favorites because of the oversized window. I have to say it again: I really love the corrugated metal sliding here.

Think-tank office outdoors

The interior measures 16×20 and the deck is 16×8. The cost of the project was approximately $50,000.

So what would you personally add/change to this already amazing structure? If it were yours, how do you see yourself using it?

Could you imagine this type of tiny house as a permanent living quarters instead of just a cool office? Let me know in the comments below!

Sources/Photo Credit:

http://enpundit.com/think-tank-a-modern-spin-on-a-home-addition/

http://www.asul.us/project-savannah.php

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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!
{ 21 comments… add one }
  • LaMar
    July 10, 2013, 1:03 pm

    Very nice! Love the lamp and retro look. Shiny metal roofing makes a durable and inexpensive exterior sheeting and would reflect sunshine heat so less AC needed. The stair and high pier design would be good for flood prone areas. This is big enough to be converted to a full time living house.

    I would consider less glass as that will lose heat in winter and gain heat in summer but in a very moderate climate go for it.

    Bravo for great use of materials and design!

  • RevW
    July 10, 2013, 2:17 pm

    $50K? No thanks. We put up an elevated 250 sq ft farm building ourselves for approx $1000 using reclaimed material for only one wall. It has not been finished for habitation, but to do so would only raise the cost to about $4000. The same amount of finish work would be about the same on a 350′ pole structure that we contracted out for $3500 a few years ago. For $50K, a guy with a grader, a YCC crew, a foreman who can draft plans and access to a Habitat for Humanity outlet store can build three no-wheels tiny homes.

  • RLK
    July 10, 2013, 4:15 pm

    I agree with RevW. Wow… $50k seems a steep price for what they have. There are habitat for Humanity designs that build a whole 3 bedroom house for $30K (thats labor and materials) ! It might have been better to take a design like this ‘$1,400 Cottage’ … make it larger, taller… add the galvalume siding… AND a bathroom/kitchen. The whole shebang wouldn’t have exceeded $15K. No bathroom for $50K ? And what about flying objects in a big storm ? No sliders over those big windows ? I don’t know…

  • carrie adams
    July 10, 2013, 4:42 pm

    I am going to have our 16X60 3 yr old mobile home/camp upgraded a bit. I am deciding on that corrugated metal (extra strength) hung horizontal as these people did for the exterior. Also burglar bars for all windows installed on inside so I can open them quickly and the bad guys can not. I already have a 12X16 elevated covered deck which we be extended 16 more feet for more livable space and room to drive the ATV under. We will have a tornado room put under this porch extension with access from a trap door in the porch floor. I love the corrugated siding as it gives such a modern feel. FYI we bought this ‘trailer’ for my elderly mom and then she went to Heaven a yr later…This article above gave me the idea for the metal and the push to go ahead!

  • Michael Carmack
    July 10, 2013, 5:04 pm

    This is overly priced especially for what you get. I do like the look and the concept but would never pay $50,000 for something that could be built for the cost of materials for probably around $5,000 – $7,000.

    If you like this look then you should look into doing what my parents did. They bought some land and immediately started drilling to look for a water source, i.e., well for their home. After that was done they went to http://www.ameribuiltsteel.com/ and bought just a large generic steel building. Next, they installed a septic system and set up the plumbing system and built a concrete pad to install the steel building on. Once they erected the steel building they polished and then stained the concrete floors before sealing them (They are beautiful). After this was done they came back in and used 2×6 studs to frame the exterior walls. They have 12 foot ceilings and also used the additional height of the steel building to add a work and storage space above the living area, i.e., made it into a two story dwelling due to the inherent height of the steel building that they purchased. You can purchase smaller buildings if you don’t want the additional storage, etc. They continued to frame in personal spaces like an office, master bedroom, guest rooms and bathrooms, etc., but left the space open in the living areas for an open and spacious floor plan. They then wired and plumbed everything before using expandable foam insulation (silica aerogel, “you guys should really check this stuff out).

    After it was all said and done they have a house that is better built than most conventionally built homes and it only cost them $50,000 total plus their own labor to build. Their home is huge due to it being built essentially in a steel shed frame / platform but as I said you can buy smaller kits and essentially do the same thing. You get the added benefit of the strength that is inherent in steel buildings along with the exterior steel being guaranteed for 50 years.

    If you live in an area prone to termites you also can forgo the wood framing altogether and use steel studs and also get the added benefit and strength of using that.

    You all should really explore alternative building styles as well like cordwood masonry, straw bale construction, earthships, etc. There’s a whole new movement to not just live smaller but to live greener and also not be in debt due to your own sweat equity and ingenuity.

    • Marge Schoenewald
      August 8, 2016, 11:02 pm

      I agree. Completely overpriced. Modern doesn’t mean gouge the buyer. Had it been $15,000 to $20,000. I would have bought one.

  • Ralph Sly
    July 10, 2013, 5:08 pm

    $50,000 would be a lot to pay for this but to each their own, I hate the dining and kitchen table (any flat surface in my living quarters) becoming a desk and am the biggest offender. Oh, I am great to organize and come up with good usable systems but have to continually reprimand myself for not using them right away. Working at home requires an office or separate area to function properly but this is a little steep (real steep for me at any time. I have to agree with RevW on this one.

  • Lisa
    July 10, 2013, 6:07 pm

    I love the concept, however, the neighbors have got to be furious over the look when other homes in the neighbor look nothing like that. I would propose some mature trees to soften the look.

  • Carol V.
    July 10, 2013, 7:43 pm

    I dislike the way no functional work objects are shown, where is the printer? the cables for power? pens and pencils? real stuff we all have and use, not even a trash can is shown. one little file cabinet. not realistic. it looks extra spacious, but is pared down for photo shoot not for active use. and if that big glass wall is south facing then they have the same problem as overglazed passive solar from the 70’s. they’ll roast.

  • jim sadler
    July 10, 2013, 9:54 pm

    Tiny homes have a bit in common with open source software. Whether we want it or not to some extent there are political and moral values involved in tiny homes.
    It is also fair to say that no one segment of the tiny home public owns the concept or defines it. For me, the tiny home is anti consumption or anti consumerism. Some will say anti capitalist. To that degree expensive tiny homes miss the mark for me. A shanty built from junk may have more merit than the most artsy or trendy tiny home.
    I did like the mode of carpet installation as it would enable cleaning or replacement of part of the carpet easily.

  • Tom Lee M
    July 11, 2013, 7:26 am

    I think it is really nice. It does seem on the high side on he price. I think it has a lot of potential. I would use it as an artist studio. I can also see it being a small house too. I really like the design.

  • Empress Lockness
    July 12, 2013, 10:49 am

    The way it is shown it looks more like a study room or small classroom than an office.

  • Mary J
    July 15, 2013, 3:56 am

    I love the simplicity and the lines of the corrugated iron. I can see it easily converted into a modern tiny house with plenty of light and air. I’d like to see it up a few more feet so that the underneath could be used as a garage/storage area. The verandah/porch area gives a nice amount of additional space for outdoor leisure and entertaining, even room for a little dog kennel 🙂

  • BC
    February 3, 2014, 12:40 pm

    I think this is great. What is the flooring? I love. I want.

  • Janne Zack
    February 3, 2014, 1:29 pm

    Pretty. Looks expensive. Also, I’m assuming they just added 320 sq ft to a regular house, so not a real “tiny House” concept. But nicely done.

    Will grass ever really grow under there? And why that far off the ground (unless it’s in a flood zone), then I ask, why not higher so the space underneath is also usable by humans?

    Just curious. Pretty but just a big box. It rains too much where I’m from to want to go outside to work or read, so this has to be built in a great climate.

  • Eugene
    February 3, 2014, 2:56 pm

    I would have at least added a half bath and a mini fridge

  • Phyllis
    February 3, 2014, 4:41 pm

    I like modern, but this doesn’t grab me. It looks kind of cookie-cutter to me. The heavy looking roof overhang makes me think it’ll fall over. I know it won’t but it looks ungainly. Also, I don’t know how far it is from the house, but some sort of bathroom facility would be especially useful on rainy or snowy days. At 50K, much too much to pay.

  • Linda
    February 3, 2014, 5:07 pm

    If you live in a flood plain, this would be very nice. Otherwise, why not just hang it on cables from a tree? Makes no sense to be so far off the ground if floods are not a problem where you live.

  • Norman "MouseQuake" Barrett
    June 27, 2015, 12:49 pm

    Good Day,
    I would love to get the cost of this particular home. I want to put one of these on my property to house my music studio. Please advise…

  • Faith Gouveia
    September 27, 2015, 12:52 am

    Expensive. Could be done for $4,000

    • Jarrod
      January 29, 2017, 10:35 pm

      Hello Faith,
      Do you happen to know of a company that could do this for $4K?

      I would like to contact them and build one.

      Regards,

      Jarrod

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