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1020 Sq. Ft. Small House with Garage


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If you’re into tiny living but know that you absolutely do need more space than I think might like this Lanefab 1020 sq. ft. small house with garage in Vancouver called the Newport Lane House. It’s built on a 50′ lot and the design offers one bedroom, one bathroom, and a garage for your car and/or hobbies. Pretty cool, right?

One of my favorite parts is not only that it has a garage because I’d like to take care of my car and store some of my stuff there but I also love the second level balcony to spend time outside on. And not to mention, how the kitchen area opens up to the outside. Super awesome!

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1020 Sq. Ft. Small House with Garage

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Images © Lanefab

As a laneway house, it sits in the backyard of a larger, main house.

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The design includes up to two private parking spaces: this area and the garage.

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Going inside, it’s just as impressive as looking at it outside.

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There’s a built-in entertainment center, large open kitchen, and oversized windows for natural light.

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They even squeezed in a little window by the sink.

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The large, open kitchen is perfect in this small house!

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Here is the bathroom.

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It’s got lots of storage built-in, and the washer and dryer are located here.

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Bedroom, upstairs, with a custom wardrobe.

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The other side…

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Private balcony with some pretty nice views (minus the power cables).

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Outside, downstairs.

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Look how the accordion doors work.

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How nice to be able to open up to the outdoors.

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I really like the built-in bench, too. It’s nice not to have to worry about furnishings. Children would love this, too.

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The floorplan, downstairs. That extra space on the left is the garage. 🙂

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It’s a spacious one-bedroom home with a garage!

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Images © Lanefab

Learn more: http://www.lanefab.com/laneway-house-built-projects/30th-carnarvon-laneway-house

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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!
{ 87 comments… add one }
  • TXTbone
    April 22, 2015, 5:13 pm

    Love the designs

    • Diana
      April 23, 2015, 11:55 pm

      My husband and two small children and I lived in a 900 sq ft home for several years. It was a 2 bed, 1 bath house with a living room, an eat in kitchen and a garage all within that 900 sq ft. I felt it was very small at the time but it was adequate. The house was built in the 1950s and I wish now that my kids are grown we still had it as empty nesters.

      • Dean
        April 25, 2015, 2:36 pm

        In this day of 4000 sq.ft. 4 bed houses, its hard to believe that at one time, the average family lived in a house that less than 1500 sq.ft….and nobody thought any worse for it. My parents house was about 1450 sq.ft. and 3 bedrooms and was a fairly large home in its day (I still consider it so), but originally, it was a one bedroom house with about 1/2 the sq. footage.
        Still, I find it pretty amazing that your old house, with garage, was a total of 900 sq. ft. If the garage is a one car affair, that makes the living space in your old house at 660 sq. ft. I find, locally, there are a lot of older houses nearby here that of a similar size, so they’re still out there. Most are rentals, these days.

  • Mary Dipardo
    April 22, 2015, 5:16 pm

    Love the storage….we built a 725 cabin and just wished there was more storage…Good job!

  • Deborah Gibson
    April 22, 2015, 5:16 pm

    This is hardly a “tiny house”. My opwn 3-bedroom, 2-bath house has the same amount of square footage, so I am wondering what about this house’s design only allows for one bedroom and one bath, unless it’s the rather large rooms, and perhaps, the garage square footage is included in the total. However, the use of space is hardly economical, and seems quite wasteful to me. It’s a nice house, but not what I would consider “tiny”.

    • Patricia Schneider
      August 20, 2015, 4:21 pm

      It’s called a “small” house which is a different category from “tiny.” The small houses are designed for those of us who could not live in a tiny home. Personally I am grateful for the small home. I am chronically claustrophobic and absolutely could not live in some of the tiny homes out there.

      I like this home, but as some of you have said, there is a lot of wasted space in the home. It seems to be there could be two bedrooms upstairs with the bathroom and the first floor could be arranged differently. However, I do love the doors that open to the outdoor patio near the kitchen.

    • Eric
      August 29, 2016, 7:33 pm

      Compared to the late Aaron Spelling’s place in California it is freaking minuscule. All a matter of perspective isn’t it?

  • Wynn
    April 22, 2015, 5:23 pm

    Over 1000 sqft? That’s stretching the category of ‘tiny house’ a bit, isn’t it? 1000 sqft is a fairly common size for homes around here. Granted the fad of the McMansion has skewed our perception on how much space a person needs, but 1000 sqft was the average square footage of the American home not so long ago.

    • Alex
      April 23, 2015, 12:14 pm

      Some people need 1000 sq. ft. instead of 2000 sq. ft. and tiny living lessons help so we’re here for them too 🙂

      • Sally
        April 23, 2015, 3:29 pm

        Here at the old Florida hippie encampment, we totally agree with you, Alex, and appreciate your open-minded stance. I enjoy the tear-drops, micro campers, stealth campers, vardos, structures for the homeless, traditional tiny houses, studios, small houses from all over the world, and all the other great ideas you invite us to peruse. Thank you, from Sally and the crew

      • Paulita
        August 20, 2015, 7:10 pm

        Thank you, Alex. Those of us that truly suffer from claustrophobia need a tad more room. I particularly like this plan because it appears to be full of breathing room.

        • Nancy
          November 1, 2019, 9:36 am

          Thank you very much, Alex!! Not all of us have the same needs, wants or wishes! I love and appreciate thst you show us tiny and small. I, personally, am in the market for small, not tiny. I am grateful for your work!!

        • Alex
          November 1, 2019, 9:57 am

          Thanks, Nancy, I appreciate you saying that! I plan to continue to share as much as I can of both tiny & small. Most people forget that the entire reason the tiny house movement (and tiny homes on wheels) became so popular is because building SMALL is largely ILLEGAL. So we were forced into the loophole of building on trailers (tiny). So yeah! But slowly and surely, we keep seeing progress being made and in more and more places and more and more ways we are seeing tiny and small homes being built legally more and more. Real estate is just a very slow-to-evolve industry by nature.

  • Jeremy
    April 22, 2015, 5:49 pm

    Love it! Still costs a million being in Vancouver, but it looks quite nice.

  • Sharee
    April 22, 2015, 6:21 pm

    1020 sf does not qualify as a tiny house.

    • Jodie Dew
      April 22, 2015, 8:08 pm

      no its not a tiny house but as stated it is a SMALL house for those who want to downsize and yet still don’t want or cant go tiny. I would love to go tiny but needing a wheelchair in the foreseeable future I cant so I am in the process of building a small house that is wheelchair accessible. while it has 2 stories for guest rooms upstairs that is for my grandkids, they will be responsible for taking care of the upstairs as I can’t do stairs, but the main floor is 560sq ft. yes I could have went with a one story home, but I really don’t like the look of them and I love the cabin look so that is what I am in the middle of building as we speak.

      • Sharee
        April 22, 2015, 8:54 pm

        This is the size of an average 2 bdm condo where I live in Southern California. So, I don’t see it qualifying for small either. Under 500 sf is tiny; 500-750 is small. It is nice looking.

      • Maura
        April 23, 2015, 12:11 am

        @JodieDew – I would love to see your plans! My fiancé is permanently disabled and it’s hard to find tiny homes that works for us.

    • Doris
      April 23, 2015, 1:32 pm

      Have international standards been set as to what is micro, tiny, small, or “not acceptable” by a council of THers? Please share a copy of the policy so we can all determine once and for all who’s violating TH square footage standards. I would be interested to see where the categories start and stop and it will be helpful to finally have some documentation to take to the building department for permits..

      • kristina nadreau
        March 14, 2016, 3:07 pm

        yes! enough quibbling about size. Good Grief

  • Mary Anne
    April 22, 2015, 6:25 pm

    Thanks so much, Alex, for continuing to share small homes for those of us who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to live in a tiny house. I also appreciate that you share as many pictures as possible and include the floor plans! Keep up the great work and please remember that you are appreciated by more people than you know. Mary Anne

  • Lon
    April 22, 2015, 6:49 pm

    wow, this sweet number would work well in Jpn, except for the toilet in the same room as the shower/bath … eew … love the decking, too.

  • Kelly Libert
    April 22, 2015, 6:58 pm

    It’s a beauty. I would take away some space from that huge kitchen to make room for a half bath downstairs.

  • Dominick Bundy
    April 22, 2015, 7:01 pm

    Nice , but too big, too much space. I hope the pendulum isn’t starting to swing , back towards the 6 figure Mac Mansions again. Where banks and mortgages will be involved…

  • CA
    April 22, 2015, 7:18 pm

    Alex, I personally enjoy seeing tiny and small houses on your site. Seems like there are some who visit that can’t think outside the ‘tiny house’ part. Why don’t you change your name to tiny/small house talk? Then all will be happy. Thanks for all your hard work. I look forward to checking my e-mail everyday to see what you’ve found.

  • Murray
    April 22, 2015, 7:46 pm

    1020 sq ft does not qualify as a tiny house and any structure that large should never be previewed in your newsletter

    • Dominick Bundy
      April 22, 2015, 9:32 pm

      I so agree, Let’s not lose sight why many decided to go “tiny” in the first place. and downsize (to be debt free, stress free, and mortgage free) Also Free from the rat race life has to offer. when accumulating more stuff than we need. . and the bigger the place the more stuff many get to fill that space.

      • Sally
        April 23, 2015, 1:58 pm

        Here we go again with people making rules, restrictions and categories for others based on their own ideals. Don’t we get enough of that from local codes and zoning?
        All those lofty rules about how We Must Exist aren’t worth a crap if you find yourself lying at the bottom of 12 steps with both ankles shattered and cracked knees. Add to that, a rainy night, thirty degrees, and a rural area where neighbors can’t hear you screaming for help. I had to crawl under the porch with the chickens and dogs and wait for daylight.
        That was a year ago, and I am lucky to not be in a wheelchair, but no way in H— can I possibly live in a TH, ever. My current home (a small one, in case that counts to some) had to be completely retrofitted, and I had to re-think everything about the years ahead.
        Comfort (reduced pain) and safety are a big deal now. Open floor space, no sharp edges, no turning sideways in small spaces, no clutter.
        One slip, one car/bike accident, or one mistake can destroy your best-laid plans, finances, and activities. It can also destroy the health we all prize. So can we please let up on the autocratic rules and just enjoy the postings?

        • Kristi
          August 3, 2015, 3:31 pm

          Right on! Many of us, aging boomers, can have things happen that completely changes things. Tiny, micro, small houses it oy matters what works for each of us. Iove looking at all the different TH. Variety is still the spice of life. Limited mobility does not stop my dreams

        • Shelly Tate
          August 6, 2015, 10:32 am

          Here, here, well said! Life can certainly bring some seriously, unanticipated changes. I’m just grateful I can gather information here and apply what will work from me, and delight in what works for others!

        • Patricia Schneider
          August 20, 2015, 4:39 pm

          Sally, I so agree. I shudder to think of what happened to you and am very glad that you came out of that horrendous situation as well as you did. I am also disabled and have to be careful of what’s in my home. There is no way I could manage ladders or tiny staircases. I could just manage the lovely staircase in this home. I also have a walker that I often use and I like the openness of the downstairs for that reason.

          I too get tired of reading criticisms from the “tiny house” crowd whenever you have a small house on here Alex. I actually look for the small house designs because of my own needs and it often feels like the tiny house “snobs” don’t want to be inclusive to include those of us who can’t live in tiny homes. Perhaps you should rename this site to Tiny and Small Homes.

        • comet
          August 21, 2015, 1:17 am

          YES!!!!—-Anything can happen to anybody at any time! These tiny houses are adorable–in theory; and perfect perhaps for some one who is 20 and agile. Lets get back to them in another 40 years and see how they have fared–are they STILL living in a tiny house? Can they still do the ladders? Still loving the composting toilet? Still taking “showers” in an old whiskey barrel?

          For the REST of us in the real world—we have bodily issues that preclude us from doing loft ladders–such things as arthritis and poor balance take their toll; for me losing a leg was a bit of a game changer and no I could not afford to have my house redone; my insurance company actually thought this was “funny” and refused to even aid me with out door ramps to get into my raised house; the hospital then refused to release me UNTIL I had ramps–they told me that I could get them at the Big Blue Box Store! Gee—my husband had to be restrained; he is the store manager at The Big Blue Box Store–and they don’t sell stair ramps! So–yeah.

          Things change. I could not live in a tiny house–on wheels or off—for one thing my KneeWalker would not fit and what DO you do when you take your faux leg off? A wheelchair won’t fit; a walker won’t fit—we none of us are getting younger and we will NEED these sorts of things as we age.

          So–tiny really is in the eye of the beholder; I live in a shoe box shaped house with 7 people and altho not “tiny” it is not exactly large at 1200 SQF. Some of us are not one single solitary person looking for Nirvana in a minivan conversion; we might WANT to be–but life has not worked out that way.

          I like to see the tiny houses; and we have thoughts on heading off towards the sunset in an RV–so I am here for ideas not really to plot out my future housing! But this bickering over what is “Tiny” vs “yooooge”–is–distracting.

      • Kathy
        March 15, 2016, 8:17 am

        If you read the “about” section of this website you will see that it is also INCLUSIVE of small homes. Some of us have already downsized to small houses and now have no mortgage and have reduced our “stuff”. Isn’t this still within the philosophy of the small/tiny house movement. Most of us can’t live in a tiny house even if we want to as they are not permitted due to planning restrictions.

        • Comet
          March 15, 2016, 11:30 am

          Yes exactly! I have not had a mortgage since 1989 but still—that does not mean I am any sort of “rich” or WANT to spend every dime I will make selling my house on a different one–otherwise why would I sell it at all? I for one could not live in a THOW; for one thing I am handicapped and there wold not be room for the equipment I NEED to live; one reason I came here was to see how people solved storage issues and also to get ideas in case we go thru with buying an RV to travel/live in. I find the IDEA of really small interesting–but not feasible for us. I DO like seeing houses of all sizes but I do wonder at the people who get so bent out of shape at anything bigger than a 4 x 8 trailer with a ply wood box on top! It states right in the title of MOST of the posts “THOW” or “Small” or “Cabin”–if you don’t want to SEE a cabin or anything bigger than 4×8—don’t click thru! Just say NO!

    • Michelle
      April 22, 2015, 11:04 pm

      I disagree. It says in the title description that it is a *small* house, not a tiny house–which is true, since the average house size in North America is double the size of this place–and it is a laneway house, designed to infill single-family lots with more affordable, alternative housing, which is great for people living in expensive cities, like me, where you pay half a million for a characterless fixer-upper. If you are not interested in it, you can scroll by. Besides, many of these ideas can be scaled down for those not interested in so much square footage. I love seeing these innovative small house designs! Thank you 🙂

  • Elisabeth
    April 22, 2015, 8:25 pm

    I love the larger “small” homes and look for them in every newsletter.m as a mother to two small children, a boy and a girl, and living in the US I absolutely think 1020 sq foot home designs have a place in this newsletter. One of my favorite family homes was 850 or so square feet, but 1020 is still small by typical American standards. It is luxurious for a one bedroom house but I still appreciate the designs. Do keep them coming!

  • Lesa
    April 22, 2015, 9:26 pm

    Thank you Alex for incorporating ‘ small ‘ houses into the eye opening concept of ‘ tiny ‘ homes and houses that you feature . It is quite apropos.

  • April 22, 2015, 10:59 pm

    I don’t draw a line with what is deems small, kinda small or kinda big. This one is on the small side so it is permissible in my mind.

    That said…It is nice but not my cup of tea. Perhaps if it had that lived in look I would like it better. It looks really cold.

    • April 22, 2015, 11:02 pm

      Meant to write…”what is deemed small”

    • April 22, 2015, 11:05 pm

      Would like to edit my comment and change “deems” to “deemed”. 🙂

  • Murray
    April 22, 2015, 11:22 pm

    You can disagree with me all you like but this is a “Tiny House” Blog…..maybe in your area of the country houses are double the size than this one, but let me tell you, I can drive through town and through all kinds of outside roads and many many houses are barely over 1000 to 1200 sq ft…I know this for a fact….I would find a small house blog if that is what I wanted to see….Murray

    • Dominick Bundy
      April 23, 2015, 3:17 pm

      You make a very good point, Murray. Isn’t the tiny house movement more about, down sizing, getting yourself organized, living with less stress, debt free and mortgage free? Nothing at all wrong with comparing small homes to maybe mid size ones. But the more space , the more cost it will be , and possibility will involve mortgage loans from banks. (more space may encourage one to fill that space with stuff you don’t need (usually causing more debt) and you’re right back to where you wanted to get free from. I see the tiny house movement as more of a lifestyle of getting oneself organized and having less stuff, to care for and store…One can have a Tiny house without a loft..I never had the privilege to meet Dee Williams. but read many articles about her. saw her doing interviews and bought her book THE BIG TINY, And for over 10 years she has been talking the talk and walking the walk. , about the tiny way of living.. (which isn’t for everyone) But when anything over 500 sq. ft living space. starts to be incorporated into the tiny house movement as something to compare with..then the whole objective is lost, and before we know it we are right back to the rat race many were trying to escape..

  • Karen R
    April 22, 2015, 11:39 pm

    I normally don’t leave negative remarks, but only a single bath and bedroom in over 1,000 square feet?

  • Paula Bourgeois
    April 23, 2015, 12:50 am

    This may seem off the track, but my objection to this small house is that it takes up so much of the lot that there is no room for a garden. I feel it is imperative for all of us to grow what food we can, as the price of food will skyrocket if CA’s drought continues.

    • Doris
      April 23, 2015, 5:36 pm

      Vancouver is in Canada, not California, and is known for its rainfall. There is plenty of room here for container gardening, which isn’t nearly as wasteful water-wise as all those California golf courses. Container gardening is easy to manage in urban areas, and catching on. An acre isn’t necessary.

      • Paula Bourgeois
        April 24, 2015, 2:13 am

        Hi Doris. Yes, I know where Vancouver is (both of them). My comment simply referred to the changes we are going through. If the drought continues, the price of food will go up, everywhere, tho you’re right, it did sound pretty geocentric. You’re also right about container gardening. We’re starting to see a lot more of that in the cities. Recycling grey water can help where water is scarce. And growing your own is great for lots of reasons.

  • Paula
    April 23, 2015, 1:18 am

    This is a lovely conversion. Airbnb lists it as $78/night plus a one time cleaning fee of $55. This is a good deal if you’re staying several days. The only improvement I could see would be a window, or even a skylight in the loft.

  • Paula
    April 23, 2015, 1:21 am

    Uh oh. I left that last comment on the wrong house!! I was looking at the garage conversion on Portland, went to airbnb, and came back to the wrong page! Sorry.

  • Carole Sarvis
    April 23, 2015, 8:43 am

    Lovely small home but the position it is in is awful, overlooked by neighbours and on a very small block. OK if suburbia is your thing though I suppose.

    • Patricia Schneider
      August 20, 2015, 5:31 pm

      I got the impression this was an urban home and not a suburban home. I just read an article where it talked about the fact that the suburbs are dying off, that the younger generation coming up wants to live in cities where they don’t have to own a car—they can walk or bicycle, take the subway or overhead transit to work and entertainment. They are not interested, because both work, in having a big house sitting empty except for their pets day in and day out in the suburbs. They also don’t want to drive for an hour or more to get to the night-life they prefer. This is going to begin to change the way housing looks because not all young people are going to want to live in tiny homes, or remote homes. The cost of urban land is going to get more expensive which means smaller lots with houses closer together. Many cities are already building high-rise apartment buildings in or very near the downtown area and renting or selling out as fast as they build them. Given what’s coming down the pike, we need to be as open as possible as to what is presented on pages like this.

  • Amy
    April 23, 2015, 9:41 am

    I have mixed feelings about this one. I knew as soon as I saw the sq footage there would be naysayers complaining in comments. I don’t comment much but really get nearly as much from some of the regular commenters as I do from the article.
    Personally I love that we occasionally get a “small” home thrown in with the tinies. I personally consider <2oo "micro" 200-500 "tiny" and 500-1000 "small". I think, since there are obviously some seriously argumentative people bickering over what does and doesn't "qualify" to be shown here, there cannot really be a consensus on something that is basically a matter of opinion: "small" to me might be "mansion" to you. I think this blog does an EXCELLENT job of portraying a good ratio of "micro" (too small for most of us an about 15% of those shown, "tiny" (name of blog and about 75% of houses shown), and "small-ish" 10% or so homes. There is something that can be gleaned from all of them and I personally love the mix and find it all very inspiring!

  • Wayne Sylvester
    April 23, 2015, 11:00 am

    I have lived in an RV full time and have traveled for 9 years. It has been a great experience. I love the “tiny house” movement because it fills a niche that the RV industry will never understand. I live in a space less than 400 sq/ft. Eventually when I land I hope to build a cabin of about 750 sq/ft. I have a great respect for space and stuff. I think people don’t often realize the amount of space we need to be comfortable. I have more storage space in my RV than most tiny homes. We (Wife & I) need clothes and stuff for 4 seasons of living, plus tools, crafts and hobby stuff. Life’s needs do not change because we live in a small space. I would rather live in a small home successfully for a long time than live in a tiny space that cramp my style. I enjoy seeing small homes more than the tiny homes.

  • Lisa E.
    April 23, 2015, 12:12 pm

    Is this in Washington State or British Canada? It seems to waste too much space internally while there isn’t enough land externally; I have 3 vehicles (compact, SUV and a vardo.) There isn’t enough parking in this scenario. It’s fine for a single, but add a significant other, a husband/wife and some kids (who drive) and suddenly this becomes the wrong place to live. I’d be interested to know the costs associated with this. For a single, you’d have to be pulling down a pretty hefty salary to pay for it in any upscale neighborhood.

    • Doris
      April 23, 2015, 2:58 pm

      It says “Vancouver” and “laneway,” which would indicate it is British Columbia.
      I believe the point of the article was to show a well-built small home making use of available space in a high-density area in demand.
      If parking all your vehicles is a concern when purchasing a home, it seems like that would be a hassle in any urban environment, upscale or not. Some communities will not even allow residents to keep their garage doors open, and limit the number of vehicles in your driveway. Just like Tiny Houses, Vardos in particular would be reported if sitting in most urban driveways or yards indefinitely.
      Yes, the featured place is most likely very expensive, but anyone familiar with Vancouver is aware of the real estate market. As for occupancy, people with spouses, children or other encumbrances may choose to live in this home based on their own needs and wonderful salary. Vancouver is a beautiful city. :-)

      • Lisa E.
        April 23, 2015, 8:56 pm

        Thank you, Doris, for taking the time to comment. I agree with you on many of your points. I’d love to visit Vancouver, B.C., someday. I’m surprised that vehicles are not allowed to be parked out of doors or even have the garage doors open. I understand the point of the article, but my point is that it wouldn’t be a good fit for all. I am not a fan of “city planning” that carves everything up into slots that has us living like sardines in a can just to be able to jam more houses in; there needs to be some alternate solutions to urban crawl and I’m just not sure this is it especially since the next step seems to be Draconian measures to keep us all in line so it looks good and works for some. I think cities should be able to welcome a broad diversity of people and not just a chosen, well-heeled few. Thanks, again.

      • Lisa E.
        April 23, 2015, 8:59 pm

        Thank you, Doris, for taking the time to comment. I agree with you on many of your points. I’d love to visit Vancouver, B.C., someday. I’m surprised that vehicles are not allowed to be parked out of doors or even have the garage doors open. I understand the point of the article, but my point is that it wouldn’t be a good fit for all and I just question the exclusionary aspects of the people in charge of the city. I am just not a fan of “city planning” that carves everything up into slots that has us living like sardines in a can just to be able to jam more houses in for profit; there needs to be some alternate solutions to urban crawl and I’m just not sure this is it, especially since the next step seems to be Draconian measures to keep us all in line so it looks good and works for some. I think cities should be able to welcome a broad diversity of people and not just a chosen, well-heeled few. Thanks, again.

  • chris
    April 23, 2015, 12:40 pm

    I am not sure I consider 1020 SF a “tiny home”-my first place wiht 2 kids was less than that and we had plenty of room. BUt I must say this place is gorgeously done.

  • Dean
    April 24, 2015, 3:58 am

    Snazzy, but I’m confused.
    In the floorplan drawings, on the first floor, you see the living room and kitchen and stairs, but then there’s a big open space (seemingly unused) that takes up about 1/2 the first floor.
    What’s that all about?

    • April 29, 2015, 12:06 pm

      That is the 220sf garage.

      • Dean
        May 1, 2015, 12:03 pm

        Ok, I see what you’re doing now.
        There’s TWO parking spots. One covered and one open.
        In that floor plan I saw the car on the other side and thought that was the garage, but I didn’t correlate it with the picture you also provided.
        Thanks for clearing that up. Makes much more sense now.

  • Jam1030
    April 24, 2015, 5:04 pm

    The township I live in requires 1000sf in new construction homes. This makes me feel better about still being able to be small.

  • Peter Svendsen
    April 25, 2015, 5:44 pm

    It is true that this house is not as cramped for space as nearly all of the other homes that are featured on this site. But the overall design is very apealing. And yes, there could be more bedrooms in that amount of space. For instance, the first home that my wife and I purchased was built in a small town in MA. It was a 24′ x 36′ (864 sq feet) one story rancher. It had two bedrooms, one bath, living room, dining room and kitchen. None of the rooms were large but all were functional. There were about a dozen more homes in the area wher ehtis was built that were all the same design so this house was not a one-off house. Very typical of that time.

  • April 29, 2015, 12:12 pm

    For those wanting a more personal narrative about how lane homes are inhabited in Vancouver, here’s an article about a home very similar to the Newport Lane House. The Dumfries solar lane house is extremely expensive by Tiny House standards, but affordable in the Vancouver context (the world’s 2nd least affordable city after Hong Kong) and allows 3 generations to live together.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/22/garden/sustainable-living-in-moms-backyard.html?_r=0

  • jason
    May 18, 2015, 7:33 pm

    haters gonna hate. don’t like it? DON’T BUILD ONE. The owner apparently loves it, and that’s what matters here….not semantics, flexible definitions, or judgment.

  • Jeremy
    May 27, 2015, 12:26 pm

    Here you go, a smaller home in Vancouver that recently sold. It’s only 945 sq.ft. so maybe people won’t get so upset over what’s tiny and what’s small.

    https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/tiny-12-foot-wide-point-grey-home-sells-1-35-million-photos

    Enjoy.

  • Deadrock
    May 29, 2015, 11:28 am

    Coming to this party very late, as I just got the newsletter this morning. Thought I’d toss in my $0.02 (in case anyone is still reading) and assure Alex that ALL sizes of homes are welcome, as long as they give us a good idea of how to organize, decorate, or otherwise cleverly utilize compact spaces, which we all need to keep in mind when downsizing our lives – the ultimate goal of most of us viewing this blog. Sure, the emphasis is on “tiny,” but for many of us who have been researching the options, “small” is looking more practical.

    This blog has been invaluable for giving me ideas about what direction I should move in regarding land purchase, legal restrictions on square footage, and ideas for building materials. I am looking at cargo container options right now. But if it hadn’t been for this blog, I wouldn’t have known about most of the things that are helping me narrow my choices to what’s perfect for my circumstances, and it’s the only blog I subscribe to. There is not a single home featured here – from 75 sq ft to over 1,000 – that hasn’t added something to my knowledge and decision making. Please, Alex – I hope you shrug off the whiners and keep doing what you’re doing. Cater to the tiny house lovers, by all means, as I assume that was your original raison d’être, but remember a substantial portion of us who love your blog like the variety and a peek at other options out there!

    • Sally
      May 29, 2015, 2:35 pm

      Well said, Deadrock! In 70’s vernacular, it blows my mind how many people do not bother to glance at Alex’s menu tabs before complaining about the content he offers.
      The menu plainly lists ALL the different types of abodes featured on Alex’s blog. (Let me emphasize “Alex’s blog,” not ours.)

      The traditional TH on wheels is not the only option for downsizing or leaving a smaller footprint. Comfort and common sense have trumped “Cute” for us elders (obvious from the postings about lofts, disabilities, bathing, hobbies, etcetera.) Who wants to be a martyr? I want my weaving, Cahow wants her kitchen, Doris wants her books, etcetera.

      Why not welcome all possibilities, and enjoy our differences? As my former commune guru might advise the square-footage-police here, read the Menu, then stow the sniping. A day weeding the vegetable patch did wonders for attitude from control freaks and petty dictators.
      Cheers, and let’s go forward, please???

      • Varenikje
        August 23, 2015, 2:28 am

        Ha ha. I had never even noticed the tabs before. Sorry Alex. I really am not the most observant person in the world. Guess you know that now.

  • Glenda Miller
    July 5, 2015, 3:28 pm

    I want to take ideas from both tiny and small houses before I have my 750 SF home built. Having arthritis makes a tiny home untenable, for me, but a small home would be great. And as the demographic of an older population grows, small homes will be very appealing on many levels. Thank you, Alex, for this blog.

  • Anjmh
    July 23, 2015, 4:02 pm

    It is humorous as well as perplexing to see the debate sometimes on what does tiny vs small vs whatever size mean to see if you are in the “club” or not. Look up to the bigger picture here…one of efficiency, uncluttering, downsizing, and perhaps “living” in a way that is present and focused and enjoyable as well as affordable. That will mean different things for different people depending on age, ability, and finances. Thanks Alex for the opportunity to see a variety of spaces that fits a variety of people from all walks of life!

  • Patrick
    August 19, 2015, 6:53 am

    Can I have the plan for this small house with garage, I love it!

  • Carol Ann
    August 20, 2015, 3:38 pm

    BEAUTIFUL

  • Emily c.
    August 20, 2015, 3:44 pm

    Wow! This house has generated a lot of comments. I live in 1000 sq ft house and consider it to be classified as small. In the past I wanted a bigger house but, now I’m a bit older and this is fine for me. I personally would like to see more houses featured that are between 500 & 1000 sq ft. That the right size for me. I love looking at the tiny houses for fun but, I could never live in anything that small or on wheels. And I want a toilet that flushes. But if you want to live the gypsy life they’re great.

  • Janice
    August 20, 2015, 10:22 pm

    Thank you for continuing to show small homes. I am still able bodied at this point in time but it seems prudent to think of future needs. Can not imagine a wheelchair working well in a tiny home nor do I want to come home in bad weather and have to brave the elements without a garage. PLEASE continue to show small homes! And I would generally define that as 500-1000 sq ft. Thanks so much for all you do!

  • Susanne
    August 20, 2015, 11:05 pm

    It will be very interesting to see what you end up in Deadrock….:)

  • Theo
    August 20, 2015, 11:42 pm

    Tiny house? Hah! My house is 132 sq feet more, with 4 bedrooms, and two full baths.

  • Kim W
    November 6, 2015, 5:33 am

    It seems quite a big house to even be in the SMALL category! We have 2 bedrooms in our small house in France with is nearly half the size of this house, at 528 am feet! I am not sure why someone would want over 1000 sq feet and just have 1 bedroom, unless they previously had a huge family house and are now empty nesters or have no children and want the big house feel without the number of bedrooms! So many of the other homes show brilliant use of space, great storage solutions etc, which is probably what many of us are looking for, this one doesn’t really offer any of that.
    However, interesting as a smaller than average US home? I am in UK, where house sizes tend to be much smaller, as pressure on land is greater.

  • Comet
    March 14, 2016, 3:21 pm

    Thanks for posting this again Alex–I will be interested in seeing now comments on it. I will say–if the title says SMALL HOUSE–and you are allergic to this—DON’T CLICK THRU. If you are ONLY interested in a THOW—stay away from the other listings!
    I like seeing all sizes of homes and other buildings turned into houses; I am also on RV forums and Apartment Therapy altho I do not live in an apartment or own an RV (yet); and have been known to wander over to other home blogs/forums from time to time.

    Would you refuse to go to the library because they stock things other than murder mysteries?

  • AVD
    March 15, 2016, 4:58 pm

    If one is really dedicated to living in a smaller residence, does it really make sense to have two cars? This is a very nice smaller house, but it is not without, in my opinion, one major design flaw. And that flaw is devoting a large amount of floor space to an enclosed garage and also having a separate – gated – open-air parking pad. The climate where this laneway house exists is very mild and an enclosed garage is not really needed. The open-air parking pad would benefit from a design-integrated roof shelter, but a fully enclosed room to park a vehicle is really not needed. This development is in a dense urban city with a great transportation system – which further begs the question – two parking spaces? The garage function could be easily re-purposed to gain very usable living space.

    It is certainly possible the the original house on the site has been sub-divided into 2-3 rental units, which might have forced the open-air parking pad. Maybe some added info on how the entire project evolved and how many living spaces actually occupy the site.

    • September 6, 2016, 12:09 am

      Yes, I agree completely. The city zoning rules at the time only allowed for 800sf of living plus a 220sf garage, so we would always build a fully insulated and finished garage. Later on the rules were changed and the garage was able to be converted to living space. The same rules don’t allow the outdoor pad to be covered (or it counts as floor area). Many clients will add a cover later (though this is technically illegal. In Vancouver a ‘single family’ lot like this one can actually have up to 3 dwellings on it, but is now only required to have 1 outdoor parking space for the whole lot. In general this is pretty progressive by North American standards.

  • jm
    August 29, 2016, 5:08 pm

    Nice job on the house. Vancouver is crazy expensive. FLW built many homes with small bathrooms and bedrooms since he considered them wasted space–being only used briefly. Strangely you can make a space appear bigger by removing everything inside.

    My opinion is that a tiny house isn’t for anyone over fifty. Who knows what the future (or your health) will bring. No climbing little ladders, hunched over bedrooms. More people die and become crippled from falls than anything else. You will need that walker or wheelchair someday–make living easier on yourself. Wheelchair will have to get around, turn around…get into the bathroom and bedroom. Get/design a house that is already accessable–you will be ahead of the game.

  • Carole D.
    August 29, 2016, 5:42 pm

    This is NOT a tiny house. But a beautiful house for sure! And expensive….

  • Eric
    August 29, 2016, 7:38 pm

    I really wish people would look at the title of the houses at the top of the page, or the category it is in, before spouting off about “whichever house” is NOT a tiny house.

    Really, perspective people, perspective. Tiny is NOT for everyone. If you are a couple with 4, 5 or more kids, well you just ain’t gonna work too well in a TINY home. So, different strokes for different folks eh?

    Now, please excuse me while I go and try and get my hyperventilation under control… /sarcasm

  • ZACHARY E. MOHRMANN
    August 29, 2016, 8:57 pm

    Huh….!

  • anne stansell
    August 30, 2016, 6:32 am

    This may be a small home, by modern standards, but it is not a tiny home. People may like small homes but this web-site is supposed to be about tiny homes. The web-site used to have more articles about people who made their own, and did it economically. I mean really made it themselves, not had it contracted for the same price as a normal house. What can one conclude from the lack of those
    types of ?

  • Trish Dee
    August 30, 2016, 12:58 pm

    Although my interest lies in the TH, I appreciate all the small houses on this site as well. I’ve gathered so much useful information and have seen so many clever designs, that I feel very fortunate to be a part of the readership. One day I hope to have my own TH. Thank you Alex for the great you do everyday.

  • Kyle Jamison
    September 3, 2018, 5:39 pm

    There is no front door, so guests would either need to pass through the gated carport, walk through the garage, or walk along somebody else’s house to get the the yard that lie between the two houses…

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