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Start Up Group at Harvard Designs 2nd Off Grid Tiny House


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This is the second tiny house to come out of the Harvard Innovation Lab.  They call it The Lorraine and it’s 160 sq. ft.

Built and designed to be a writer’s retreat that’s located in Southern New Hampshire near Lake Sunapee.

When you go inside you’ll find that it functions like a studio with an open living area, kitchenette, and large built-in desk that spans from the kitchen to bedroom. There is also a cozy queen size bed and bathroom with shower and composting toilet.

Please enjoy, learn more and re-share below. Thank you!

Related: Shenandoah 160 Sq. Ft. Tiny House on Wheels

Start Up Group at Harvard Designs 2nd Off Grid Tiny House

lorraine harvard tiny house

Images © Getaway House

lorraine tiny house inside lorraine lorraine-004

Related: Couple Living in 160 Sq. Ft. Backyard Tiny House

lorraine-005 lorraine-006 lorraine-007

Images © Getaway House

Learn more: http://getaway.house/lorraine/

Our big thanks to Pete Davis of Getaway House for sharing with us!

You can send this tiny house vacation to your friends for free using the social media and e-mail share buttons below. Thanks!

If you enjoyed this tiny house vacation you’ll absolutely LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more! Thank you!

Related: Couple Living Tiny in 160 Sq. Ft. Home (Video + Interview)

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Andrea is a contributor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the Tiny House Newsletter! She has a passion for sharing tiny and small house stories and introducing you to new people, ideas, and homes.
{ 40 comments… add one }
  • Deadrock
    September 6, 2015, 4:35 pm

    When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I’ve finished, if the solution isn’t beautiful, I know it’s wrong.
    ~ R. Buckminster Fuller, 1895-1983

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. ~ Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, 1878

    Go, Bucky! ~ Deadrock, 2015

    • Alex
      September 7, 2015, 1:28 pm

      Thanks for sharing!

    • Richard Montena
      September 7, 2015, 7:28 pm

      Thank you Deadrock!

  • Sandra
    September 7, 2015, 2:06 pm

    Totally agree. This is so strange. Very lacklustre. Couldn’t and wouldn’t live in it. More like a hunting cabin than a livable tiny home.

  • Brenda
    September 7, 2015, 2:27 pm

    WE need someone to work on getting laws changed so we can find a place to build/park these tiny homes/RV’s. Most of us do NOT want to have to live in RV or Mobile home parks. We bought a lot with no restrictions in the deed, avery small lot in an E TN town. The listing Realtor and our Realtor, and owner signed a paper saying the lot was NOT restricted. In the contract I had it put in writing that we wanted the lot for a mobile cottage, and if a mobile cottage could NOT be on the lot WE did NOT want to purchase the lot. We were assured by the Realtor and the title company that we could close on this property that there was NO problem with putting a mobile cottage/tiny home on this lot. We went to the City paid for water and sewer hook ups ($1850.00), and went to the power company to get everything done ready for our cottage to come. The cottage was delivered and we were having it set up when low and behold a representative of the City arrived and forced us to remove our house that day from our lot. NOW our tiny home sits in a storage lot. Laws need to be changed to stop this discrimination of tiny homes. Cities SHOULD be more friendly to tiny well kept and maintained “Tiny Homes”. Our little house is really cute and nice looking (400 Sq ft).

    • Kathy
      September 7, 2015, 4:23 pm

      OMG Brenda, what a horror story!! It sounds like you did everything you could have to ensure that your tiny home – which isn’t so tiny really!! – could be a member of your community. Did you learn what the house size minimum in that little town is? Did you pursue legal remedy or go to a town or county council meeting to plead your case? Tiny houses have to be tough and fight for their rights I guess. Good luck to you!!

      • Lisa E.
        September 7, 2015, 7:36 pm

        I agree with Kathy. Your purchase was a bargained for promise that a “mobile cottage” could be placed on that land. You need to go back to them (with a lawyer who will defend your rights; not all lawyers are the same so ask questions and keep shopping until you get a lawyer who will truly represent your best interests,) and also find out who this person was that showed up. Was he REALLY from the City, or just a neighbor who showed up and told you that? What authority did he have as a member of the City Council to tell you what he did? Did he give it to you in writing? (Take it to your lawyer.) The people who sold you the property have a responsibility to have correctly represented their part of the sale. Make sure that you haven’t just run into some Rambo on the City Council who just represents himself; what codes and zoning laws is he relying on; get the sites and take it all to your lawyer. You definitely have a case here of misrepresentation on someone’s part; either the sellers or that councilman.

        We have to recognize that we are at the beginning of something new and most people don’t like change and so they fight it even when they don’t understand it or will get around to accepting it later on. We are going to have to fight for what we know to be right. The guy from the City sounds like a jerk who just wants to push people around; typical redneck.

        • Nancy
          December 3, 2015, 9:43 pm

          Lisa,
          He might not be a “Typical Redneck”, but he definitely is a class A jerk. You might give us “rednecks” a bad name, we deserve better than that.
          I agree that he treated the new TH builders like crap, and he needs to make an apology at the very least.
          Legal recourse for the sellers. Bad business dealing from the sellers.
          So sorry you had to go through all that, but please don’t let those jerks get away with any of that bs.

    • Kristina H Nadreau
      September 7, 2015, 5:39 pm

      sue the realtor and the city. the filing fees will be under $1000 and there will be a change. whining here will not solve the problem for you or for others who would like to live in a similar situation.
      .

      • Valerie
        September 8, 2015, 3:44 am

        Kristina, that was a bit nasty – Brenda wasn’t ‘whining’, just relaying what happened to her as a cautionary tale to the rest of us.
        Brenda – so sorry this happened to you, wish you the best of luck in your fight!

    • alice h
      September 7, 2015, 9:04 pm

      While I agree it was a horrible experience I don’t think you can rely on the word, written or not, of realtors and title companies concerning what local regulations may or may not allow. This is information you need to get from the local bylaw authority. A lot that is not restricted may still not mean that you can do whatever you like if there are other bylaws that prohibit certain things. I believe there is a narrow definition of what constitutes restrictions or no restrictions in terms of real estate law as opposed to more exacting specifications in local bylaws.

    • Gail Cameron
      October 6, 2015, 11:40 pm

      That stinks!! I agree someone needs to change the laws. I am sorry about your situation. I have looked into land here in Mid-Missouri and the restrictions are tough. RV/camper parks charge $350.00-$550.00 a month for rent; electricity, water, sewer and wifi. Then you are right on top of your neighbors.

    • Meli
      October 7, 2015, 1:01 pm

      Was the reason because of square footage or what? Was it because of the whole building codes & all that with tiny houses? Was it because he claimed you couldn’t have a mobile home on the lot? If you were doing completely off-grid would it have been the same? I’m very curious to know the reasons of why he had the right to force you to move.

  • Tim K.
    September 7, 2015, 2:45 pm

    I agree it is ugly. My hunting shack is better looking

  • Grace
    September 7, 2015, 2:52 pm

    It is not really offered because it has a propane heater. Are there more pics? I don’t see any solar panels or water collection system. There is a lot of open vertical space that should be more creatively used.

  • Denise
    September 7, 2015, 3:10 pm

    I have same problem in Canada,they said to me that tiny house is like Rv.And Rv live in camping ground,.
    They not open at all,

  • Warren Marsg
    September 7, 2015, 3:11 pm

    My only advice would be to check with the building inspector in any town because he/she knows the town rules. Also, it is great to have a local attorney who knows the local rules. Never trust a realtor!

  • Ed
    September 7, 2015, 3:24 pm

    Unfortunately RV’s will never meet residential code requirements. Two entirely different set of construction requirements. Resident codes are applicable to full time residency. An R V is full temporary living. Everyone continues to reference a 400 so. Ft min. But that’s not true. We have successfully become residential code compliant at just 240 square ft. Our portable home could meet their requirements. I GUARANTEE IT!! ecobuilthomes.com, The tiny house market is still trying to build home made RV’s and expecting the people responsible for making sure a permanent residence is safe to stop doing their job. I have worked 8 years on building a dual status home that meets both residential and ANSI certification. We succeeded I wish I could of had this conversation with you before you wasted the time and money to only find out what is the truth and will never change.

  • Ed
    September 7, 2015, 3:33 pm

    Don’t be afraid of the truth Alex, embrace it work with it. Your sight will become alot more relevant,if you don’t allow the truth then someone else will come along who will. Helping people understand and make the best choices possible with the resources they have is the right thing to do.

    • Kristina H Nadreau
      September 7, 2015, 5:42 pm

      strongly agree.
      thank you for the information.

  • JJ
    September 7, 2015, 4:00 pm

    @Brenda- you should be using social media to tell this story widely. Contact your local news stations and media there. If you had it in the contract, there is certainly negligence, if not downright criminal fraud, with that transaction. There is no logical reason to restrict the sq ft of a home the owner intends to live in. It may, on the other hand, be your town’s intent to protect the area from a plethora of AirBnB b.s..
    AirBnB is probably, in this way, the biggest obstacle to the Tiny House movement; it’s unrestricted exploitation is hurting the move to true downsizing as a fulltime lifestyle.

  • Kayce
    September 7, 2015, 4:35 pm

    Harvard brains, perhaps.
    Heart and soul, not.

  • Ed
    September 7, 2015, 5:53 pm

    Everyone keeps pegging me as elitist, the truth about ecobuilthomes.com is amazing. I will be sharing more as time goes on but I lived full time for 16 years in a 1969 international converted school bus . I traveled 38 states a year, and raised 2 very good children. I enjoyed all that with my wife of 35 years. So when you all talk about tiny house living I don’t know of anyone with more experience, by the way THANK YOU ALEX!!!!!! GOOD SITE

  • Brenda
    September 7, 2015, 7:40 pm

    Kristina- I am not “whinning” just stating the facts as to what can happen. The Lawyer with the Title Company said that there was NO problem putting a tiny house on the lot.
    I just want people to know that they can have problems with finding a place to put your tiny house. Tiny home size I was told 400sq ft was the max size to be called a tiny home.
    I turned everything over to a Lawyer 2 weeks ago. The Lawyer told me that I do have a case against the seller, their Realtor, my Realtor and the Title Company. I think the bunch had intention to Defraud.

  • Lynn Wtight
    September 7, 2015, 7:58 pm

    I wouldn’t have had all the same color for the floor, walls, and ceiling, but it hardly looks like a tool shed. Solar, apt fridge and maybe a toaster oven would’ve been nice. But, one thing we Seniors would like, isn’t climbing up and down a ladder from bed to bath.

  • Marsha Cowan
    September 7, 2015, 8:47 pm

    It is a clean cut, modern looking, very well designed little house. The shelves are amazing! Pretty dust free for the most part, and things have less chance of moving round while moving. The light color finish makes for a bright light interior, restful, easy on the eyes. Th kitchen area is very practical without taking up an inordinate amount of space. I say well done!

    • Alex
      September 9, 2015, 10:43 am

      Thanks Marsha! I like it too.

  • alice h
    September 7, 2015, 9:15 pm

    As far as the design goes, it does what it needs to do, offers a clean, easy to maintain space for a writer’s retreat. If it ends up being somebody’s home it’s a great blank slate to put your own personal stamp on. Inside and out can be tricked out in a variety of styles using this basic unit as a starting point.

  • Sharee
    September 7, 2015, 9:16 pm

    This site has had articles about high school students who built more functional tiny houses. I wonder what the shower looks like and how does the bed fit in?

  • Jennifer Kinyon
    September 7, 2015, 9:48 pm

    Hi,

    I have been following this movement for a long time, but have never read the comments before. Alex, you rock. Harvard, to each his own. Brenda, you should have done YOUR OWN due diligence. I will be building small and enjoy the things I see here. I won’t use 90% of what I see, but I enjoy the lessons I have learned here. This is an open forum. Maybe you all need to put on your party manors and play nice or keep your nasty comments to yourselves?

    jen

  • John
    September 7, 2015, 11:19 pm

    Harvard? Seriously?!

  • Cambray Dooley, DC
    September 8, 2015, 12:02 am

    this is a box, and I feel as though Harvard could have done better, I love tiny houses, want to get to building asap, but this is fugly, sorry, but to be honest I expected better from them, where are all the innovative ideas, the hiding spots, the special extras I see from folks that are so called ordinary diyers. Come on, I am not trying to be all nasty about it, I just think it needs more oomph.

  • CP
    September 8, 2015, 9:15 am

    Great DROW (dorm room on wheels).

    • Alex
      September 9, 2015, 10:43 am

      I like that 😀

  • Porcsha S.
    September 8, 2015, 10:09 am

    I’m not fond of this design, it seems so basic and boring. A cooler as a fridge is not practical if your in an off the grid situation.

    As for earlier comments about having a tiny home… We need to show how more people living within their means is great for the economy. People with tiny homes can travel more, go out for meals and really put money into the wants of the world.

  • Meli
    September 8, 2015, 4:31 pm

    I would have thought the 2nd would be a nice improvement on the 1st. I thought with the name it would be impressive……what a waste of my time & data to load it!

  • Varenikje
    September 8, 2015, 11:42 pm

    One question: it says this is “off grid” but I see there are lights, so apparently electricity. Also I think I see a space heater. How is that run? How is this off grid?

  • Barbara
    September 16, 2015, 6:57 am

    Have they never heard of mini-split ductless HVAC? Refrigerators? What is that hideous abomination of a toilet? There are attractive composters out there. TP on a string? How………..quaint. Who likes making a bed while lying on their belly?!? Was this designed by children in Harvard’s day care center? It could not be serious architecture students, surely……considering Harvard’s tuition rates.

  • Jan
    October 7, 2015, 10:52 am

    Good work, but don’t they have spruceruppers to make it homey there at Harvard? It’s like popcorn without salt! Haha

  • Susanne
    October 10, 2015, 7:11 pm

    Good to use if a person can be alone, no roommates, and cheaper than a dorm which costs are almost equal to apartments now.

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