Sometimes the universe hands you something so right, so timely - and so unexpectedly - you just know beyond a doubt that it's more than mere coincidence. That was how I felt when I discovered a yahoo.com feature about people who are in fact building the condo sized single family homes I'd imagined while trying to figure out my own lifestyle conundrum. And so my search for the perfect tiny house begins. Unfortunately, the Tumbleweed Tiny Houses book I ordered sold out immediately after that yahoo.com feature and delivery of the next printing has been delayed another two weeks, so I'm going to have to be patient and wait for my copy to arrive. In the meantime, I've been poring over information on other tiny house companies and plans as well. Here's a summary (in alphabetical order) :
BC Mountain Homes
http://gowerdesigngroup.com/catalog/
Most of these are two story models; something I'm not interested in. The porches and decks are nice, but for the most part I don't find the exteriors attractive and there aren't enough windows.
Country Plans
http://www.countryplans.com/
The Builder's Cottage model is cute, but the sleeping area would have to be in a second story loft in order to have enough space. I'm too old to climb a ladder to go to bed, no matter how cozy that loft might be - not to mention those middle of the night trips to the bathroom! The Grandfather Cottage looked interesting, but there were no floor plans on the web page.
Goodfit, Ross Chapin Architects
http://www.rosschapin.com/Plans/Cottage/
I didn't like the boxy style of these houses, and it didn't feel like the interior space flowed well.
Stone Mountain Cabins
http://stonemountaincabins.com/the_collection.htm
These are really lovely. I'm afraid the cost of some materials (stone) might be prohibitive, but perhaps there are other exterior finish options. The Cub Creek model is very appealing, the right size, nice big windows, and a good floor plan. The entry is through a covered side porch and into the kitchen - I like that.
Timberframe Houseplans Ltd.
http://www.timberframe-houseplans.com/
The Gaspereau Cottage is cute and its floor plan is nice and open, but again, it's a two story house.
TinyHomes.com
http://tinyhomes.com/HousePlans.html
Very nice models, and very professionally rendered on the web page. The exteriors are a little 'much' for my taste though, and while the floor plans are interesting, they probably don't work well for my needs.
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
The Whidbey seems to be the Tumbleweed model I like the best. All on one floor, about the right size (though maybe a bit too tiny), a good layout and I love the exterior and all the windows. It has a cute little front porch, a transition area inside the front door, and extra storage space in the loft.
So it would appear that from my initial investigation of companies and house plans, I've narrowed it down to two models - Stone Mountain Cabins' Cub Creek plan, and Tumbleweed Tiny House Co's Whidbey plan. In future posts I'll look at these two sets of house plans side by side and in more detail. I also welcome information from readers on other builders and homes I've not already stumbled upon.
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