I just had to share this lovely little drawing that Rima Staines posted over on The Hermitage this morning.  While I’m not sure I’d like a tiny home that small, I find the drawing utterly charming, like a lot of Rima’s work.

The artist also happens to be a tiny home dweller herself.  She and her partner, Tui, live and travel around the U.K. countryside in an old wooden van they’ve remodeled to look remarkably like a hobbit hole and dubbed The Hermitage.  We have featured their little home previously on Coming Unmoored.

You can follow Rima’s adventures and work over on her wonderful blog, The Hermitage.

Drawing by artist Rima Staines

PreFabulous Homes out of Vancouver, British Columbia has the motto of “Modular Design-Redefined.”  Part of what makes PreFabulous Homes so interesting is their obsessive focus on being green.  Their designs are built in such a way as to reduce the home’s overall eco-footprint.

One of their tiny home offerings is The Ohisan.  The Ohisan is a bungalow that has a total living space of 672 square feet.  The way in which the interior space is used in The Ohisan allows it to maximize that space to a high degree.  The design plan of The Ohisan has the bedroom’s modules and bathroom’s modules share circulation with the Great Room Module.  This plan allows the interior space to be more effectively utilized.    Another design, The Antrim, is a little larger at 800 square feet.  The design of The Antrim is also clearly well thought out.  Both The Ohisan and The Antrim pay close attention to the optimization of use of overall natural light in the space through design, thereby reducing electricity requirements.

There is a great deal to admire with the PreFabulous Homes concept.  The modules are essentially complete when they are shipped from the factory and are built to the exact same building codes as conventional homes.  Another impressive fact is that PreFabulous Homes can complete a project in just two to three months.  The price tag of $160 to $200 per square foot is really not bad considering all that is delivered.

If you are considering a tiny home, PreFabulous is doing some fantastic homes.  Some of their larger homes are very impressive as well.  For example, their “EcoFabulous Home” has a very eco-friendly design, and their “The Derry” design  is a very fun 1000 square foot home built on stilts.

PreFabulous Homes likes to think of itself as one stop shopping as they can handle everything from concept drawings, to permits, and new home warranty.  Check out the website here. They are doing some interesting work and are worth a further look.

Some tiny home concepts may very well give you a glimpse into the future of dwellings, and how we will be living in the future.  Perrinepod, based in Australia ,may just be one of those visionary companies.  Perrinepod has been featured in numerous magazines around the world for their cutting edge designs and concepts.

One short quote from the Perrinepod website really sums up how ambitious they are, “The Perrinepod was created to provide individual’s access to high quality sustainable, affordable and near instant residential solutions.”  What is most tantalizing is the “near instant residential solutions” part of the statement.

How near instant?  Perrinepod states that they can build a home in three days.  Moreover, they state that the end product will suit any landscape and “virtually any architectural style.”  Take a deeper look at the Perrinepod concept, and you will understand why they feel so strongly about their product.

Perrinepod is taking the modular, prefabricated concept to a borderline science fiction extreme.  It is the sort of housing concept that as children many of us would have expected to see in the future.  First, the Perrinepod is green.  Instead of using traditional concrete they are using a geo polymer concrete.  This green design extend into every aspect of the Perrinepod as the structure uses a variety of sustainable strategies, ranging from how the recycling is handled, to the energy the module uses.  Solar panels are a key feature, and the Perrinepod has a 5 Star energy rating.

Another reason the Perrinepod concept is so attractive is that each module can act as a one-bedroom dwelling, or a few can be added together to form a larger house.  The Perrinepod concept can even accommodate very large structures.  How large?  They can be stacked 30 story’s high.  No doubt the Perrinepod seems rather futuristic.

The Perrinepod, keeping with the flexible philosophy of their design, has numerous options available.  Their 6m Standard Pod has 48m2 (516 square feet) of internal floor space, and cost about $149,000 Australian dollars.  The turn around time from order to delivery is a very impressive two-weeks.  The largest pod available is currently the PodVilla 13, which has 144m2 (1550 square feet) of internal floor space and costs $425,000 Australian dollars.  Expect about ten weeks for the PodVilla 13 from order to delivery.  Ten weeks for a home of this size is truly impressive by any standard.  There are many other sizes in between the 6m Standard Pod and the PodVilla 13.

Anyone in Australia thinking about a tiny home or a green home should probably take a good look at what Perrinepod is doing.  Imagine having a tiny home such as the 6m Standard Pod in just two weeks.  That may be the most futuristic aspect of the entire project.  Hopefully, we will be seeing the Perrinepod idea moving out of Australia and into the rest of the world soon.  If Perrinepod is indeed a glimpse into the future of housing, we may have much to look forward to.

Imagine a world where quickly produced, highly durable and green housing was the norm.  Simply put, this would mean a higher standard of living for everyone everywhere.

If you are in London, England are looking for a luxurious tiny home experience, we have just the place for you.  The Lux Pod in South Kensington, which is in Central London, offers a very unique experience.  If you are not familiar with South Kensington, it is a fantastic spot to use as your home base in exploring London.

South Kensington is a very safe neighborhood and is strategically placed in London.  The Lux Pod is within a short walk of so many of London’s key attractions, such as The Victoria, Albert Museum, Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park.  In fact, all of these attractions are a five to ten minute walk from the Lux Pod, making its location excellent for any vacation to London.

The Lux Pod couldn’t be more aptly named.  Just a quick glance at this amazingly decorated luxury holiday apartment will quickly show just how innovative the Lux Pod is.  The decor is decidedly modern, sleek and high-tech.

How high-tech is the Lux Pod?  There are touches absolutely everywhere.  Lutron interactive mood lighting is available for ths space, as is Sky+ HD to go with the Bang & Olufsen BeoCentre High Definition Television. There is free Wi-Fi to boot! This is an impressive amount of tech packed into this small space.

The luxury touches don’t end there, as the Lux Pod has other stylish creature comforts as well.  The minimalist design and furnishing are a definite hit, as will be the Tempur-Pedic mattress (after the long flight!).

The Lux Pod is a great example of a small space done correctly.  Careful attention has been put into every aspect of its design.  Everywhere you look, the space has been used in an optimal fashion, literally taking advantage of every inch of space.  In my mind this is a key element of the small home and small space movement- taking a relatively small space and absolutely getting the most out of it.

Fact is, Lux Pod is done so well, it is worthy of study.

To get a taste of how truly awesome a tiny space can be go to www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/luxpod.  Small home enthusiasts, who love minimalistic design, will no doubt find the Lux Pod a great treat found right in the heart of London.

We launched the next issue of the Small Living Journal a day early since I am the editor of this issue and was heading to Taos today.

This issue is on downsizing and we have included articles from three new participants: Heather from The GreenestDollar; Christina from DeclutterLife, and Jonathan, an educator who’s passionate about what he refers to as “mainstream small”.

Check it out!

Each Friday Coming Unmoored runs a weekly roundup of tiny homes featured on the web and recent news stories that may be of interest to small home enthusiasts.  (Please note: if you would like to submit a link to the weekly roundup, please email it to: Stephanie.Reiley@gmail.com)

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

Tiny Houses Featured in the Past Week:

• House on Wheels for Sale
  Additional images
  Derek’s Tiny House Tour
• Small Cabin for the Masses
• Read-Nest
• Eco-Capsule Home
• Wonderful White Studio
• Hidden Luxuries
• Living in a Van
• Tumbleweed Fencl Being Built for 2009 Tour
• All Terrain Cabin
• 5′ x 8′ Tiny Market House Plans
• 8′ x 16′ Free Tiny House Plans
• Container Shedworking in Africa
• CONHOUSE

Recent News Stories on Tiny Homes and the Small Home Movement:

• Small House Society News (Resources For Life)
• Tiny Home for a Tiny Planet (Taxsite Blog)
• The Reinvention of the Trailer Park (Energy Bulletin)
• Tiny Houses Book Review (Dwell)

Some homes have the capability to take your breath away.  In the past, not only were these homes usually much larger than a few hundred square feet, but also part of their awe-inspiring presence was often attributed to the sheer volume and footprint of the house.  However, a new group of today’s visionary architects and builders are dramatically turning the concept of what is a “wow house” on its head.

Marmol Radziner Prefab is one of the companies that is striving to make smaller homes also “wow homes.” Marmol Radziner Prefab is offering the Rincon 5, a 660 square foot modular unit that is designed to be very eco-friendly.  This tiny home uses low VOC paint, bamboo floors and recycled denim for insulation.  It is also designed with an eye towards being solar powered.  The design and look of the Rincon 5 is quick striking and modern, offering an impressive amount of light exposure.  Prices start at $179,000 for the Rincon 5, which is very competitive to similar modular homes.

Another interesting aspect to Marmol Radziner Prefab is the level of dedication the company has towards being “green.”  Not only do they utilize low VOC paint, bamboo floors and recycled denim for insulation, they even go so far as to use recycled steel for the construction of all their homes.  Further, Marmol Radziner Prefab designs all their homes to meet LEED certification.  Other touches are done with an eye towards energy efficiency, such as floor-to-ceiling windows and design plans that allow for the incorporation of solar energy.

There is a great deal to appreciate in the approach of Marmol Radziner Prefab.  Their homes are not kit homes, as they build each home in their own factory.   Remarkably, the company oversees every aspect of the process from design and building, to delivery and installation.  The fact that Marmol Radziner Prefab also does custom designs only adds to its distinction in the increasingly crowded small homes field.

Learn more about this innovative and green small home designer and builder at http://marmolradzinerprefab.com.

One of the big challenges of tiny home design is managing moisture effectively. Incorporating appropriate vapor protection and ventilation is essential if you don’t want to either be living in a greenhouse in the summer or chipping ice off your lovely wooden walls in the winter.

Perhaps the biggest generator of moisture inside a tiny home is the bathroom. Some form of effective ventilation in this space is essential but, unfortunately, many bathroom fans aren’t designed for small spaces. I recently discovered an exception to this–the NuTone 744 NT Bathroom Exhaust Fan.

Not only does this unit offer a high-efficiency fan in a small size, but it does dual=duty by also acting as a recessed ceiling light.

I try very hard not to get sucked into any of the virtual world games or communities like World of Warcraft or SecondLife.  Due to the nature of my work and also the fact that I love to write, I already spend the majority of my day in front of a computer screen.  The last thing I need is another reason not to look up and enjoy the broader world.

However, AllAboutHouseboats.com just mentioned that SecondLife allows users to have houseboats.  This, alas, may be my downfall.  I have to go check them out, now.

For those who aren’t familiar with it, SecondLife is a 3D virtual world where users can create their ideal surroundings in which they can live the life they wished they had.

In considering the site, I started wondering if they’d let me build a virtual Tumbleweed Tiny House.  That would be pretty amusing considering the average person on the site seems to favor owning a mansion and a yacht.  Perhaps I’m a complete geek, but I love the idea of starting Small House Movement in a virtual world.

You might think that “CONHOUSE” is the name of the latest gritty jail pic staring Nicolas Cage as a man wrongly accused, but you would be wrong.  As much as it sounds like a new movie title,  CONHOUSE is actually part of the tiny home, environmentally friendly movement.  This concept is picking up steam seemingly with each passing day.

The CONHOUSE concept is to use mass production to offset the final price that a homebuyer has to pay.  This is done in three main ways.  The first way is the mass production of the home building process.  The second method is that the CONHOUSE is easily transportable.  The final way that CONHOUSE keeps its price low is that the company allows and encourages assembly of the final product in a rather remarkable single day!

CONHOUSE prides itself on being very environmentally friendly and producing virtually no waste.  Further, the company is quick to point out that they are creating a home that is itself very recyclable.

The name itself is a synthesis of “container” and “house,” thus CONHOUSE.  The core concept is creating a highly customizable modular, prefabricated home (that is designed to provide a great and well lit interior living space), while maintaining the option to “pick up and move” if necessary.

Recently, the CONHOUSE team made a name for themselves with their 2+ Weekend House, which uses two shipping containers, one stacked on top of the other, in a sort of t-shape.  What likely stayed in most people’s minds was the customized black paint job accented with pink polka dots.

No doubt the CONHOUSE team has an eye for design, as displayed in the simply elegant staircase they designed to link two modules in the 2+ Weekend House.

CONHOUSE has a great sense of humor and fun as well.   The gallery on their website includes their homes and designs presented in colorful pop-art styles.  You almost feel as though you are looking at a comic book.  Even the names of the homes are fun. For example, one of their designs is named the “Woody Allen.” If you want to check out the Slovenia based CONHOUSE concept, the website is www.conhouse.com.