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.

In the process of researching compact appliances for my own tiny kitchen, I discovered a couple of companies who are offering some fantastic combined kitchen units that would be perfect for the smallest of tiny houses.

I hadn’t realized just how many ready-made, combined kitchen units there are out there.  The smaller-sized units range from 24″ – 60″ in width and come in a variety of different voltages.  Most units feature a sink, two burners, and a small refrigerator.  The size of the unit determines how much counter and storage space there may be.

Below are some of the most well-known manufacturers of kitchenettes:

• Avanti
• Summit
• Acme

Most units feature electric ranges and AC appliances, but there are some options for gas stoves and DC. (Especially if you check out RV suppliers.)

If you’re shopping for a unit for your own tiny kitchen, the following online retailers provide a wide range of sizes and models:

• AJ Madison
• Compact Appliance

In researching possible options for remodeling the kitchen in my small house, I came across Fagor’s CX-5 Cooking Center.

This integrated kitchen unit is only 50 inches wide and is designed to be integated with either a 27″ radiant or gas cooktop.  In addition, it features a stainless steel exterior, two large-capacity side drawers, and a central drawer for storage.  While this is probably a little too industrial-looking for my tastes, I can easily see this working well in a home with limited kitchen space.

I especially liked the design of Fagor’s matching stacked, stainless steel dishwasher which has modules to store tableware, flatware, and cutlery.  I wish more appliance manufacturers offered designs like this.

There is also a 24″ wide, 24″ deep, stainless steel refrigerator with freezer on the bottom to complete the look and efficient use of kitchen space.

Hopefully these designs might provide food for thought for those of you out there designing your own small kitchens.

One of my weekend discoveries is this neat little two-in-one bathroom unit by Roca.  It combines a sink and toilet into one, very space-efficient and stylish unit.  I could easily see something like this being fitted into the smallest of tiny homes. Plus I love that with the lid closed, the toilet also serves as a place to sit  (which any long-legged woman who’s ever tried to apply lotion after shaving or pull on a pair of nylons in the bathroom should appreciate)

Although I have a feeling their fixtures are probably more expensive than other options out there and it looks like they distribute primarily in Europe, which could be a challenge to people in the States, the Roca website also has several other small sink and toilet options that are definitely worth a look.

The official launch date of Jay Shafer’s new tiny house book is April 1st.  However, for the next two weeks you can order an advance release copy via TinyHouseBlog.

The Small House Book is a collection of Shafer’s knowledge and thoughts on designing small homes.  It also includes his personal story and his portfolio of designs.

The book is priced at $36.95 and included several full color photographs.  It’s 7″ x 7″ in size, about a 1/2″ thick, and 197 pages in length.

Admittedly, I’m a huge Jay Shafer groupie, but I think every small house enthusiast should own a copy!  Mine is already on its way.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to what changes I want to make to my tiny kitchen.  In the process of researching options for small-space kitchens, I came across the Hansen Instant Kitchen.

This all-in-one design provides a full kitchen in a compact space.  It includes an oven, refrigerator, sink, and storage drawers (even under the sink).  All you need to do is connect the electricity and water and you’re ready to go.

The cabinets are made of FSC Certified oak with a natural or soap finish and it comes with a steel top.

Hansen Living is founded by Knud Kapper, a Danish architect.  They won the prestigious award at ICFF for Best Kitchen and Bath in 2004 and their kitchens have only recently become distributed in the U.S.  (They are carried by KitchenDesigner.org.)

Per an article at ApartmentTherapy, “Knud explained that when he embarked on designing Hansen’s product line, he asked some of the best chefs in Copenhagen what made them ‘laugh at the typical consumer kitchen.’ Then he did the opposite. The result is a collection of free-standing units with no overhead cabinets, but rather drawers below counters. Each drawer is lined with a metal perforated bottom to allow air circulation. The base pieces are raised on legs to allow access for cleaning the entire kitchen floor.”

You can see additional photos of Hansen designs over at the Hansen Flickr site.

I really like the use of space in this design, but I also like the idea of having overhead cabinets, as well.  If you have other small kitchen cabinet options to suggest, I’d love to hear them!

Tiny Home enthusiasts may take issue with whether or not an automatic dishwasher is a necessity for simple living.  Certainly I have lived happily in homes without one.  However, in planning out my (eventual) kitchen redesign, I’ve come across some examples that might be viable dishwasher options in even the smallest of homes.

The smallest of the small options are countertop dishwashers, which I didn’t know existed until I stumbled across an example. Several companies including EdgeStar, Danby, Haier, and Koldfront offer countertop options. Here are two of my favorites:

The EdgeStar DWP45ES allows you to wash up to four (10.5″ max) place settings at a time. EnergyStar rated, it uses approximately 61% less energy than other countertop options. Dimensions are 17.1″ x 22.5″ x 18.9″.  The EdgeStar retails for roughly $235.

Another countertop option is the Danby DDW 497W.  The Danby is also EnergyStar rated and can hold up to four place settings.   It also offers five different wash settings.  Dimensions are17″ x 22 7/16″ x 18 7/8″.  The Daby also retails for around $235.

I could easily see either of these two models being tucked under a kitchen counter in a Tumbleweed or Tortoise Shell tiny home.

Moving up in size, you can also find 18″ models.  Danby offers an 18″ portable dishwasher that easily could be built into a small kitchen or stand alongside cabinetry. The Danby features a stainless steel tub, adjustable dishracks, 7 wash programs, and advertises low water consumption.   Dimensions are 32 5/16″ x 17 11/16″ x 21 5/16″.  The Danby18″  retails for around $380.00.

GE has also begun offering compact 18″ dishwashers.  Their dishwasher can either be ordered with a stainless steel front or with a wood cover panel to match the dishwasher to other cabinetry.  They are EnergyStar rated and offer five different wash cycles.  Dimensions are 32 1/2″ x 17 1/2 x 22 1/2″.  These retail for roughly $500.

These are certainly not the only small dishwasher options out there.  However, hopefully, they’re enough to get you started researching options that may be appropriate for your own situation.

As part of planning how to better use the available space in my tiny bathroom, I’ve been spending a lot of time looking at bathroom fixtures. Ikea has just come out with their new line of sinks and cabinets and there are a couple that I think would be of interest to people building or remodeling their own tiny homes.

I’m really excited about Ikea’s new LILLÅNGEN sinks and cabinets. I think they are very clever in their use of space including their inset soap dish and towel rack. The smallest model (featured in the picture below) is 15 3/5″ x 16″. I have a feeling that I’m going to be using the next largest size (23 5/8″ x 16″) in my own bathroom.

It looks like Ikea doesn’t have the smallest size of ÅNN sink available for purchase on their website, but keep an eye out because it should be appearing shortly. I think this would make a perfect sink in something like a Tumbleweed or Tortoiseshell tiny home bathroom.

The Lagan sink is 17 3/4 ” in diameter and comes with both sink strainer and stopper.

If you’re looking for a slightly larger stainless sink, the Boholmen is 18 7/8″ x 19 5/8″. There is no pre-drilled hole in the sink unit, giving you free choice in placing the faucet. (Which is great news if you wish to place it in the corner.)

I’m sure these are just a start in terms of what’s out there for do-it-yourself tiny home builders. Has anyone else out there found anything they’d like to recommend?