The tiny movement trend has been in full force for quite a long time now. I remember around the beginning of the 2000’s I started hearing about people building these tiny structures. Even back then I was hooked on the concept: smaller footprint, less space to maintain, low buy-in cost, and if it’s on wheels you can take your digs with you! Makes complete sense, right? Despite these great features ticking all the right boxes, there are important considerations that seem to get overlooked when building these houses.
A great example of what I’m talking about is the apparent lack of comfort in the chosen furnishings. Sofas and comfy chairs often come with a large footprint. Every tiny space I saw, from homes to vans to old, renovated buses to shipping containers, there just didn’t seem to be enough square footage for my favorite comfy chair, let alone getting it through the door.
Don’t get me started on the steps. Is it just me or do some of those steps to the second level look like you’re taking your life in your hands to navigate? What about getting down those steps to go to the bathroom at night?
When we decided to take our shed, which housed our lawnmower at the time, and convert it into overnight space for when family and friends came to visit (and later a tiny home to rent on Airbnb), we wanted to be sure not to sacrifice comfort all while maintaining flow and function. We only had 320 square feet to work with AND it wasn’t originally built for its current use. We had to be creative and purposeful in our design and decor.
This is how we’ve maximized the space:
I would have loved to have a king sized bed in the tiny cabin if space allowed, but it just wasn’t in the cards. We were able, however, to tuck a queen sized bed into the back of the main space. Guests can still have a wonderful view of the outdoors through the front sliding door, without the bedroom portion interfering with the flow of the living and dining space. Room darkening curtains offer our guests the option of sleeping in or a much needed catnap.
In the living space, I thought it was important to have a TV on the south wall so it could be watched from both the small sofa and the bed. The sofa is a sleeper sofa that pulls out and has a full size mattress. We just replaced the sofa mattress with a memory foam one that is much more comfortable. Again, small sofa, small footprint, the most comfort and access we can get out of the space.
The u-shaped kitchenette originally was built to accommodate our family and short stays so we did not feel the need to put in an oven or a full size refrigerator, nor did the space allow for it. We extended the counter to add space for 2 bar stools for dining. There’s a small refrigerator underneath the counter and an induction hot plate to cook if needed along with a microwave. There’s an insta-pot for those who want a home cooked meal. We decided to put an additional refrigerator with freezer on the screened porch to accommodate guests that want to stay longer. For additional dining space, we added a dining set to the porch, which seats four.
We didn’t build closets. So how did we tackle the need for guests to store their belongings? We put in a freestanding clothing rack that has upper and lower rack storage, two luggage stands at the foot of the bed to store suitcases, and lots of hooks everywhere – on pillars, on walls, in the bathroom etc. You just can’t have enough hooks in my opinion. Keeping stuff off the floor and organized is top priority when your space is tiny.
The bathroom is a ¾ style with a stand alone shower, toilet, and a very small washstand. There is a rack over the toilet for towels and toiletries and a shelf above the sink for toothbrushes and toothpaste. In the future, I plan on installing a small pivoting table against the washstand to accommodate small appliances. The bathroom, as it is today, efficiently fulfills the basic needs of a stay.
We built the screened in porch to maximize the space of the cabin AND the time our guests can spend outdoors without battling mosquitoes. Our house’s screened in porch is enjoyed by our cats nearly 24/7 from May through September, longer if the weather is unseasonably warm. We installed outdoor party lights so guests can enjoy the cabin’s porch into the night whether with a board game or a relaxing cold drink.
We are constantly working on converting nooks and crannies in our tiny cabin into more purposeful space that allows our guests more comfort. Anyone can maximize their living space with minimum effort.
What’s YOUR best tiny space hack? Feel free to share it in the comments below and we’ll keep ya posted on new and creative ideas from our tiny acres.
Come stay at our tiny cabin! Here’s the link if you want to check out our cute space and try tiny living for yourself!
airbnb.com/h/hideawaytinycabin
More Later,
Nancy and Don