Tiny Homes – Centennial Special 2023

["THE MIRROR-IMAGE bedrooms each have their own bath and direct access to the kitchen area. This bedroom has the bonus of a screened sun porch. The baths (below left), laundry room and kitchen share a budget- sparing central plumbing core.","THE HOUSE WAS made by joining two prefab sections\u2014the junction is defined by the long center beam.","1,300 SQUARE FEET Prefab Perfection A well-designed pre-built house gives an Oregon couple the freedom to simplify their lives. BY JOHN RIHA | PHOTOS BY GREGORY DEAN PHOTOGRAPHY","MODIFYING THE plan called for transforming an interior corner of the house into an outdoor covered porch and sitting area. Homeowners John Brackett and Robert Newton (left). W hen John Brackett and Robert Newton moved from San Francisco to a condo in Portland, Oregon\u2019s Pearl District, they thought they\u2019d found just what they needed. Portland was a smaller, more relaxed version of San Francisco, and the Pearl District offered sophisticated style in a relaxed environment. But something entirely different was waiting for them in the not-too- distant future. After several years of living in Portland, they began to look at getaway properties on the Oregon coast. As they searched, their perspective began to shift. \u201cOur mindset changed from a weekend place to a permanent place,\u201d says Newton. \u201cWe decided that what we really wanted to do was find a piece of property not too far away from the city, put a new house on it, and move entirely to the country.\u201d The duo\u2019s exploring brought them to a 2-and- a-half-acre dream property located in the rolling hills of Oregon\u2019s wine country. It had an ideal building site offering an elevated view of vineyards tumbling off to the horizon and a thick grove of trees behind. To turn their dream into a reality, they turned to Jim Russell, an architect and the founder of Ideabox, a prefab house company in nearby Salem, Oregon. \u201cWe wanted something that wasn\u2019t too big, 54 TINY HOMES","MANY ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS ARE WILLING TO MAKE CHANGES TO STANDARD PLANS AND HAVE SET FEES FOR DOING THE EXTRA WORK. 55","A MUD ROOM (above) opens directly from the driveway and doubles as the laundry area. Newton\u2019s office includes sliding glass doors that lead to the covered porch.","\u201cWE WANTED SOMETHING WHERE WE WOULD FULLY USE ALL THE SPACE WITH NO UNUSED ROOMS.\u201d \u2014ROBERT NEWTON ART BOUGHT ONLINE where we would fully use all the space and with no gives the master bedroom a unused rooms,\u201d says Newton. \u201cJim\u2019s designs are so punch of color. The lump in the well organized as far as how you live in the space\u2014 bedcovers is the family cat. we just fell in love with it. Plus the notion of having a no-fuss, prefab home that was built in a factory was really attractive to us.\u201d Working with Russell over the course of a year, Newton and Brackett devised a version of a stock Ideabox plan called the Fuse\u2014a 1,300-square- foot house that marries transportable, pre-built modular halves together into a two-bedroom, two- bath plan. Their final design included modifying a potential third bedroom into an office and a covered outdoor sitting area. \u201cIt was a great example of how Jim is so creative at taking a standard design and then THE DINING TABLE is right-sized to fit in the living area. The chandelier is made from wood veneer twisted into a cloudlike shape. 57","FACTORY-BUILT PREFAB HOUSES ARE TRANSPORTED TO THE SITE ON TRUCKS AND LIFTED INTO PLACE WITH CRANES SO ON-SITE WORK IS MINIMAL. applying your particular needs to the results,\u201d notes Newton. \u201cIt was just a great match for us.\u201d A key element was finding just the right balance between the available space and the elements the couple planned to include. \u201cOur design aesthetic has always been minimalistic,\u201d says Brackett. \u201cNot to the extreme, but over the years we\u2019ve been moving away from having too much stuff. This house is the ideal size for us and it\u2019s a great showcase for the things that we do have.\u201d Newton used a software program that allowed him to place all their furniture into the floor plan. \u201cIt made it easy to decide what would work and what we had to get rid of,\u201d he says. \u201cIt made the whole process of downsizing easy.\u201d Adds Brackett, \u201cIt\u2019s almost like Buddhist philosophy. You thank things for being in your life but now it\u2019s time for them to go serve their purpose somewhere else. It really makes you appreciate what you have.\u201d","BIG WINDOWS and glass sliding doors afford sweeping views of Oregon\u2019s bucolic wine country. The factory-built shell arrives via truck and is put on its foundation with a crane (below left). \u201cWE LOOK OUT AND THE WHOLE VALLEY JUST SORT OF FOLDS AWAY. THE POSITION OF THE HOUSE WORKS PERFECTLY WITH THE SITE.\u201d \u2014JOHN BRACKETT 59","ALWAYS CHECK your vehicle\u2019s tow rating before attempting to haul a heavy tiny house on wheels.","Not content to plop down in one spot forever? Then get going, and take your whole house with you.","Elements of Fine Design Creative director Malia Schultheis offers up the guiding principles she uses when crafting tiny houses on wheels for her company in Eugene, Oregon. BY JOHN RIHA W hen it comes to creating good tiny-house design, Malia Schultheis credits her accounting background. \u201cArchitecture and accounting are very similar,\u201d says Schultheis, who is the accountant, creative director and owner of TruForm Tiny, a tiny-house building company in Eugene, Oregon. \u201cThey\u2019re both meticulous processes, with a lot of little pieces to keep track of. It\u2019s definitely the same part of my brain when I\u2019m doing accounting and when I\u2019m doing tiny-home design.\u201d With double-major degrees in accounting and fine art, Schultheis was well-prepared when in 2015 she and her husband, Jen Carroll, decided to roll the dice and start their dream business\u2014designing and building tiny houses. With Carroll\u2019s expertise in building science, the young team devoted themselves to achieving high standards of quality and innovation. Now, years later, Schultheis and Carroll remain committed to craftsmanship and sustainability. \u201cWe\u2019re so into it because we love it,\u201d says Schultheis. \u201cThat\u2019s kind of the drive behind it. It\u2019s more than the money.\u201d As a creator of tiny houses, Schultheis condenses everything about a \u201cnormal-size\u201d house\u2014kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living 62 TINY HOMES","IT\u2019S INCREDIBLE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH A SHOEBOX SHAPE. Prospective clients are sometimes apprehensive about what can be accomplished in a long, narrow footprint. But the challenges of that type of space often produce unexpected\u2014and delightful\u2014results. Slightly altering levels, for example, creates the feel of a separate room with a distinct personality. Roof pitches, textures and colors are just some of the allies of small-space design. It\u2019s finding the classic balance of form and function.","area, home office\u2014into 400 square feet or less. Although such limited space is a challenge, she knows there\u2019s no rubber- stamping good design. \u201cMany people think there\u2019s only so much you can do with a shoebox shape,\u201d she says. \u201cBut actually it\u2019s really, really incredible what you can do with a shoebox shape.\u201d Schultheis notes that in tight quarters, where everything is literally close at hand, quality touches help make small spaces livable and easy to appreciate. And because smaller houses don\u2019t require large quantities of materials, adding top-quality surfaces, appliances and finishes can still fit into the budget. Beautiful woods and Custom touches, such as unique chandeliers and pendant lights, add personality. Loft stairways offer lots of options for shelves and pull-out drawers. 64 TINY HOMES","ADDING PLENTY OF DAYLIGHT IS CRUCIAL. Skylights, all-glass French doors and generous windows (above) create light, open interiors that won\u2019t feel cramped, even in winter. Allowing views to the outside blurs the distinction between in and out, making spaces feel larger than they really are. Also, good tiny- house architects cram as much storage as they can into available space. Dual-purpose functionality, such as the moveable bed (left) that can be raised to increase daytime floor space, is the heart and soul of effective tiny-house design. 65","Railings instead of solid partition walls help keep loft interiors light and bright. 66 TINY HOMES","OPEN SHELVES instead of upper cabinets keep kitchens feeling open and airy. In a tiny house, there\u2019s not a lot of counter space, and solid upper cabinets can limit visibility and light, while making the space feel constricted. Open shelves let light through the entire space. Similarly, tall elements, like a refrigerator, are best placed toward the back of kitchen space to keep the feeling of openness. A basic white-on-white color scheme makes light bounce around interiors and helps small spaces feel larger. Specialty woods, such as beautifully grained clear cedar, are a simple way to add a luxe touch. tiled backsplashes, for example, are eye- candy and an everyday joy. \u201cWe use the very best surface materials, hardware and cabinetry,\u201d she says. \u201cWe never skimp.\u201d She also knows that every good design starts with the client. \u201cI definitely try to have a balance of form and function, and that involves a lot of feedback from our clients on what has worked in their lives, what hasn\u2019t worked. We know it\u2019s a big deal to go tiny\u2014it can be stressful and emotional for people. That\u2019s why we strive to have a close relationship with our clients. We\u2019re part of their future.\u201d 67","A TINY HOUSE ON WHEELS CAN TOP 18,000 POUNDS\u2014 WELL BELOW THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LIMIT OF 20,000 POUNDS PER AXLE.","Rules of the Road What you need to know about a tiny home on the move. BY DAVE TOHT Atiny home on wheels (THOW) is born to ramble, at the very least from its point of origin to that place it will call its home. To make the journey, a THOW can\u2019t be too large; it must safely navigate the roads. And it\u2019s not just the journey that presents challenges\u2014it\u2019s the destination, too. Will your THOW be welcome or run afoul of local codes? Here\u2019s a primer of what you need to know about houses on the move. 69","Sizing Things Up Schroeder. \u201cI tell my customers THE HEIGHT that if they say \u2018tiny home\u2019 it can of a THOW can\u2019t In order to safely clear bridges, a cause confusion. If they say \u2018park exceed 13.5 feet, THOW\u2019s height shouldn\u2019t exceed model home\u2019 the city knows what measured from 13.5 feet, measured from where you are talking about.\u201d the bottom of the rubber hits the road to the the wheels to the ridge of the roof. That typically Weighing In highest part of allows safe clearance on major the house. highways. Some THOW builders Most trailers have three axles, even like to top out at 13 feet 4 each capable of carrying 7,000 A TOWED HOUSE inches\u2014just in case a layer of pounds. With even a well- wider than 8.5 feet paving has been added beneath appointed THOW topping out at is considered an a bridge. But even that margin about 18,000 pounds, weight isn\u2019t \u201coversize load\u201d and is not a free pass: The height of a worry. Nor will it run afoul of requires a permit New York\u2019s Holland Tunnel is a DOT regs: Up to 20,000 pounds is for every state it mere 12.5 feet\u2014something worth allowed on interstates\u2014per axle! travels through. planning around. Coming Home THOW trailers are all 8 or 8.5 feet wide, and that\u2019s not Some towns consider it their an accident: Anything wider mission to welcome THOWs. than 8.5 feet is considered an For instance, Spur, Texas, has \u201cOversize Load,\u201d requiring a declared itself to be \u201cAmerica\u2019s permit for each state you\u2019ll travel first tiny-house-friendly town,\u201d through, a complicated process. although because of high winds If you must exceed the norm, THOWs must lose their wheels a permitting service can help, and be secured to a foundation. advises Doug Schroeder, owner Less-windy Durango, Colorado, of Timbercraft Luxury Tiny welcomes the wheeled parking Homes in Alabama: \u201cThey handle of THOWs as long as they have all the needed permits\u2014and they their PMRV certification or verify the route.\u201d otherwise can pass muster with the building department. Then there is length. Technically, the Department of However, many towns consider Transportation (DOT) limit is 53 THOWs as domiciles for camping, feet. So why are most THOWs not permanent living. Should you no longer than 42 feet? The choose to locate your tiny home answer lies in an important in a backyard, you might be on certification. A home on wheels of shaky legal ground. Occurrences 400 square feet or less qualifies such as congested parking, wood as a Park Model Recreational smoke and illegal dumping of Vehicle (PMRV). This makes it an sewage may lead to complaints RV rather than a mobile home the city must respond to. and offers a lot more latitude in where it can be placed. Because There are other options. RV THOWs may have lofts and other parks\u2014some on lakes or with overlapping interior levels, 400 mountain views\u2014can offer square feet seldom requires more well-spaced lots at a reasonable than 42 feet of length. A PMRV monthly rent. certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is Or, consider becoming a state something a building department park campground host. Hosts get immediately understands. to live free in the wild year-round \u201cCertification helps a lot,\u201d says in exchange for half-time duty keeping the sites clean, restrooms stocked and doing minor repairs. 70 TINY HOMES","SOME SMALL TOWNS, LIKE SPUR, TEXAS, HAVE ROLLED OUT THE WELCOME MAT FOR TINY HOUSES IN AN EFFORT TO LURE MORE RESIDENTS TO THEIR AREA. 71","ROCK CLIMBING IS AN EXERCISE THAT WORKS ON VARIOUS MUSCLES, INCLUDING THE HEART, AND BURNS 8 TO 10 CALORIES PER MINUTE. KELSEY APPLEGATE AND Breck Stewart (opposite) keep in shape by traversing 24 feet of climbing wall they had installed on one side of their tiny house.","176 SQUARE FEET Rock-Solid Love An adventurous couple designs a wow-factor tiny house that suits their on-the-move life. BY LISA KAPLAN GORDON When Kelsey Applegate and Breck Stewart graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and married in 2017, they were long on love and short on possessions\u2014and a perfect fit for the 176-square-foot tiny house on wheels they\u2019d designed anticipating a lot of togetherness and a string of moves. \u201cIn the military, we don\u2019t get to stay in one place very long,\u201d says Stewart, an Air Force pilot. \u201cAnd we wanted a place we could take with us.\u201d Applegate adds, \u201cAnd we enjoyed being around each other all the time.\u201d Wanting to keep their carbon footprint small, the couple decided to live in a tiny house. They 73","A GARAGE DOOR ON TRACKS folds into the ceiling (below) and opens the tiny house to a flood of light. The door is made of safety glass and is easy to clean. hired Tiny Heirloom, a custom builder in Portland, Oregon, to combine their love of boho-chic decor with their passion for outdoor adventures. Working with Rockwerx, a manufacturer of climbing walls, the couple turned an exterior side of their house into a 12-foot-high, 24-foot-wide climbing wall. It was big enough that when the couple were posted to Columbus, Mississippi, their tiny house boasted the tallest rock-climbing wall in the state. \u201cYou can climb up it in three or four good moves, but we really designed it for traversing,\u201d Stewart says. \u201cIt\u2019s not the most difficult climbing wall. But it would give us some strength training during the week.\u201d The tiny house stacks sleeping and working lofts atop the daily living space\u2014a cobalt-blue kitchen with full-sized appliances, dining room with built-in benches that transform into a second sleeping area, and a bathroom that\u2019s tricked out with an inviting Japanese soaking tub. 74 TINY HOMES","THE RANGE (ABOVE LEFT) IS fueled by two propane tanks mounted on the home\u2019s outside wall. The dining area (left) features a table that lowers to the height of the benches to provide extra sleeping space, and the garage door makes al fresco dining a breeze. The cobalt-blue kitchen (above) fits the home\u2019s boho-chic design. 75","A SECOND LOFT is used for reading and relaxing. Pendant lights hang from a soffit positioned under the open garage door (above). MANY TINY-HOME MANUFACTURERS PROVIDE FINANCING FOR PROSPECTIVE HOMEOWNERS, AND SOME OFFER SPECIAL RATES FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL.","Adding to the home\u2019s wow factor is a garage door BENCHES ARE A that slides into the house\u2019s ceiling. space-saving option in the kitchen. \u201cIt\u2019s supercool being able to open out an entire side of the house, have access to an instant patio and let so much light in,\u201d Stewart says. For a time, Applegate and Stewart were stationed in Phoenix, where they lived in a 600-square-foot studio they called \u201cenormous,\u201d and shipped their tiny house to the Oregon coast where they rented it out on Airbnb. Their next move is to Burlington, Vermont, where they plan to settle down. Whether their tiny home settles with them is still an open question. \u201cThere\u2019s a possibility that we\u2019ll take it to Vermont, but there\u2019s an equal possibility we\u2019ll sell it,\u201d says Stewart. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to figure out what this next stage of our life will look like.\u201d THE BATHROOM\u2019S Japanese soaking tub is retro-fitted with jets. Applegate calls it her \u201cZen\u201d space. The house\u2019s exterior (top right) is deliberately designed to mimic the shape of the state of Oregon.The dining benches (right) provide additional storage. \u201cIT\u2019S SUPERCOOL BEING ABLE TO OPEN OUT AN ENTIRE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.\u201d \u2014BRECK STEWART 77","FOR DESIGNER and founder David Latimer, meticulous lighting is a hallmark of New Frontier Tiny Homes. \u201cI love lighting,\u201d he says. \u201cLight is everything to me.\u201d","300 SQUARE FEET The Light Fantastic Clever levels, wraparound siding and ingenious illumination help this tiny home outshine all others. BY DAVE TOHT | PHOTOS BY STUDIOBUELL","MAPLE-VENEER The solar eclipse had a plywood surrounds the profound effect on me,\u201d sleeping loft. Skylights and says designer David an operable egress window Latimer of the 2017 also allow ventilation. event that put on an exceptional show for his hometown of A FLOATING VANITY, Nashville, Tennessee. \u201cIt was one mirrors and valance lighting of the most magical experiences make the bathroom seem I ever had.\u201d larger than it is. The mirrors are backlit with LED lighting. Latimer would dip deeply Latimer loves to play with into that experience when he lighting, both natural and designed his 300-square-foot artificial (above). production home, The Orchid. Lighting, both natural and artificial, took center stage. And, eclipse-like, much of it emerges from the shadows of valances, recesses and even banisters. Happy owners use words like \u201cenchanting\u201d and \u201cmagical\u201d to describe the way the lighting transforms the interior and makes it seem larger, with just the slide of a dimmer switch. The effect is intentional: \u201cI love hiding the source of the light so you don\u2019t see the light itself, just the surfaces it pours over,\u201d notes Latimer. That playful illumination is made possible with the use of LED strip lighting set in aluminum diffusers. Maple plywood interior walls keep everything radiant and bright. Plenty of skylights and windows, most of which also provide ventilation, make full use of daylight. And then there is the 8-by-8-foot garage door that forms one wall of the living area. Raise it and you may as well have stepped outside. \u201cBasically a whole wall of your space opens up and you\u2019re right out there,\u201d says Latimer. Close it and you have a stylish wall of glass that beautifully frames the outdoors. But there are more ways this house puts others in the shade. An innovative wraparound roofing and siding treatment gives the house a sculptural","A PLAYFUL change of levels sets the kitchen\/ dining areas apart. \u201cThat is one of my space hacks,\u201d says Latimer. \u201cIt makes the space seem more expansive.\u201d The sleeping loft is accessed by a custom ladder that stows easily when not in use.","Pulling out the sofa-like settee creates an instant guest bedroom. Easy-rolling 3-inch rubber castors make the transformation easy. Screened by horizontal lattice, a mini-split heating and cooling unit conditions the air when things are closed up. 82 TINY HOMES","LATIMER ADDED AN elegance. Achieving it looks a lot simpler than it is. The cladding 8-by-8-foot insulated starts with wrapping the house\u2014 glass garage door to walls and roof\u2014with a moisture the house. It serves as a barrier. Next comes self-adhered dramatic main entry and roll roofing\u2014again to the walls opens The Orchid to the as well as the roof. Specially great outdoors (above). routed furring strips hold the final 1x4 cedar planks above the roof for drainage. Stainless steel screws fasten it all together, and each plank is sealed with two doses of silicone. \u201cWe kinda go over the top,\u201d Latimer laughs. \u201cAs we do with everything. The effect is nice\u2014 but not cheap.\u201d Levels also add to the magic of The Orchid. Three steps lead up to the kitchen\/dining area. Beyond it, an equal number of stairs lead down to the bathroom entry, closet and the ladder to the sleeping loft. \u201cSomething about those little changes in elevation also give it a fun, almost a treehouse feel,\u201d explains Latimer. 83","HOUSEBOAT OWNER Maureen Marcenko can enjoy views of her watery \u201cbackyard\u201d from the rear deck. ABOUT 230 SEAFARING HOMEOWNERS LIVE ON \u201cFLOATING PROPERTIES\u201d ON THE PLACID WATERS OF LAKE UNION NEAR SEATTLE.","564 SQUARE FEET Water Worldly A search for a small, more manageable place to live brings a Seattle woman to the charms of life on a houseboat. BY JOHN RIHA | PHOTOS BY VIRTUANCE A COLORFUL exterior gives the Hah Choo plenty of charm.","AN ANTIQUE WOOD-BURNING stove adds character and plenty of warmth on chilly days. HOUSEBOAT INSURANCE CAN BE EXPENSIVE, COSTING FROM $2,000 TO $5,000 ANNUALLY. SOME MARINAS ADD FEES FOR POLLUTION CONTROL.","Maureen Marcenko was ready for a change. As an empty-nester living by herself in a \u201cbig house\u201d in West Seattle, she felt the time was right for downsizing. But checking out typical urban possibilities\u2014condos and apartments\u2014proved to be uninspiring. Then a colleague mentioned he was going out of state and that a houseboat he\u2019d been renting on nearby Lake Union would be available, and Marcenko\u2019s life took a turn. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to live in a little box,\u201d says Marcenko, \u201cand I thought a houseboat would be interesting. I\u2019d barely been on a boat in all my life, so it was sort of a leap of faith.\u201d As it turned out, it was just the kind of leap she needed to take. \u201cOnce I discovered that I didn\u2019t get motion sickness,\u201d she laughs, \u201cI just loved it.\u201d She became so enamored of the water-based lifestyle that when her houseboat came up for sale, she promptly bought it and began to give it a much- THE DECK ENCOURAGES getting to know your neighbors and enhances the sense of community. \u201cTHERE\u2019S SOMETHING LIBERATING ABOUT LIVING IN A SMALL SPACE.\u201d \u2014MAUREEN MARCENKO 87","What\u2019s in a Name? One thing Maureen Marcenko didn\u2019t change was the name of her boat: Hah Choo. That\u2019s a good thing, as changing the name of a boat supposedly brings bad luck. Ha Choo was built in Canada and the original owner sailed the craft down the Pacific coast to Seattle. The name is from the language of western Washington\u2019s indigenous Duwamish Tribe and means \u201cThe Big Lake.\u201d 88 TINY HOMES","A NARROW STAIRWAY LEADS TO THE UPSTAIRS bedroom (below, top), which opens to a deck. The gaily colored front door (bottom) welcomes visitors. LIGHT COLORS and whitewashed wood flooring help keep interiors bright and cheery. needed renovation. The first order of business was major: The boat needed a new hull. The houseboat was dry-docked, the old hull removed and a new aluminum hull installed. Although the retrofit was far from \u201cnormal\u201d landlubber homeowner maintenance, it proved to be an excellent introduction to the world of houseboat ownership. \u201cThere\u2019s so much space down there!\u201d says Marcenko. \u201cIt\u2019s almost 4 feet deep, it\u2019s got tons of storage and all your systems are there\u2014plumbing, mechanical and your bilge pump. It\u2019s all visible and accessible. It\u2019s comforting to know everything\u2019s in good condition.\u201d With a new hull in place, Marcenko set about getting the rest of her 564-square-foot house into shipshape. She hired an architect who was a friend and avid boater to expand a smallish bathroom and add a covered deck, a new entry and essentials such as new galvanized gutters. She whitewashed wood flooring and painted the interior herself, \u201cbecause I really wanted it to be lighter and brighter and bigger and cleaner.\u201d 89","Now comfortably settled in, Marcenko has readily adapted to life on the water. \u201cIt\u2019s such an appealing, lovely place to live,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can sit on your deck in the morning with a cup of coffee and it\u2019s calming and serene. There are ducks swimming by and boats coming and going. Plus, it\u2019s a different kind of community. You have to be a little more conscious of the elements and the fact that you live on water. We\u2019re always looking out for each other.\u201d And she\u2019s thoroughly enjoying living small. \u201cThere\u2019s something liberating about living in a small space,\u201d says Marcenko. \u201cIt takes me very little time to clean. You\u2019re not spending a lot of money on furnishings or taking care of a garden. It really is a less expensive way to live. And you realize that anything that you have in the boat has a purpose, and you appreciate it even more.\u201d RELAXING IS EASY on the Hah Choo\u2019s large upper deck. Built-in furniture (top right) won\u2019t move when the houseboat rocks. Custom wood trim (above right) adds a classic nautical touch to the bathroom.","Home, Home on the Bay Linda Bagley knows houseboats. move to different locations. They $25 per month. Sewage pump- As the owner of Special Agents have permanent connections for out\u00a0services vary between $50 Realty in the Seattle area, she sewer, electrical and water. Some to $100 per month. has specialized in houseboats also have gas connections. \u00a0 since 2006. She herself lives What do you like best about on a houseboat on Union Lake, Both pay King County personal living on a houseboat? where some 230 houseboats and property tax, although this I have loved almost every part of floating homes are moored, is a transitional process for life on the lake. I love the gentle and we thought she would be houseboats since they are no movement that rocks me to the perfect person to answer a longer permitted to relicense sleep, the sounds of rain on the few questions: as a vessel when they sell. We roof, the activity and liveliness are slowly transitioning them as of lake activity. One of the most What\u2019s the difference they sell from vessel licensing amazing things is the community. between a houseboat and to a FOWR\u00a0(Floating On-Water I have made better lifelong a floating home? Residence) with personal friendships living on the lake A houseboat typically has property tax.\u00a0 than anywhere I have ever been. quick disconnects for electrical \u00a0\u00a0 and water and can be moved What\u2019s a typical mooring fee?\u00a0 Linda Bagley\u2019s Seattle Houseboat from marina to marina. They Are utilities usually included? website, seattle-houseboat.com, also have black water tanks Moorage averages\u00a0between $15 includes news, listings and general that are emptied by wastewater to $20 per linear foot for the info about the area\u2019s vibrant pump-out services. slip or houseboat, whichever\u00a0is houseboat communities. You greater. Water and garbage are can also reach Bagley at Linda@ Floating homes are in assigned typically included. Electricity SpecialAgentsRealty.com. spaces and are not permitted to is metered at an average of 91","ONLINE HOME rental services are a good source for discovering unique small houses all over the world.","If you like far-off places and cozy retreats, these amazing small homes will spark romantic reveries.","377 SQUARE FEET Culture Combo A blend of quirky English charm and the adventurous American West creates a one-of-a-kind getaway house in the U.K. BY JOHN RIHA | PHOTOS BY UNIQUE HOMESTAYS","ADDING A GLASSED-IN porch to a curved-roof \u201cgypsy wagon\u201d created a unique vacation spot in Cornwall, England.","It was love at first sight. Sarah To make the space comfortably Stanley spotted the whimsical habitable, modifications were in wheeled hut on a property not order. The hut itself became the far from her home and was centerpiece of the design and immediately smitten by its rustic included an open floor plan with walls and curved, gypsy-wagon- kitchen, dining and living rooms style roof. When the owner agreed under the charming curved roof. to sell the unused structure, An addition to the back of the Stanley and her partner, Andy hut provided a generous bedroom Davey, bought it with the plan with a bathroom and laundry, and of transporting it to her farm in a glassed-in veranda stretching Cornwall, England, for use as a across the front of the hut created guest cottage. a light-filled entryway with views of the surrounding gardens. Once the hut was delivered, Stanley\u2019s entrepreneurial instincts \u201cWorking with a small space kicked in. As the director of meant everything had to be Unique Homestays, a home rental planned carefully,\u201d she notes. service in the U.K., she knew that with some modifications, the The exterior walls of the hut could be turned into a one-of- finished 377-square-foot a-kind vacation house. house\u2014dubbed Sundance\u2014were insulated and clad in corrugated \u201cThe gypsy wagon set the steel panels to match the siding scene for an abode with a of the gypsy wagon and included nomadic soul,\u201d says Stanley. \u201cWe pieces of rusted metal that wanted all the features within to preserve the aged charm of the reflect the concept.\u201d original structure. THE AIRY THREE-SEASON porch gives wide-open views to the carefully landscaped surroundings.","WHIMSICAL TOUCHES of the American West, such as a wagon wheel, cowboy boots and saloon sign (above), are right at home in the cottage. Owner Sarah Stanley (middle left) spotted the cottage\u2019s potential right away. The unique curved roofline (left) arches over the main sitting room and kitchen; contrasting colors between the rafter supports and ceiling emphasize the aesthetic of the curvature. 97","THE MASTER BEDROOM opens to a private porch. Reclaimed wood floors add a rustic touch to the elegant bathroom (right). \u201cIT\u2019S A VERY CALMING AND TRANQUIL PLACE TO BE, WHERE YOU GENUINELY FEEL FAR REMOVED FROM THE EVERYDAY.\u201d \u2014SARAH STANLEY 98 TINY HOMES","\u201cI love the fact that reclaimed Outside, extensive gardens and materials have a history,\u201d native plantings of flowers and says Stanley. \u201cThey have an ornamental grasses add to the interesting patina that just can\u2019t aura of a nomadic getaway. be re-created. These one-off pieces all add to the unique look \u201cLandscaping is an integral and feel of the overall scheme.\u201d element to the sitting-under-the- stars-and-around-the-campfire Her eye for intriguing design scheme,\u201d says Stanley. \u201cWe extends to the interiors as carefully considered the planting well, where she created a look and landscaping to create areas reminiscent of the American that guests can enjoy together West. \u201cThe free-spirited traveler or independently, with a natural essence that the wagon evokes pond creating a haven for led the entire look,\u201d she says. wildlife. It\u2019s a very calming \u201cThe American West theme can and tranquil place to be, where be seen reflected in everything you genuinely feel removed from from the colorways to the the everyday.\u201d handmade and crafted feel of the rugs and soft furnishings; For more information, visit layered blankets create an around- uniquehomestays.com or call the-campfire essence.\u201d 011-44-1637-881183. A DEERHORN CHANDELIER and an old leather saddlebag are vintage reflections of the Old West. 99","YOU CAN RELAX on the cottage porch or lawn (or take a day trip to Waimea Canyon)."]