Rarely do I ever create a post about only one thing that I love. I do it for movie and song reviews, recipes, succulents, what I bought and wore, places I travel to, and articles that I find. Oh my, maybe that is all I do! I should rephrase that. Rarely do I create a house post about only one thing that I love, or find inspiring. I am breaking that cycle today.
The Little Barn is going to be a total of 1113 square feet. That is twice the size that I initially wanted. When we bought our lot, I did not want a house bigger than 600 sq. ft. In fact, I was contemplating Tiny Homes that were 20′ x 24′, and some as small as 10′ x 16′. Yes, you read that correctly. I even had my husband convinced. I told him to think of it as an adventure and showed him examples of people’s own stories of Tiny House living. In the end, it was the refusal from my contractor that hindered my plans to go that small. However, the desire to build a Tiny House still burns within me, and I often research Tiny Homes for inspiration!
I found the Potomac Cabin on Pinterest a few weeks ago. Remember when I explained how I did not want a flashy roof or windows and that I preferred seasoned homes over newer-looking ones? Well, that is evident in my love for the Potomac. Aside from the name that brings me visions of strength, longevity, and speaks to my wayfaring soul, the cabin itself is the cutest and coziest use of reclaimed materials that I have come across in a long time. Its colours are understated, its space is well utilized, and although its a newer construction, its materials come with their own history. Add a ton of snow, and this looks like something that could be found in good ol’ Saskatchewan.
Would you ever consider living in a Tiny Home?
<3
Emory
Hello, Scarlett Blog 
Holly
/ 07/31/2014I always love the idea of small cabins, I’d need some serious changes though, namely saying goodbye to a lot of my stuff! It’d definitely be a challenge. :)
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Mariah
/ 07/31/2014Oh, WOW! I’m absolutely in love with that cabin. I love the idea of Tiny Homes and I wish I could have one someday. I hope to eventually save up enough money to buy my parents a small cabin near a forest somewhere, and this post really re-ignited those dreams of mine! Thanks for sharing!
<3
Mariah
happymurmurs.blogspot.com
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runwright
/ 07/31/2014Challenging but it could be quite cozy.
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Becca
/ 07/31/2014Oh my gosh, that cabin is gorgeous! I think it would be an interesting challenge living in a tiny house, but I would have to MAJORLY downsize to do so. I agree that it seems like a nice adventure though. Can’t wait to hear more about Little Barn!
XOXO
Becca | Ladyface Blog
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Mum
/ 07/31/2014Emma I think you feel you have compromised on the 1000 sq ft. Remember that includes the loft. Really it is only 800 on Main level. Therefore I do not think you are too far from the mark. Another consideration is the land you bought. The home has to be right for it. You are at a lake community. If the house was the size of a shed situated on that corner, it might look like an after thought. Like somebody dropped a building down and forgot to pick it up. No ma’am. Can’t go smaller than 800.
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G
/ 07/31/2014This little cabin is great! I want it. We could be quite happy is this, but our animals might end up driving us insane underfoot:( lol.
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Chris
/ 07/31/2014I love that cabin. The rusted metal is awesome – let it rust then clear coat it to preserve (is what I hope they had sense enough to do).
We’ve read about “Not So Big House(s)” for a long time now. And it was definitely an influence when we built our home a couple years ago. I think about it a lot more now because I thought our house wasn’t that big, but I wonder what would happen if I had pushed the envelop to make it as small as humanly possible. I think it takes a few tries.
The targets you’ve set are a great start. And I look at it this way, if the house you wanted was 600 sq/ft and the one you end up with is 1000 sq/ft then it’ll be like living in a mansion – the key will be to still use every square foot regardless, don’t shun the “extra” space. Except if there are property taxes – then every feature and square foot becomes a bane to your financial existence (not sure how they do it in CAN). We get hammered inexplicably by the gov’t here.
Our new house is slightly larger than our old one, and both are far from being “Not So Big”, though we did try to focus on good design and sustainability, both of which are a tenet of the “smaller is better” mode of thinking. We’re at a whopping 2,900 sq/ft but that includes two art studio spaces that we didn’t have before; closer to 2,000 not counting studios. And we’re able to offset some of our “mansion” footprint by both of us working from home. The new house has four occupants and 200 more sq/ft compared to old house, but uses equal or less energy than the old place, even though we’re home all the time now (We had regular commenting jobs, and no kids basically at the old place).
I do think we could do with a lot less space, but then I think of ways to use every square foot. The biggest challenge actually is a pack rat spouse and kids, but that can be fixed in time. So far we’ve done good to make the house work for us, even if it’s on the large size (it’s still smaller than most new houses nearby).
Anyway, it’s inspiring to follow along with your endeavor. Can’t wait to read and see more. Thanks for the inspiration.
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