New Tiny House owner here. Clashnessie is getting used to the recent addition to our landscape. We are located 100miles NW of Inverness, on the coast road between Lochinver and Kylescu. It is the most beautiful place on the planet.
This tiny house has taken a couple of years to evolve, as, when I first met Mark I told him it had to withstand all weathers, and I mean serious gales, and to be as much off-grid as possible. A far cry from garden rooms and home offices. In the journey of problem solving that he then followed, I can claim to have converted him to the composting toilet (via a trip he made to Glastonbury. - where else!). We hummed and hawed about wind turbines, which would have involved me in seeking planning permission on a subject that has its whole range of sensitivies up here. Instead, and relatively late in the day, Mark found a manufacturer of photovoltaic cells that does the job instead, via 3 pairs of 12v batteries. So I have light, recharging capacity, and, at this time of year in the north, the capacity for microwave cookery. Heating with a solid fuel stove (not wood burning - no wood here) turned out to be impossible, as all available stoves turned tiny house space into a sauna in 10 minutes. More critically, the flue height is such that sparks might come out of the top and land on the cedar roof. So I have a lovely cast iron butane stove, that looks like a solid fuel one, but has the advantage of being on wheels, allowing for different configurations of the space. My hot water is brilliantly provided by a serious boiler that runs on propane and two torch batteries for the ignition system.
The interior space is relatively clear, and I hope to keep it that way, having thoughts about alternative storage solutions. I am determined not to create the caravan or narrow-boat galley look. I have space, and want to keep it that way. I have ordered a Twingle from the Futon Company however, having previous experience of their superior mattresses. This will make a two-seater sofa, a chaise longue, or a single bed for those who can't climb the stairs or do not wish to share a bed with the person who can.
Last night I climbed those stairs and slept in the house myself, deliberating on which way round to sleep. In the end, I put my head in the dormer window, woke at five and rolled over to marvel at the panorama of the dawn over beach, sea and mountains. And today the local builder came to connect the water and gave the whole thing his seal of approval. I value this. There are detractors, who can't wait to see it blow away (it won't - this was a serious consideration in the basic design spec and a no-brainer), or who just think It looks unusual (good!), but it has been embraced by this small community which pulled out all the stops in abysmal weather to get it safely on site. So thank you Mark and Jen for making the journey with me., because there were times...
I'll continue to post developments as the interior space develops and the exterior is landscaped to look less like a sea of rock and mud. Current plans suggests, however, that I'll be up and running in mid August, so if anyone fancies a short cheap flight to Inverness, a hire car, and a break in one of Europe's remote places, do let me know (kingpm@btinternet.com). And calling all astronomers, this is one of the dark places of Europe and Tiny House has spectacular unimpeded views, especially to the North.
The interior space is relatively clear, and I hope to keep it that way, having thoughts about alternative storage solutions. I am determined not to create the caravan or narrow-boat galley look. I have space, and want to keep it that way. I have ordered a Twingle from the Futon Company however, having previous experience of their superior mattresses. This will make a two-seater sofa, a chaise longue, or a single bed for those who can't climb the stairs or do not wish to share a bed with the person who can.
Last night I climbed those stairs and slept in the house myself, deliberating on which way round to sleep. In the end, I put my head in the dormer window, woke at five and rolled over to marvel at the panorama of the dawn over beach, sea and mountains. And today the local builder came to connect the water and gave the whole thing his seal of approval. I value this. There are detractors, who can't wait to see it blow away (it won't - this was a serious consideration in the basic design spec and a no-brainer), or who just think It looks unusual (good!), but it has been embraced by this small community which pulled out all the stops in abysmal weather to get it safely on site. So thank you Mark and Jen for making the journey with me., because there were times...
I'll continue to post developments as the interior space develops and the exterior is landscaped to look less like a sea of rock and mud. Current plans suggests, however, that I'll be up and running in mid August, so if anyone fancies a short cheap flight to Inverness, a hire car, and a break in one of Europe's remote places, do let me know (kingpm@btinternet.com). And calling all astronomers, this is one of the dark places of Europe and Tiny House has spectacular unimpeded views, especially to the North.