As the tiny house movement seems to be gaining quite a bit of ground in the United States, north of the border in Canada, things seem to be picking up as well. Besides its first tiny house festival a couple of years back, we're now seeing a number of high-quality tiny houses come out of Canada.
Tiny House Movement With ‘Minimaliste’
Quebec tiny house builder 'Minimaliste' is one of these up-and-coming builders creating thoughtfully designed small spaces. We were thoroughly impressed with one of their previous builds, and now co-founder Phil Beaudoin gives a tour of the company's latest work, 'The Eucalyptus', with a characteristic tongue-in-cheek sense of humour.
When did the tiny house movement start?
The Movement
The most recent movement began in 1997 with Jay Shafer who built one on wheels for his own use. Two years later he introduced the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company to the world which provides building plans and detailed information all aspects of tiny houses.
The 9,2 meters long house was commissioned by a client living in California, but has been winter-proofed as a four-season type of home, as the client may someday move to the northeast US, or potentially sell it to someone living in a colder climate. Most notably, it is built with a large 2-kilowatt roof solar system to go go completely off-the-grid, but contains all the amenities: dishwasher, washer, refrigerator and so on.
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The Eucalyptus Tiny House Interior
Tiny house on wheels, The Eucalyptus
Tiny House Movement With ‘Minimaliste’ Is Growing: Canada
Coming in, the space hosts the living room right in the middle of the home. Since the clients have a dog, the main door has a SureFlap pet door that uses an electronic collar worn by the pet to unlock it. To the right is the kitchen, and a stairway going up to the main sleeping space.
What are the benefits of living in a tiny house?
Advantages of Tiny Houses
- Lower Expenses. A tiny house costs a lot less to build than a full-sized one
- No Mortgage
- Lower Energy Use
- Freedom of Movement
- Easier Maintenance
- Harmony With Nature
- A Simpler Life
The stairs are beautifully done, with the storage drawers well-integrated enough so that they are not too apparent.
The propane heater is also hidden within the stair itself. Safety is kept in mind with a custom-made industrial pipe railing on the outside of the stair. The U-shaped kitchen offers a lot of counter space; there's an 46 cm dishwasher as well as a full-sized stove and medium-sized refrigerator.
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Tiny House Movement With ‘Minimaliste’: The Noyer
The Noyer was built in close collaboration with a client from California (US). This house is quite different from previous projects from Minimaliste on many levels, including the roof slope and the bedroom layout. This unit, just like all of our houses, is meant to perform as well in a Californian climate as in a northern climate such as Quebec (Canada). The Noyer is intended to be inhabited full-time by a couple or a single person.
The interior of the Noyer really gives the impression of being in a small apartment. Indeed, the layout of the different areas creates a different feeling than in our previous models. Even without separations, the disposition of the elements creates the effect of distinct living areas, looking like a small open-plan dwelling. The general appearance is very warm, due to the different colors used for wood and other materials. As you can see in the pictures, the wood is clearly in the spotlight in this house!
Tiny house on wheels, The Noyer
Tiny House Movement With ‘Minimaliste’ Is Growing: Canada
Minimaliste’ Is Growing: Canada: The Exterior Of The Noyer
What size is considered a tiny house?
The typical size of a small home seldom exceeds 500 square feet (46 m2). The typical tiny house on wheels is usually less than 8 by 20 ft (2.4 by 6.1 m), with livable space totaling 120 sq ft (11 m2) or less, for ease of towing and to exempt it from the need for a building permit (depending of the country you live).
For this construction, we created a blend between a charcoal-colored steel siding and an brown dyed eastern cedar cladding. The different transitions between the two materials make it possible to make them stand out. This combination is a novelty; we worked along with the client to come up with this unique design that perfectly demonstrates how possible it is to give a unique look to a small home. The roof slope differs from our previous tiny homes, giving a dynamic and less linear exterior look, while allowing a better clearance above the head when the occupants are in the bedroom loft.
Before you go!
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