To Door, or Not to Door, That is the Question!

I have a quandary.  Yet.  Another.  Quandary.

First off, I don’t like the smell of poo near my kitchen.  And for that reason, I designed my home to have the poo smelling room as far from the kitchen as possible.  And, because I was also attempting to incorporate efficiency into my design, the washer and dryer closet is near the shower.  (same source line, same grey water tank, uber efficient, right?)

So, I have bathroom on the back section of my tiny house with two adjacent closets.  That gives me, not one, not two, but THREE door decisions to make.

 

 

To have a door, or not to have a door, that is the question. 

Right?  Not exactly.

Here is a listing of my options and the reasons why I love, and hate them all.

Curtains

Yay! - They are super lightweight, cheap, easy to make myself, and are an easy way to add color and texture to a space. 

Boo – They will not keep smells, or sounds, that are happening in the bathroom and laundry area from permeating the main living area.

Vintage / Solid / Traditionally Hung Door

Yay! – I already have a really cool vintage door and I love the look of them.  They’re fairly easy to cut-to-size, and not too hard to hang.  They also provide additional storage options.  (Don’t forget your vertical storage options, people!!)

Boo – They’re heavy and I need three of them in a very, small, space.  You literally couldn’t have more than one of them open at any given time.

 

Pocket Door

Yay! – They’re a very efficient use of space.  They disappear when not in use.  What’s not to love?

Boo – The wall you “push” them into needs to be free of any other attributes (electrical, framing, etc….) and have you ever tried to un-stick one?  Ugh!!!  Just imagine having to pee and not being able to get the door open, or closed.  (and since I am old, this is a huge consideration!  LOL)

Sliding Barn Door

Yay! – Since I have only one vintage door, it makes sense that instead of hanging it in one of the three door openings, I could use it for the main entry to the “back area” and just skip the other three.  As a slider, it would really open up the three mini spaces into one big space.  I have to admit I LOVE this idea.

Boo – Not only would I be sacrificing the vertical storage space of the door itself, I would not be able to utilize the wall space it slides ONTO for anything either…..no pictures, shelves, electrical outlets, light fixtures.  That’s a LOT of sacrifice for not a lot of house.
 

 

Built in Bookcase Door

Yay! – If I am going for cool factor, this would certainly put my tiny house over the top.  Imagine sitting in the living room with a very cool built in bookcase that…..oh wait….opens up into the laundry / bathroom area!?  Whoa!?  It utilizes the vertical storage area of the door itself AND I wouldn’t have to sacrifice the adjoining wall space.

Boo – Pinterest to the rescue!  There is literally no downside to utilizing this idea. 

 

 

I am going to have THE coolest tiny house on the interweb.  I swear it.

 

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex in Tiny Houses (but was afraid to ask)

Since the movie, Titanic, remains one of the most popular movies of all time, I can probably assume that you are familiar with the hand-on-the-steamy-car-window sex scene.  Given this, I suppose it only makes sense that during a discussion about sex in tiny houses, a reference to sex in cars would immediately follow.

“WHAT discussion about sex in tiny houses?” you might ask.

Sex is one of those subjects (like composting toilets) where everyone hopes you will tell them all of your dirtiest and most intimate secrets while simultaneously hoping you won’t ask them to return the favor.  But, when I posed the question “How is sex in tiny houses different than in a normal house?” on a popular facebook page; there was no shortage of answers.  Apparently, tiny house enthusiasts are a pretty open bunch of people.  Who’d thunk?

So, before I begin, I have to confess:

1)      Even though I am building a tiny house in my own driveway, I have not had sex in it. (yet)

2)      I have also not had sex in a car.  (and I’ve owned one of those for over 30 years!)

Why confess, now?  To help you understand how very inexperienced I am with this subject matter.  Knowing that, it only makes sense that I would ask strangers to help with my research. 

(insert flirty wink here….)

First off, the dozens of people who responded to my query can pretty much be divided into two categories; those who live in a tiny house with kids, and those that don’t.  It seems, and would be logical, that the subject of privacy and sex go hand in hand in such a small space. (Actually…. everything goes hand in hand, in such a small space, but I digress….)

Secondly, the issues of sex in a loft space vs a first floor bedroom also came to light as it appears that sleeping (or not) in a loft requires a bit more dexterity than some tiny houses enthusiasts possess.

 

Ancient History – Sex in small spaces is nothing new.  Our ancestors had no shame in conducting their business in close proximity to everyone in the family, separated only by a blanket.  It was considered a normal part of life and communal family living.  As our society has progressed, however, sex has evolved into a more private affair.  Today, as it turns out, there are still some who are willing to buck the trend of sexual privacy and either ask their children to wear headphones, or wait until they go to sleep.  As one respondent explains “that’s what they make sheets for.”

Play Dates – If you’re living in a tiny house, with kids, however, that awkward talk about “mommy and daddy” time doesn’t have to be a sweat inducing conversation.  Some tiny house parents choose to merely wait until their children have gone to school, or a friend’s house, to engage in coitus.  I have to admit; it brings to mind a whole new meaning to the terms “play date” and “Romper Room”.  In that scenario, sex in a tiny house really isn’t much different than a normally sized home, unless you’re in a loft of course.

Lofty Lovin’ – Amongst tiny house enthusiasts, there are adamant proponents on each side of the loft vs main floor bedroom discussions.  Most of these discussions focus on age related issues and reluctance to climb stairs with no rails, or inability to climb them at all.  When you introduce the idea of sex in lofts, however, the subject takes on a whole new shade of fun.  Apparently, leverage for the lucky lover on the bottom is a key pleasure factor.  Footprints on the ceiling, anyone?  Also, since there is no room for a bedframe, there is no bedframe to move or squeak.  Bonus!  Looking for something to hold onto?  One of the respondents enthusiastically reported that she and her husband installed permanent handles at the head of the bed.  Sex on the stairs?  Given that the last step is commonly 18” tall, or more, it apparently serves as the perfect perch height for the more brave and balanced amongst us.

Ladders, Ladders, and more Ladders – Even if you have a first floor bedroom in a tiny house you probably also have a ladder to access storage.  Or, if you have a loft, you have a loft ladder.  Either way, THIS is the kind of kinky fun I am looking forward to.  Ladder + Silk Scarves + Feathers (or leather) = Fun.   So….about all those fun dreams that you’ll have now; you’re welcome. In all honesty, I cannot take full credit for this idea but the guy who came up with this idea won’t; so the burden is left to me. 

 

All The Time in the World – Nine months after large snowstorms, it is very common for local hospitals to see a small increase in the births of new babies in that same area.  When people find themselves with extra time on their hands, without the distractions of everyday life activities like work, and school, and TV; they have sex.  If you ask tiny house occupants what they enjoy most about the tiny house lifestyle, they often quote “more time” as a factor for the uptick in their quality of life.  If they’re spending less time cleaning or working to pay a mortgage, they have more time for doing the activities they love….like hiking and biking and traveling; and sex. And what are these occupants doing when they’re not doing all of that?  They are planning to have sex.  They’re installing brackets for swinging chairs, handles on the ceiling over the shower, and bolting the kitchen cabinets to the walls. 

In many ways, love lives are really no different in tiny houses than they are in normal sized houses.  People will always find a time, and a place, to express their naked desires.  In a car, in an elevator, on a park bench, or their parent’s bedroom…..they’re all fair game.  I am really not surprised that since the people who live in tiny houses are very intentional about what they find time and space for in their lives, and homes (and because it’s one of the sheer joys of being an adult) sex often makes the list.

The stair perching, ladder tying, handle installing, cabinet bolting, list.

I better stop here.  I’m blushing….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Siding! At long last........

Not one decision during the entire process of my build has been more difficult than siding.

It all started last summer when I met with a potential new siding sponsor.  He was so excited he drove to my house to see the project for his own eyes.  To this day, he's the only one that did.  We chatted for over an hour, and I asked for his design and material recommendations, and he agreed to be my siding sponsor. I emailed him with the follow up documentation, and then we chatted on the phone a couple of times regarding the timing.  And, then, nothing.....  I didn't hear from him for weeks.  And then weeks turned into months, and finally I came to the difficult conclusion that this guy was not going to follow through and no number of voicemail messages or emails was going to change that.

This was a big deal not only because I now had no siding for my project but financially I had not saved for any either.

I let it go, mentally, and continued on with the internal build while keeping my eyes out for good deals.  I can tell you now, in the middle of winter there are not a lot of great deals on siding in Oregon.  A few, but not in the quantities I would need.

 

So now, on top of a siding supply problem and a financing problem,

I started to question my design concept entirely. 

The build inside has progressed to the point where I am almost ready for drywall but wait....there are a couple of small leaks.  Of course there are, my "house" is a wooden box with a metal top, wrapping in permeable plastic.  So, now, I cannot really proceed much further on the interior until I install the siding and verify that the annoying little leaks are resolved by the addition of said siding.

So, back to research mode I went, looking for a good deal and wondering how far my design would wander from my original plan.  I found a local mill who advertised redwood board and batt siding and gave them a call.  They weren't interested in a full sponsorship but would consider giving me a discount for a large purchase.(more than $1000) So I waited a couple of weeks until I had the money in hand, and called them to make the delivery.  They were out.  So, they agreed they would make me more (they are a mill, after all) and deliver two weeks later on "Sunday or Monday".

Today is Sunday and since I hadn't received a call I called them to verify they are still coming. They told me they won't be delivering today because their mill is "broken" and they're waiting for parts.  But hopefully, they said they would get them and possibly deliver next "Friday or Saturday".  I am not bad mouthing them, mind you, but it is quite frustrating that I took the day off tomorrow in anticipation of a delivery that is not happening and they didn't even call.

And, as it turns out, it was quite a blessing in disguise.

On a whim, I went on craigslist and saw a cedar mill outlet was closing in two days and selling off their remaining cedar inventory for "offers".  Siding, decking, dimensional, you name it....  So, if you're looking for a happy ending to this story, here you go.  I went over, made them an offer, and got premium grade. T&G. tight knot, 12 foot long, reversible, cedar boards for less than I was going to pay for utility grade redwood boards.

My nerves, however, are completely shot. Making such a tough decision, so quickly, and after so much drama has wrecked them.  The 2nd largest purchase for my tiny house is now done. All I have to do now is rent a truck and pick it up tomorrow.

So, what happened to my design concept plan?  It is intact and moving forward and I am quite happy with it.  On my way home from getting the siding, I stopped in to pick up two sample quarts of stain, and the trim color.

It will be, in a word.........stunning.