interiors :: greenwich village grand!

Who says tiny can't be grand? This 400 square foot jewel box of a studio located in the heart of Greenwich Village proves it can be! The owner has worked her magic turning this tiny studio into a comfortable castle taking inspiration from the townhouses and flats in Knightsbridge, London and transforming it with luxurious Old World European flair. This chic lair boasts ample storage and organization hidden behind its grand facade, and posh plush outfittings to make living here an opulent experience!

Filled with charm and personality and enchanting vignettes at every turn, this apartment is JUST COOL!

AND it's FOR SALE!

architecture :: swanky silo

I love tiny houses! This tiny house is made even cooler because it was once a grain silo and is now a one bedroom loft at the Gruene Homestead Inn. In 2007 the inn purchased this lowly metal grain container, moved and reinvented it into an upscale and unique lodging experience for their guests.The silo has a queen bed, a full sized sofa-bed, stand up shower, two sinks, wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, private porch and can be rented for $175/$210.

Photo Credits: Gruene Homestead Inn

 You can visit the Gruene Homestead Inn’s website to learn more about this JUST COOL lodging.

via tinyhouseblog

architecture ::a part of nature

I love tiny buildings and this is the tiniest pre-fab ever, taking up a mere three meters square. It's  called Mudgee Permanent Camping designed by Casey Brown Architecture, Australia.

The sweet little prefabricated structure is a permanent camp located on an isolated mountain in Australia . Panoramic views from the tower of this tiny house encompass hundreds of miles  of natural pristine beauty. Sheathed in copper, the 10×10 foot building closes down to protect it from brush fire and precipitation and  it employs a passive heating and cooling system using a water collection cistern ,which also provides running water. Talk about self sufficiency! The copper exterior walls can be raised or lowered for sun and privacy and breathtaking views of nature all around. Inside it has a kitchen, living room,dining room with wood burning stove and a sleeping loft on the second floor. The bathroom is located separately just  steps away.

How cool is this tiny camp getaway? It's JUST COOL!

via research architecture

Kitchens :: kitchen in a cupboard

Just the smallest kitchen evah! The Mini Kitchen.

Yestertec Design Company builds a complete mini-kitchen  concealed inside it's Kitchen Armoire that can be custom styled to blend with the décor of any interior. This clever U.L. listed "kitchen in a cupboard" conceals a solid surface worktop with an under-mounted stainless sink, a 2-burner 120V cooktop, an over-the-range 120v oven/hood, an under-counter refrigerator, and a dishwasher/drawer for ample storage, to boot! Everything you need to get cooking in your small space. It may seem pricey at around $10,000 but when you consider the price of a new kitchen installation, even just a kitchen remodel, it's a steal. And you can take it with you when you move. Great for a guest house, in law apt., even your inhome office. How JUST COOL is this?!

via

small spaces :: the shoe wheel solution

What's this funny looking thing? It looks like an abandoned hamster wheel filled with miniature shoes but what it is is a Shoe Wheel. Raku developed this nifty space saving shoe storage on wheels for those of us who have little space to store our Imelda Marcos sized shoe collection. This cool wheel will store 30 pairs of shoes from spikey stilettos to everyday sneakers. The shoes are safely secured in their spot with an elastic band, making for a neat look and a quick and easy way to select your pair of shoes.

The Shoe Wheel can be conveniently rolled around to whichever closet you want it in, thanks to the little wheels on the bottom. But why bother - when it looks this cool you'll want the whole world to see it - and your shoe collection.

Think the holidays and what a great gift for your shoe lovin' friends and family this would make. And with all of the shoes we Shoe-aholics are coveting I'm sure just one Shoe Wheel won't do. We'll need one for the red shoes, one for the black, one for glittery,one for pumps, one for...

The Shoe Wheel , priced at $65 and available in silver, white or black at the Rakku website
and it's JUST COOL!

architecture :: mini home - island cottage

Ideabox revealed the newest addition to it's family at the Seattle Home Show this weekend. Like it's other cool mini houses, it's all about small, along with comfortable, quality sustainable living. Ideabox brings it on with Island Cottage, a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 625 square-foot home designed to be a vacation cottage although I could see myself living here year round!

The home was designed for small footprint living and and all of it's materials are selected for resource efficiency and performance. Like the other Ideabox models it is certified by Energy Star and Earth Advantage programs

Features include bamboo floors, stainless, energy-efficient appliances, maple cabinets, solid surface counters, recessed lighting, cement fiber & galvalume siding - even a winecooler is included. Hey, I want this house!

via jetsongreen

architecture :: tiny tidbit in denmark

Another small house! Read- Nest, a house in Denmark, designed by Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter is impressively tiny, measuring only 108 square feet. It is a pre-manufactured structure that is designed to sit in the landscape like an architectural folly. Being flexible in both situation and use, you can place this sweet little building where ever you choose, to fit your own individual needs. Relaxation, study or even a guest house, it adapts to almost any situation.

The minimalist birch plywood finished interior has all the basics you will need, one bed, one table, shelves and a skylight. Check out the video below to see more about it.

Read-Nest / Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter from david basulto on Vimeo.

via archdaily

architecture :: thinking inside the box

Even though they are coregated metal shipping containers, these cheery little homes just south of the border are JUST COOL! Responding to a need for affordable housing in an impoverished community of cardboard clad shacks in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, young architect Brian McCarthy took a detour from building houses in Albuquerque to turning shipping containers into clean efficient homes for deserving, hardworking people.

He was astounded by the living conditions that he witnessed, driving through the booming town. "It was amazing to me that in an area where there was such growth and economic prosperity, that these employees of Fortune 1000 companies were living in such poor conditions," he said.

These freshly painted 320 square feet spaces cost roughly $8,000 when completed and feature a modern galley-style kitchen with stove, sink, refrigerator and dinette, and a 48-square-foot bathroom, a bunk area for children a separate "master" bedroom for the owners.

What is the American dream here, is soon becoming a realized dream in Juarez. "With our design and with our price point, we think we'll at least be able to take the first step of getting more families into more homes" and formal property ownership," McCarthy said. Read more about these shipping container homes here. They're JUST COOL!

architecture :: on becoming a mini convert

how much space does it take to make us happy?

I've been thinking and writing alot about small houses lately. When it comes to architecture these days small is the new big. The trend is spreading all over - the once popular McMansions are losing favor to the Mini House. The fuel crisis, failing economy and eco- concious consumers are a big factor behind it, but for me, I think ridding myself of all the clutter and all the extraneous things and spaces I don't really need would be a totally freeing experience mentally and spiritually. It was when I saw this inspiring video about an Oregon woman named Dee Williams who did just that, built a tiny house on wheels and had a whole new world open up to her, that started me seriously, REALLY thinking about it. So lately I've been toying with the idea - I don't know whether it will ever become a reality but its a lovely dream. Watch Williams video and get a tiny bit inspired.

architecture :: a hermit's dream

What's that saying - Good things come in small packages? Small indeed, is this utterly charming and cozy cabin designed by Swedish designer Mats Theselius together with Arvesund. The aptly named Hermit's Cabin is a teeny tiny dwelling equipped for all seasons .

Made of the wooden planks recycled from old wood barns in Sweden, Arvesund Tradesign has been building and shipping these little gems (the one person is 86 square feet, the two person model is a whopping 108 square feet) all over the World since 2001.

The Hermit Cabin can be fully customized to fulfill all of your hermit needs too, including an add on package consisting of a bed, chair, table, wardrobe and shelves. A handmade wood burning stove with separate water heater is also available. The two foot beard and holey overalls are optional.

The only thing it doesn't have is a bathroom - whoops! - so plan on buying two Hermit Cabins - one for the main house and one for the outhouse.

Its JUST COOL! I want one!