Monthly Archives: February 2013

On being not so still

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Naj Haus (Kate)
Ortelius World Map 1570

Ortelius World Map 1570. Click on any of the maps for an interesting discussion of early world cartography.

There’s a delectable tension between being still and not so still. Each bear gifts and each have limits. Tiny houses on wheels embody a beautiful blending of the two.

This has been on my mind for two reasons. One is that I got the call that my trailer is ready, which excites me to no end. The other reason is that after I wrote my post on designing sparefully, which included a lot about the importance of being still, I noticed that WordPress lists my user name as the author: notsostill. That made me laugh. It also made me reflect on the role of stillness in my life – or rather, the lack thereof – and why a tiny house on wheels is so perfect for me. Continue reading →

Categories: tangents, thoughts on tiny | Tags: , , , , , | 5 Comments

Skunks and a tiny house valentine

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Naj Haus (Kate)
Striped skunks

Credit: Tom Friedel

Valentine’s Day tends to annoy me with its Hallmark triteness but it’s notable in that it signals the start of skunk mating season.

I know this because I lived in a cabin in the redwoods that had a bit of a skunk problem. Okay, it was a big problem. About this time a couple years ago, all olfactory hell broke loose. Continue reading →

Categories: design, tangents, thoughts on tiny | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Gulp…I ordered my trailer!!

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Naj Haus (Kate)

As any tiny houser knows, ordering the trailer is a big deal because:

1. It’s a significant outlay of cash. Along with windows and roof (depending on how you go), it’s one of the most expensive items in a tiny house.

2. Even though I won’t start building until this summer, this is the equivalent to breaking ground and pouring the foundation of a regular house (I ordered it now because the manufacturer gets busy as summer approaches, plus I needed some exact measurements to finish my designs).

3. I’m now locked into the length (16′).

4. And most importantly, I’ve now taken the first real, committed step toward my future tiny house!
Continue reading →

Categories: construction, PAD | Tags: | 5 Comments

On bitterns and tiny house parking: putting your best foot forward

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Naj Haus (Kate)
American bittern

American bittern. Credit: Jerry Segraves

Lately I’ve had bitterns on the brain.

In college, I couldn’t decide whether to major in biology or art. I ended up with a bio degree just because I’d taken a couple more classes in it. One of those classes was how birds have adapted their coloring for camouflage and mating displays. Continue reading →

Categories: design, thoughts on tiny | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

Naj Haus: evolution of a tiny house design

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Naj Haus (Kate)
Trailer

The original vision…

If you’re up for a glimpse into the tangled workings of my mind, I thought I’d share the convoluted way I got to my final design for Naj Haus. It all started last summer at a music festival. Camping next to a woman who had a fiberglass “egg” trailer similar to the one above, I found myself obsessed with the idea of getting one. At first it was just for camping and tootling around, but I was also looking ahead to splitting my time between Oregon and California and the idea of living in one started to grow. Turns out if you get one that is about 17′ they come with a tiny kitchen and bathroom. My first serious thoughts of tiny living started to sprout.
Continue reading →

Categories: design, PAD, thoughts on tiny | Tags: , , | 9 Comments

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