Inspiring Tiny Homes

Book excerpt: Gill Heriz presents a collection of some of the most inspiring small homes in the USA and the UK. Gill Heriz presents a collection of some of the most inspiring small homes in the USA and the UK. People have been living in small spaces for centuries, for reasons of practicality, mobility, flexibility, or personal choice. More recently, tiny homes have become the answer for many who need somewhere affordable to live, and who possess the creativity and energy to make something different. A small home can be relatively cheap to build or convert, and gives its owner choices, reflecting the way they want to live and their concern for the impact they have on the environment. Tiny homes can also be stunningly beautiful and imaginative. They ask their owners to be discerning about what belongings they have—what is necessary and what is beautiful. The choices are individual and can be seen as part of a movement away from money and property-slavery to a more simple and connected way of living. Gill Heriz has brought together a collection of some of the most incredible small homes, from houseboats on the water, trailers in the countryside, and micro-apartments in the city, to treehouses in the woods. A traditional Mongolian yurt provides off-grid living for a young couple and their baby. A preacher’s wagon offers a chic, flexible space for its owners. There is a reclusive shack set in woodland, homes made from recycled Scotch whisky barrels, and a village of tiny houses for the homeless, all providing comfortable and sustainable accommodation for their pioneering owners.