Macy Miller builds adaptive small home for family of 4 + dog
Five years ago Macy Miller was “four years outside a foreclosure”, looking for a place to live with her Great Dane and in need of a hands-on project for her architecture training. Inspired by tiny house stories, she set aside a year’s worth of rent payments (about $12,000), bought an old flatbed trailer and began to build her tiny dream home. To keep costs low, she began to ask around at construction projects for excess materials. This strategy paid off. She paid just $300 for all the wood (from a job site that had over-ordered) and was given the windows (another site mis-ordered). She scavenged old shipping pallets (from a farm and a floor dealer) for siding. “This was free but a lot of time to take apart and get ready to finish. I have estimated the entire build took 900 to 1100 hours and that’s a ton because these are 83 different shipping pallets. You know to fit your budget, it’s time or money.” Her total expenses came to $11,460 and that’s including the $5,000 she spent on appliances (including a $2000 “certified” composting toilet). After completing her tiny home she had to find a place to park it. She began renting a vacant lot from another designer (architect James Herndon) in downtown Boise and they soon started dating. Today they live in the 196-square-foot home with their two young children and Great Dane. With the arrival of the kids they turned the back porch into a 36-square-foot addition (complete with baby-sized bunk beds). Miller admits that such a small space, at times, can be more difficult with children, but ““it’s not impossible by any means, it’s not even hard”. Having grown up in a 5000-square-foot home, she recognizes that her family’s close quarters means more time together. “I appreciate more what it’s doing for our family than what it’s taking away. I get to stay home and spend time with her [at the time of our interview she was 8 months pregnant with her second child]. And I wouldn’t be able to do that without this house at this point.” Macy's e-courses: http://minimotives.com/courses/ Her blog: http://minimotives.com/ Original story: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/macy-miller-builds-adaptive-small-home-for-family-4-dog/
Comments
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Where's the dining table?
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Nice job.
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this is beautiful. I'd love to live in something like this. planning law in the UK makes it difficult to find a spot to place it though.
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Love the home made barn door into the bathroom. Nice cost effective idea. Pocket doors are difficult to adjust/repair sometimes.
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My favorite point is what Macy said about forced interaction. Most people are worried about that in tiny house living but I think it is such a benefit, especially between children and parents.
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amazing women
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Did you buy the land, before buying the materials?
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I love your house. I look forward to how you accommodate bigger children as they grow. Thank you for sharing your home.
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Your little one is so pretty & cute! Just a doll! I really like your tiny house!
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wow
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Fantastic job! Really impressive!
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nice home but cant see her kids fitting in those beds at 10 or so they are going to out grow it quickly, maybe add more space or take something away and make new beds
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small house giant Dog!
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Got a Masters in Architecture, doesn't have a license.. How quaint..
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its very nice, but when kids grow biger how will they fit?
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where is the new baby going to go?
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I love your home, and did you make your daughters dress? it's adorable.
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This is so awesome!!! This took some serious skills.
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She was smart to build her tiny home
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love the 4 lights in the kitchen! So cute!
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