Latest news with #tinyhouse
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Travel + Leisure
14-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Travel + Leisure
This Modern Villa-inspired Tiny House Has a Rooftop Terrace, Natural Light, and Solar Panels for Under $10K
As a frequent flier, it feels like a waste of money paying for monthly rent when I spend most months traveling and not in my apartment. Amazon has a selection of tiny houses, including ranch styles and farmhouse-inspired designs, that are larger than my New York City apartment, cost a fraction of my annual rent, and have enough space to fit my entire luggage collection and wardrobe. While scrolling through Amazon's Tiny House Kits store, I found a luxurious villa-inspired tiny home that's less than $10,000. It has modern touches, like clean lines and floor-to-ceiling windows to drench the space in natural light. You can also customize the space, including changing the number of bedrooms, total square feet, and adding outdoor space. Everything about the tiny house was designed with convenience in mind. Electrical outlets are included, and the kitchen and bathroom come with pre-installed plumbing, a toilet, sink, and shower for no additional cost, saving you time and money. What's most notable about the tiny house is how the manufacturer, ZHong Machinery, lets you be the designer. You can completely customize the layout by adding square footage (up to 800 square feet) and increasing the number of bedrooms. This allows you to have an office, at-home gym, or guest room if you want. Hosts will love the option to add a rooftop deck for lounging under the sun or having a summer barbecue with friends. These extras come at a cost, but it's a one-time payment that's still cheaper than paying a contractor to renovate or build a traditional home from scratch. If you want to cut down your energy and water bill, you can install solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system for an extra fee, according to a brand representative from ZHong Machinery. Since both will need to be installed by you, you can put them up exactly where you want them. Plus, the brand representative added that the solar panels can rotate, ensuring they receive optimal sunlight during the day. Shop the villa-inspired tiny house while it's still in stock, and be sure to check out the below essentials and accessories to put in your new home. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
The Guardian
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
I suspect there's something poisonous about money. That's why I'm embracing a gift economy
I've heard from a very wise friend that something she hadn't previously considered, which she read in my 'tiny house' article, was that the housing market requires most people to be in debt. It's been a strangely positive experience to come to the concept of 'economics' through living my life as a poet, novelist and medical journalist, because it allows me to critique things that might otherwise go unnoticed. Another very wise friend told me that her husband went to university to study economics, was told on day one that the entire model is built on a concept of infinite growth, and he quit to become a gardener. No wonder we're friends. The first book of economics I read was The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The point of this beautifully written, small book (a long essay, really) is that different concepts of 'economies' exist – we needn't be beholden to the neoliberal, western, cut-throat, strangle-your-dreams economy that many of us feel mired, indeed trapped, within – and she describes something from her Potawatomi heritage called the gift economy. She speaks of reciprocity and abundance, rather than grasping and scarcity. The revolutionary thing about Kimmerer's writing is that it's gentle, assured, and as a reader I'm left with no doubt that she's correct. With my leap to a tiny house, part of my decision-making came from the practical economics of the fact that I would either need to earn more or spend less. Because my daughter is not yet in school, I want to spend less money so I have more time: so I can be present and available for her. No doubt, I could have turned my efforts to a full-time job with higher income, put her into full-time daycare – but none of that appealed to me. A slow and gentle lifestyle is possible, it's just not sold to us, so it is harder to listen out for. We have to listen for that silence beneath all of the racket and noise. For me, even right this moment, that silence is not silence: it's raindrops and birdsong. The morning sun is lighting up the pale bark of the gumtrees. Fairy wrens are dancing on my deck. I can choose to spike my nerves and turn on the news, because yes, I want an update on how that fair vessel Madleen is doing: my mother's heart holds all her crew close, and I am amazed to be in a world where such feats could be seen as heroic, but in fact feel simply necessary. Even their work, should it succeed, is a gift. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning How many gifts surround you? My daughter is a gift, and because I co-parent, every day I get with her is a gift. The friends who have been involved in this tiny house project have all given me gifts of time, ideas and even objects – doors, use-of-ute for moving and a wardrobe. My health is a gift, and my health has been far better since embarking on this journey towards a gift economy. Of course I pay for groceries, but when I'm in my new space, I'll be able to grow vegetables, and there is a popular local 'crop swap' in my village. I'll be down the road from a few small-scale producers, where I can buy potatoes from a neighbour and lentil dal for family-friendly prices. In some ways, though organising my week is work – juggling journalism, part-time PhD, primary parenting – it's also a pleasure, because I'm choosing it. We want our lives to be full of pleasure, not debt. I've noticed something too: the more money people have, the less pleasant they sometimes are (not always). It makes me suspect there is something poisonous about money. There are plenty of large-scale examples rampaging about right now; I don't need to name names. But recently I had the pleasure of sitting in my neighbour's sauna; she lives in a tiny house, she retired early and she has no debt. She shared that wealth by inviting me to her personal wood-fired sauna, where we chatted about many of the things she learned about tiny house living. A weekend afternoon spent in a luxurious sauna, and it didn't cost me anything. Lately, I've had the gift of some lovely home-cooked meals with friends and have remembered how that is, perhaps, the greatest gift of all. Sharing food, sharing time, sharing meals. Embracing a gift economy and a smaller scale of life, I'm abundantly grateful. Kelley Swain works in the field of medical and health humanities. She is a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania, working on a project about poetry and motherhood
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Travel + Leisure
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
This Modern Tiny House Is a Desert Sanctuary in One of Mexico's Most Charming Towns
Having recently won the top spot as one most enchanting destinations in Mexico—and indeed the world—it's no wonder that the alluring town of San Miguel de Allende attracts visitors from all over the world. With its quaint, colonial-era architecture, first-class restaurants of all kinds, and a burgeoning arts and culture scene, San Miguel de Allende promises to beguile travelers with its easygoing charm at every turn. But for those looking for more contemporary accommodations that are out of the town's main hustle and bustle, look no further than Casa Dom, a modern tiny house that is situated at the end of an unpaved road, past the southern edge of town. The barrel-vaulted, concrete structure is designed by T+M Arquitectos, and blends in seamlessly with its environment, thanks to its low-key profile and the deliberate lack of any exterior ornamentation. The interior has been thoughtfully designed for simplicity and comfort, featuring an open-concept living space that includes a double-height sitting lounge, kitchen, bathroom, and a mezzanine-level sleeping area with a king-sized bed. The lounge is outfitted with a luxurious sofa to relax in. Guests can opt for a cozy movie night by deploying the large projector screen that rolls down, doubling as blackout blinds that cover the glass facade. The modern kitchen is well-equipped with everything needed to make meals or a hot drink, as well as utensils for cooking on the outdoor barbecue. The bathroom boasts a freestanding soaking tub that's perfect for a rejuvenating dip. The interior is filled with natural light, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows at one end of this rentable tiny house, which can be opened to welcome nature inside. The carefully arranged outdoor area is shaded with mesquite and cactus trees, and includes a sitting area, hammock, and a charcoal-fired grill. To continue on this casita's theme of relaxation, there's also a huge outdoor tub where guests can enjoy a serene soak, watching the stars turn above the hilly landscape. Beyond the cozy confines of this contemporary tiny vacation home, visitors can explore everything that San Miguel de Allende has to offer. According to one travel expert, it's best to take it slow and spontaneously in this laidback town, where one can easily wander around to find free live music events, museums, galleries, artisanal shops, and all kinds of gastronomy, as well as local wines and tequila tours in abundance. Nightly rates at Casa Dom start at $106 on
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Travel + Leisure
31-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
Amazon Has a Modern Farmhouse-inspired Tiny House With a Front Porch, Solar Panels, and Lots of Windows for Under $10K
I love to imagine what my dream house would look like. In case you're wondering, it has multiple bedrooms, a closet with enough space for my clothes and luggage collection, and an outdoor space to host friends. Amazon's outdoor store has a hidden section filled with customizable tiny house kits—from two-story options to ranch styles— that let you design your own home. So people like me, a frequent flier who prefers to use any spare change on traveling, can still have that dream home and see the world. I recently spotted a contemporary tiny house at Amazon that checks off all requirements, and it's less than $10,000. The design reminds me of a modern farmhouse, with its floor-to-ceiling windows that'll drench the space in natural light, and a fully covered front porch that's perfect for relaxing and watching the sunset after a long day of work. It comes practically move-in ready too, with plumbing, electrical outlets, kitchen cabinets, and a full bathroom at no extra cost. Insulation is also added to the windows, doors, and walls, so you can save time and money doing it yourself. The manufacturer, Zhong Machinery, also lets you customize the house to your unique taste—no contractor needed. The tiny house can be as large as 800 square feet and have as many as three bedrooms. These additions do come at an extra cost, but it's worth it if you need more space or want a home office and a guest bedroom. Lily Wang, a product manager for the brand, confirmed that the home can also include solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system. Both will require you to install them, but they'll help cut down your water and electricity costs. You'll just need to contact Zhong Machinery through WhatsApp before you purchase the home. Building the tiny house is also quick and easy. It has a foldable design that doesn't require building it piece-by-piece (unlike traditional houses). Just unfold the walls and connect them together—no sawing, drilling, or hard hat required. Shop this tiny house kit under $10,000, and check out must-have home decor and accessories at Amazon to make your new house feel like a cozy home. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
The Guardian
24-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Living in a tiny house is preventing me and my toddler from becoming homeless
In my dream, I'm building something out of stones. They are uneven and craggy, the kind I'd admire at the wall of a very old building. Other women are simultaneously working. We aren't quite doing it together, but we are building something, these friends and I, alongside one another, and we are each working towards the same sort of object. It is a chimney out of stones. And as we build more, lifting, hefting and scraping these stones into place, the thing becomes more obvious: we are each building a hearth. It is the centre of the house. The heart of the home. We are each building a hearth and a chimney. I am about to sign a contract and set up a dwelling that is 6 metres long and 2.5 metres wide: a 'tiny house' to some folks. To others, a shack, a shed, a cabin. The contract and set-up of this tiny dwelling will cost me every penny I have from a divorce which saw a house divided. Yet I feel more powerful and sovereign than ever. My daughter is thriving. I'm clawing my way out of a dark night of the soul, but I'm also empathetically aware of the precarity and vulnerability of the larger portion of the population. I am now part of that, too: people trying to creatively, inexpensively create homes for themselves and their children. Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Women and children disproportionately bear the burden of the housing crisis in Tasmania (where I live) and in Australia. Women are experiencing homelessness at rapidly increasing rates, and according to the census from June 2024, there are 1.2 million one-parent families in Australia, 78% of which are single-mother families. While I do hold particular empathy for mothers of young children who are trying to make themselves a home, I advocate for solutions to all types of housing crises. Rent is one of the main reasons I am choosing to move and 'live tiny'; to minimise my overheads and be more available for my daughter. I've come to the conclusion that the concept of security is a fantasy we sell ourselves. Adaptability is a much wiser approach. I thought I had a family home for me, my husband and my child, and that got blown out of the water with head-spinning rapidity. The concept of living in a dwelling which I own, which sits lightly on the land and can be moved if necessary: land that is owned by a woman, with whom I have good communication, and with whom I have a contract, is my next experiment. There is a network of tiny house dwellers in this part of the world, all of whom are figuring out ways to live with creativity, sovereignty and affordability. It is a cultural underground; a resistance, a community-led solution to the housing crisis. These folks are interested in living lightly on the earth, gardening, serving their community and generally making the world a better place. They are also able to think of these things because they aren't drowning in debt. Some of them are creatively working to build their own tiny homes, so that they can have a safe sanctuary in which to rest, sleep, cook and live, sometimes with children, sometimes with partners and sometimes solo. If I hadn't seen women in my community creating these homes, I don't know if I would have taken the leap. When you've become a single mum the way I have, with the small amount of money I have; when you know you won't be leaving anytime soon, due to the complexities of co-parenting, you decide that tiny house dwelling is not wrong by any means. In fact, it is perhaps the most moral of choices. It is the system, which can frequently and confusedly treat these abodes as 'against council regulations', that desperately needs to change. In news that surprises no one, those who already have wealth and resources benefit, while those without will not. And it's clear to anyone willing to look outside of individualist systems of capitalism, which funnel money towards the top: the banks are talking about loans and mortgages in order to continue making money for the banks. They aren't interested in helping people have homes. This system wants people in debt, which is directly antagonistic to autonomy and wellbeing. A 'lack of housing supply' is a lie, because 'housing' can come in many forms, if only it would be allowed to do so. Sign up to Five Great Reads Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning after newsletter promotion Tiny houses are a huge movement in the US and New Zealand; they fly under the radar in Australia because, legally, they must. And if tiny houses are somehow seen as a threat to wealth-holding landlords, that too, is ridiculous: people like me aren't going to buy a house anyway. Living in a tiny house isn't stopping me from getting a mortgage and becoming a wage-slave for the rest of my life. Living in a tiny house is preventing me and my toddler from becoming homeless, while some portions of the population hoard holiday rentals and penthouse apartments (and should be taxed accordingly). Australia needs to modernise and humanise its thinking around the concept of property. Yes, Australia has a good system of social welfare, but riddle me this – would you prefer that Centrelink help cover my unaffordable rent? Or would you prefer I not claim anything, because I have efficiently solved the housing crisis for myself? If the government upholds unaffordable houses, unaffordable rents, and then wonders at tax dollars going to Centrelink, it's a system in which no one wins. Yet surely my toddler and I benefit if I can provide her with a safe, warm, clean, beautiful tiny home: a home that is ours. Kelley Swain works in the field of medical and health humanities. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania, working on a project about poetry and motherhood
