Latest news with #tinyhouse
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Travel + Leisure
10 hours ago
- 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
4 days ago
- 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
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Travel + Leisure
24-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
Amazon Listed a Portable, Cabin-style Tiny House With Solar Panels and Tons of Natural Light—for Under $10K
I grew up with home makeover shows always playing at my parents' house, which caused me to develop some high expectations when it comes to my dream home. In a perfect (less expensive) world, I'd have a place with more than enough storage for my luggage collection and extensive wardrobe—plus, a gorgeous outdoor space with a view (a girl can dream, right?). The average cost of a home today is more than half a million dollars, according to a recent report from Statista. As an avid traveler, I'd rather put that money towards trips and go to Amazon's tiny house storefront for a home. The hub is packed with completely customizable models, including one I recently found that's drenched in natural light, has a full front porch, and comes with wheels, all for only $9,083. This tiny house has a sleek exterior with large windows that will fill the space with lots of natural light. It also has a front porch that's completely covered by an extended roof, so you can stay dry out there when it's raining. You won't have to construct it piece-by-piece either, the walls unfold on both sides of the house (known as a double-wing design) and you just need to push the walls into place—no sawing, drilling, or heavy machinery required. It arrives practically move-in ready, too, with a full-size bathroom and full kitchen, as well as insulation, plumbing, and electrical outlets pre-installed, saving you time and money. What's especially unique about the tiny house is how the manufacturer, FenZhong, gives you the power to customize the layout. You can get the home as large as 800 square feet with up to four bedrooms and two bathrooms. That means you can have a guest bedroom and a guest bathroom. According to a brand representative, you can have wheels included with the house for an additional cost, so you can move it if you decide to switch cities or states—no need to sell and find another home. You can also pay to have solar panels installed on the roof, which will help reduce your electricity bills and save you even more cash long term. Normally, you'd have to pay a contractor for these types of personalizations, but FenZhong will make layout adjustments for free—just message the manufacturer through the WhatsApp number in the product description with your desired customizations, and they'll provide a unique link for your upgraded tiny house. Amazon is also stocked with home essentials to complete your indoor and outdoor space. Shop our top picks below that will help transform your tiny house into 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.
News.com.au
22-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Outrageous': NSW couple face $1m fine or ‘homelessness' for living in tiny house
A NSW couple say they are facing 'homelessness' or a $1 million fine after being ordered by local council to 'demolish' the tiny house they've lived in for two years. Facing possible homelessness due to the ongoing devastation wrought by the Black Summer bushfires in 2019, Manu Bohn and his partner built a tiny house on a friend's farm in the Bega Valley, on NSW's South Coast, in 2023. 'If you live in the Bega Valley you will have seen homelessness, limited rental stock, soaring rents and property sales prices all contributing to people living in caravans and other movable dwellings,' the 30-year-old, who moved to Australia from Brazil in 2018, wrote in a petition launched on 'The sad reality is that many families who love this place are leaving because they can't afford to stay here any more.' The 'simple and happy life of work, study, volunteering, and sport' he and his partner have enjoyed since 2023, however, was interrupted last month when he received a draft order from a Bega Valley Shire Council Compliance Officer. In the letter, shared by Mr Bohn to social media, the couple was told the 'unauthorised structure … being used as a residential dwelling' needs to be removed or demolished in line with NSW Environmental Planning legislation. Failure to comply could trigger legal proceedings, the letter continued, with a potential court-imposed fine of $1 million, and a further $10,000 for every day they continue to live in the tiny house. The decision, Mr Bohn told SBS's The Feed, could make the couple 'one of (Bega's) homeless numbers'. A tiny home can cost anywhere between $20,000 to $200,000. It's a much more affordable alternative to that of an actual dwelling – the median home price in Bega was $630,000 in the 12 months to April this year, an increase of 2.6 per cent. 'For someone living (in) a tiny house and not being able to afford a home, to get this letter where you have to pay a million dollars … it just seems to be so outrageous and not very understanding,' he said. For Mr Bohn and his partner, 'tiny houses (are) basically the only affordable way of living to us, as we don't own land and would rely on staying in someone else's property'. 'Everything that I have at the moment, I built myself … but if that's taken out of me, basically I'm just left with the tiny house – and that means according to the letter – that I can't even park it anywhere,' he said. 'So it means I don't have a place to stay.' Though he and the property's owner did not seek council permission or apply for a development approval (DA) for the tiny house, Mr Bohn said he built it 'based on state legislation'. 'Our understanding was and still is that our tiny house built on wheels is considered a mobile dwelling under NSW legislation, which doesn't require (a DA), and allows us to move it to maybe our own future land,' he said. There is no fixed definition of a tiny home under the NSW planning framework – meaning it could be anything from a granny flat to a caravan, depending on its use and how it's built – Bega Valley Shire Council Director of Community, Environment and Planning, Emily Harrison, explained to in a statement. 'In NSW, a land use approval is required in most cases to give consent to use the land as a dwelling,' she said, by lodging a DA under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW). 'The development consent process has been designed to ensure that health, sanitation, safety and environmental impacts are considered, including vegetation removal, disposal of wastewater and building standards including fire safety. 'If the development consent process has not been followed, Council cannot be assured that these impacts have been addressed or that the development is able to be approved.' Though council cannot discuss individual cases, Ms Harrison said draft orders (like the one Mr Bohn received) 'explain that failure to comply with the Order is an offence under section 9.37 of the Act'. 'Council cannot impose a $1 million fine, however the Land and Environment Court is empowered to as part of proceedings brought before their jurisdiction,' she said. 'Compliance matters are raised with the property owners in line with legislated requirements.' In his petition, Mr Bohn has called on Bega Valley Shire Council to enact a moratorium on tiny house evictions, and urged it to work with the NSW Government 'on a pathway to tiny homeownership to address the current housing crisis'. 'A viable solution to the housing crisis is not only being ignored, but fought against,' the petition reads. 'The Bega Valley community will be left behind as other councils move forward with pathways for legal tiny homeownership. 'We are fortunate to be in a position where we can (and will) use our voices to advocate for change on this issue. But we know not everyone is in such a fortunate boat. What happens when Compliance Officers come for a young mother in a tiny home who is fleeing domestic violence? Or for seniors who have nothing left after a bushfire or flood. Or a young person in a caravan escaping homelessness? 'To the council we simply say that is not good enough.'
