optimal geometries in tiny houses

Hello Dan!

I was wondering if there are particular geometries that you try to promote in tiny house design. I currently live in a dome and I have found it inconvenient to have walls that aren't straight up and down. However, since a tiny house is so small and demands that you use every nook and cranny, I could see a normally tricky geometry having its benefits. (Example: I saw a circular bedroom in a tiny house that had lazy suzan style drawers and book shelves.)

Thank you,
Jake

My experience of building and living in a tiny home is that square is better. Consider a corner and how much storage space you get from a square compared to a circle. However, much of this comes down to how much stuff you have and how many people are living in the home. I like to optimise storage, so I go for square.

I also found that square was much easier to build and design (compared to say a bus refit with curves).

I agree with Rose. With a tiny house on wheels you are confirmed to a maximum 8'6" wide and 13'6" tall. So the most of that area you can fill the better as far as maximizing living space goes. Event a gable roof is not as efficient at filling the area as a shed style roof, which we often recommend to those trying to get the absolute most area in their loft.

Rose and Dan,

Ok, I suspected that rectangular geometry would work out to be the easiest to work with. That being said, a) have either of you found occasions where curves were better suited given the circumstances, and b) do you have tips (or suggested resources) for working with curves if the need should arise?

Thank you both for your advice!
Jake

The kind of roof a "gypsy" wagon has seems great, almost flat, comparable to a shed style roof.
Using right angles is like painting everything white, every thing matches, more or less.
I am curious , has anyone here used built a "reverse loft" , bed on the floor , kitchen or whatever above?
It seems like this would save steps, which could save room, and be more convenient.

Hello William,

Not exactly what you described, but the bedroom is down below:

Missing a bit of a point on dimension.  While 8' 6" is the limit without wide load signs you can go to 10 feet without special permits with the over size load signs on it in Wyoming.  Don't know about else where.  As for the height remember you are loading this on a trailer or built in wheels.  So what height trailer if carrying?  In Wyoming the easiest tax situation is a building on skids that is smaller than 200 square feet.  So you are probably looking at 10' x 20' x 11'

The New England Coastal Cape was famous for being incredibly small although packing a lot of living space into the building.

I think technically speaking a tiny house is 500 square feet or less, but I have a New England cape that has 2 full baths, 3 bedrooms, a 14x14 kitchen, a laundry/utility room and a living room in only 900 square feet. For my wife and I who are empty nesters it is enough. It heats easily and is quite comfortable. We use a bedroom as a spare for when the kids come to visit, and the third bedroom as an office.

We have what we have, but I think the general design of the house could be scaled down. By keeping the features that make it a true Coastal Cape, it will be a smaller-sized, well-functioning house.

Incidentally, I think the American Four-Square is another home design that could easily be scaled down and still be functional. I had one that was 1100 square feet and we had a family of six living in it.

This 1890 Coastal Cape is not on a trailer or skids, but is on piers and once resided on another island. When electricity came to this island, it was jacked up, put on a barge and moved to this island. That island, and a once vibrant community; is now unihabited. Still this house continues to function here which I think is a testament to its design and resiliency.

Jake Parkhurst wrote:Hello Dan!

I was wondering if there are particular geometries that you try to promote in tiny house design. I currently live in a dome and I have found it inconvenient to have walls that aren't straight up and down. However, since a tiny house is so small and demands that you use every nook and cranny, I could see a normally tricky geometry having its benefits. (Example: I saw a circular bedroom in a tiny house that had lazy suzan style drawers and book shelves.)

A circular bedroom back in 2015 might have been spectacular.

Though is this a waste of space in such a tiny area.