Housing affordability is an ever growing concern for communities nationwide and nearly 39 million US households live in housing they cannot afford. As an affordable and eco-conscious solution to an increasingly tight housing supply, today’s home buyers are choosing to go small and joining the tiny house movement.
The tiny house movement is demonstrating the trend of living and maintaining a minimalist lifestyle for those who want simpler ways of living. This trend is picking up pace across generations and countries for financial and environmental reasons. With thoughtful and innovative designs, tiny home owners can enjoy a greener lifestyle and the satisfaction of building their own refuge while freeing themselves from mortgages and expensive energy bills.
Read on to find out about these beautiful, portable and tiny houses that maximize both function and style as well as why steel is gaining popularity as the choice over wood for such homes.
Less is More
A tiny house is a shelter that is less than 400 square feet, sometimes built on wheels, that encourages a simpler lifestyle and more efficient energy consumption. Tiny homes are environmentally-friendly in multiple ways from their small ecological footprint to minimal utility consumption.
The materials selected to build tiny homes can further contribute to the sustainability factor. According to Tiny House Build’s infographic, the average house (2,598 square feet on average) emits 28,000 pounds of CO2 per year while a tiny house (186 square feet on average) emits only 2,000 pounds of CO2 per year.
Tiny homes made with steel can be lighter, stronger and more durable. Here are a few reasons why you should choose steel for sustainable living :
1. Steel is the most recycled material in the world – anything made of steel in your home can be recycled and made into new products.
2. Steel’s longevity means your house will remain for a lifetime without having to use up tremendous amounts of time, money and resources for fixing or rebuilding.
3. Light-weight steel allows thinner and larger window frames which let in more natural light to brighten up your home.
(H/T to World Steel Association)
Thanks to steel’s many benefits, 21st century housing needs can be met in both sustainable and aesthetically pleasant ways.
ÖÖD Hotel Rooms in Estonia
Meet ÖÖD, gorgeous steel-framed rooms that are delivered to anywhere in Estonia as a complete set. ÖÖD offers all the living essentials built into a compact 200-square-meter footprint. Designed for use as pop-up hotel rooms for the fast growing Airbnb and Booking.com markets in Estonia, it can be installed anywhere in only 8 hours without a building permit.
An exterior view of OOD (Source: ÖÖD)
Each unit, made from steel, insulated glass and thermally treated wood, costs around USD 36,000. This sleek tiny home offers heated floors, LED lighting and a Bose sound system, and it is even under development for off-grid solutions.
An interior view of OOD hotel rooms (Source: ÖÖD)
Smartdome in Slovenia
Another growing trend in the tiny house movement is dome-shaped houses. Dome homes are durable, efficient and most importantly, very fun to live in. The balanced shape of dome homes allows homeowners to minimize their vulnerability to natural disasters.
The Slovenian-designed abodes from Smartdome can be assembled, disassembled and moved anywhere across the nation and is only around 270 square feet. The base features adjustable steel legs which can accommodate uneven terrain and the frames are made of galvanized steel and timber.
An exterior view of Smartdome (Source: Smartdome)
An interior view of Smartdome (Source: Smartdome)
Thanks to these beautiful and innovative designs, living small just got a whole lot sweeter. With strong, durable and eco-friendly steel-framed homes, homeowners can enjoy a simplistic lifestyle with financial and emotional freedom.
*Cover photo source: David Hillegas