Sauvie Island Cottage That Proves You Should Never Judge a House by Its Size

History of the Tiny House

When you see tiny houses like this one, it's easy to see why so many people are downsizing to smaller spaces these days. This tiny house building is located on Sauvie Island near Portland, Oregon and was originally built in the 1940s; this house has a history with it. It's not shiny and new, but rather has a pastoral quality, thanks to couple Jessica and Yianni, renovating the property when they moved into the small cottage home in 2008 when they purchased the property. The history behind this tiny house building and its most recent remodelling is intriguing. The tiny house was used as housing for shipyard workers. This is the fourth time this small home design has been remodelled. It was also used as a goose-check station for hunters and was also a rental house at one point too. Jessica and Yianni along with their two children lived in the lovely little abode for four years while they were planning and building their larger home.

Innovative Interior Design

Jessica and Yianni wanted to change the interior of the home without having to add to the existing footprint. So they redesigned the interior and created one large living area which holds the living room, kitchen and dining room. They also integrated built-in sofas that work as twin beds for any guests. The ceiling was kept open and high in the main space which also allows the space to feel more open and bright. Then in the bathroom and bedroom, there are lower ceilings which accommodate Jessica and Yianni's loft bedroom. The kitchen arranged along one long wall and features an apartment sized fridge, a large double door oven and plenty of drawers and cabinet space. There is also a freestanding hutch that they brought into the space to hold dishes and other items. The fireplace is also a nice touch and would easily heat this small home on colder days. The feature wall behind the kitchen area is made up of reclaimed wood bringing some warmth into the space and emulating some of the old charms of the tiny house.

Family-Oriented Features

The kids have their own bedroom space with built-in bunk beds and storage. In the bathroom, they brought in a clawfoot tub but put it on wooden legs instead of the metal ones they are usually placed on which blends in with the rustic country farmhouse style of the home. The bathtub also doubles as a sit-down shower as well. To keep with the lovely vintage design, they installed a pedestal sink, and there's also a wall-mounted heating element in the bathroom too. The home is located on a piece of land where they also have a hoop house, a chicken coop and a beautiful garden. An idyllic place for them to raise their family together.

A Thoughtful Approach to Family Living

Commonly a family their size would move straight into a home exceeding 2,000 square feet, but this family chose to do things differently, as many families are choosing to do these days. Living in a smaller home while building their larger home allowed the family more time together. Jessica and her husband wouldn't have to devote their time to working as much as if they were to mortgage a larger home. By taking their time to build their home while living smaller, they were able to mitigate some of the stress and financial burden of living in a large home before they could afford it. Jessica and Yianni's tiny home has been awarded the 2012 Annual NW Design Award Finalist for Whole House Less than $400K and was given 2011 Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Award Finalist.