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October 17, 2008

Brooklyn's Own Tiny House Movement

Poking around Windsor Terrace the other day, we spied this cabin-like building that sprouted between an aluminum siding-clad single-family house, and an aluminum siding-clad apartment house. Much has been written about the growing tiny house movement in America, but while New Yorkers are famous for making due in small spaces, we don't often see them as freestanding homes. This one is 666-square-feet, on a 2,430-square-foot lot, and may we say it is adorable?

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Comments

666 sf!?! omg satan lives there! that's still pretty big. when i first moved to nyc i lived in a one room apartment that was 6 x 7 feet. (with my dog!)

-rob

Posted by: PitbullNYC at October 17, 2008 11:20 AM

6 x 7 ? That's not an apartment. That's a cubicle!

Posted by: GHB at October 17, 2008 11:31 AM

So cute. I would love to see the inside!

Posted by: bkkkkklyn at October 17, 2008 11:32 AM

May I say that this site is perfect for development?

Posted by: benson at October 17, 2008 11:41 AM

A couple of years ago, Hubby and I considered buyng a 600sq. ft. 1 bedroom 2-story freestanding house in our nabe. It was the cutest little thing and had a view of the verrazano bridge. We wanted to add 2 more floors, but zoning wouldn't allow it, so we passed.

People don't need alot of space, but for us it would have been romantic for the 1st year and after that one of us would be sleeping on the roof.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at October 17, 2008 11:45 AM

Maybe its the sukkah for the house next doot!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 17, 2008 11:45 AM

Dave - My sukkah at 192sf is dwarfed by this little house.

Posted by: yaakovdoe at October 17, 2008 11:50 AM

This house didn't spring up it's been in the neighborhood as long as I have been, maybe even before. it recently got an updated facade/siding and paint.

Posted by: mightyboosh at October 17, 2008 11:54 AM

Another one? These things are sprouting up now all over the place. It's like there's a sukkah born every minute!

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 17, 2008 11:57 AM

You should check out the bungalow beach houses in the Rockaways if you haven't already. Many are smaller than this.

Posted by: EnglishKills at October 17, 2008 12:01 PM

It's got white windowframes and a Home Deopt door! What's the deal?

Posted by: East New York at October 17, 2008 12:04 PM

I'm a sukkah for tiny houses.

Another great place to see adorable small houses is an area called "Norma Triangle" in Los Angeles around the Pacific Design Center. Lots of 1920's one bedroom stucco cottages. And I love a narrow shotgun house as found in the South. I knew people in college who rented those. Tongue-and-groove wood walls, and often there'd be high ceilings and large doorways and big windows but inside such a small house. So the proportions were really cool.

Posted by: traditionalmod at October 17, 2008 12:09 PM

"I'm a sukkah for tiny houses."

suffering sukkahtash, traditionalmod!

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 17, 2008 12:11 PM

more promoting my own resume (sorry), but, yeah, here's a story on the bungalows at rockaway from a few years back:
http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2005/story-of-the-week/crowded-houses.html

Posted by: lisa at October 17, 2008 12:13 PM

@traditionalmod: I used to live right by there! Also lots of cute cottages throughout West Hollywood, though they don't quite qualify as tiny. Love that area.

I'm kind of laughing at the idea of buying a tinyhouse and putting two more stories on it. Kind of defeats the purpose.

Posted by: bkkkkklyn at October 17, 2008 12:14 PM

I wonder if Groundskeeper Willie is enjoying all this publicity?

Posted by: SnarkSlope at October 17, 2008 12:16 PM

This house is very well-maintained, nice little garden out front and pretty big garden in back. It's owned by a guy who lives there with his teenage sons. It always makes me smile and my 2 yo calls it the "little itty bitty house"

Posted by: WTbound at October 17, 2008 1:24 PM

I admire the concept, but I think that thing is hideous. Brown siding doesn't look good on any house. Looks so much worse on that thing.

Posted by: RaginCajun at October 17, 2008 1:26 PM

Lots of small houses in Gerritsen Beach.

Posted by: Chaka at October 17, 2008 1:42 PM

Sukkah khan... sukkah khan...

Posted by: MadameX at October 17, 2008 2:03 PM

MadameX, POTD (Pun of the Day)! It's almost like you were just waiting for Chaka to appear to post that.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 17, 2008 2:07 PM

East New York.... that's sarcasm right? (I hope.)

Posted by: tybur6 at October 17, 2008 2:12 PM

the siding is really more of a burnt orange, with red trim--blame my camera

Posted by: lisa at October 17, 2008 2:37 PM

"Much has been written about the growing tiny house movement in America..."

As I understand it, the point of this "movement" is to utilize resources (land, materials, energy) more efficiently and in a more sustainable manner. The way to do this in an urban environment is through density.

That's a funny/cute house but a 666sf freestanding (energy inefficient) house on a lot that could accommodate an apartment building for 4+ families has nothing to do with the "tiny house movement" in my mind.

Posted by: Mr Joist at October 17, 2008 3:07 PM

Happy to oblige.

Posted by: Chaka at October 17, 2008 3:29 PM

"East New York.... that's sarcasm right? (I hope.)"

Yeah, it is. I think the place is pretty cool, actually.

Posted by: East New York at October 17, 2008 4:19 PM

Yeah, but the Honda in the driveway is the guest bedroom.

Posted by: denton at October 17, 2008 4:36 PM

@traditionalmod: I used to live in one of those, on Norwich Drive. Very cute area. The houses were often pretty much made of paper, though. I accidentally put my foot right through the wall one time while hurrying to answer the phone...

Posted by: strangepork at October 17, 2008 5:00 PM

New York's energy efficiency is a function of its density. Tiny houses on big plots are a step backward.

Posted by: new2 at October 17, 2008 6:48 PM

Making do is the practice of getting by with what you have at hand. Making due would be, perhaps, presenting a bill for payment?

Posted by: Amanda Jones at October 19, 2008 10:05 AM

« Commercial Klutch: October Edition A Couple of House Sales »

October 17, 2008

Brooklyn's Own Tiny House Movement

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