With affordable housing all but disappearing in states around the nation and alternative living trends continuing to swell, more than Millennials are looking to live in less than 400 square feet. Tiny Cottage Home communities like Simple Life in Flat Rock, NC and Village Farm Austin in Austin, TX, are positioning themselves to attract both active retirees and even professional couple with few children. Even though tiny houses began their ascent into mainstream media more than a decade ago they remained largely underground. But with more and more age groups searching for flexible and affordable housing, tiny home builders are looking to loftless living as a possible solution for families and retirees going tiny.
Traditional tiny homes on wheels, or THOWs, became the most popular type of tiny because they offered affordability, a small environmental footprint, as well as ease of transport as their foundation was set on a chassis with wheels. However, most averaged in the 100-200 square foot range with bedrooms in a small lofted area above the kitchen or living space. It was hardly ideal for anyone other than a limber, mildly athletic, young adult or college kid.
For most people who are retiring and looking to travel or save on living expenses, a ladder to the bedroom just isn’t practical. Others starting families and looking to keep costs down and increase experiences for their kids love the idea of the tiny house lifestyle but need the safety and security of main floor living. This doesn’t even take into consideration those who may have small bladders and just don’t want to fumble to the floor after having one too many glasses of water before bed!
These reasons and others have spurred a growing trend to lose the ladders and point people toward bedrooms on the first floor of their small home.
To consider your options, weigh these pros and cons of loftless living to see which is right for your tiny house build.
Storage Over Stairs
Many tiny house ladders are made of piping or heavy wood. Stairs have become increasingly popular in the last three to four years and many find them to be a safer option for climbing. Most tiny house stairs now feature some form of storage within the steps as well. The issue though is that those are typically bulky and take up a lot of valuable real estate when your overall footprint is only a couple hundred square feet.
Mobile or removable ladders must be secured each time of use and also need a secure way to stow them when the tiny is moving.
If you lose the loft, you are deciding against an additional 40-100 square feet, typically. This could be used as living spaces but many choose to store off season gear and clothing, holiday items, or instruments in their loft space. Giving this up can pose a challenge for where to stow away your stuff.
Grow with a Loft but Watch for Safety
For growing families or couples and retirees wanting room for guests, lofts can accommodate room for growth. Whether you wanted to add a couch that converts to a guest bed and use the space as a living area by day and guest room by night, the additional floor space offers a lot of opportunities.
The drawback to having your guests sleep upstairs as opposed to on a pull out couch on the main floor is that some guests may be unable to navigate a ladder or steep steps. In these cases, you may need to offer up your main floor bedroom for guests and take yourself up the stairs for the night. Whatever the case, most tiny house owners find the situation less than ideal for anyone other than the grandkids.
Trade Square Footage for Head Space
Most tiny house lofts aren’t more than four feet tall, floor to ceiling. This is typically enough space to place a comfortable mattress and leave some space above or to stack things being stored. A common con to this space as living quarters is that you have to bend down and crawl in and out of it. While it may work for kids, it becomes more difficult with age. And if you’ve ever experienced a cramp in your hamstring, not having room to stretch or “walk it out” can be darn near excruciating.
If you don’t mind crouching down, a loft can add an additional living space, guest room, music space, or more. Some lofts are being made on suspended cables that can be raised and lowered to increase the headroom when necessary.
No matter which direction you take with your tiny house—loft or single level—you want to be sure to try different floor plans first to be sure you choose what best suits your individual needs. Solid sleep is about more than a good pillow and a warm blanket.
Written by Andrew Odom for Tiny House Magazine Issue 94
