People keep asking for updates on the tiny house, but the truth is there isn’t much else to say yet. We’re just waiting, continuing the save up the money for the down payment, and continuing to have way too much time to overthink all the different options and change our minds 300 times.
Following the builder on Instagram may have been our #1 mistake, because now we just see lots of pictures of lots of options. Shortly after the new year they posted new cabinet and tile options for 2020, and I was super excited because BLUE CABINETS.
Naturally the SO hates blue as much as I love blue, so he was not a fan. At least we both agreed that we don’t like the busy tile? That’s something.
I keep going back and forth between white and gray cabinets, depending on what pictures they’ve posted last. Honestly, this is torture. SO likes a very black and white type of look, which I am not on board with so much considering it’s a farm and those are the two hardest colors to keep looking clean, plus I think it looks too formal for the setting. The white cabinets look good, and that’s fine, but that’s about where my desire for anything white/black ends.
We’ve also made little to no progress on picking exterior colors. They posted a gray/white/navy one that I LOVE, but he still likes the white exterior with the black roof, which I hate. He does like the gray as a second choice, though, so that’s the most likely option.
Roof color? Anyone’s guess. Neither of us likes what the other likes. He likes black, which I do agree looks nice, but I really don’t want a black roof under the Texas sun. I find none of them to be particularly exciting, honestly. Which is maybe my problem with being able to just pick colors in general. I know what I don’t like, but I just don’t get that excited about this stuff in general. Do I really give a shit if my cabinets are gray or white? Will I even notice after day 1? Yeah no. Someone just pick for me.
I’ve had more success with other things, though. I joined a few “tiny living” groups on facebook, so I can see more about other people’s challenges and solutions. I’ve watched just about every documentary or tv show I can find about it too, gathering little nuggets of wisdom or ideas as I go along. I’ve even bookmarked a couple of things online that I want to get/build in to help us maximize our 399 square feet.
Since I’ve been living at the farm I’ve challenged myself to a bit of quasi-minimalism. I didn’t bring a ton of clothes with me (not even enough to fill a small closet) and I’m using very few dishes/kitchen appliances. Really it’s kind of an experiment to see how much I really need and use on a regular basis. Honestly – waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less than I even thought. So far I haven’t needed a single thing that I didn’t bring with me, clothing wise, and the dishes in regular rotation aren’t even enough to fill a sink. I’m feeling really good about the idea of donating or throwing away the vast majority of what I have left at home. The thought sounds EXCITING, really. Liberating. Somebody back a dumpster up into my driveway, give me a day, and that house will be empty.
I do have a lot of horse stuff, and I like having a lot of horse stuff, but I have more room for that in the barn and outside storage spaces. Still though, I’ve already done a first pass through what I have and started to list things for sale, and have another big box of things to donate. This is a really good opportunity to clean house.
The SO, as I predicted, is not having as much luck with this part. So far he hasn’t cleaned out anything, and is basically just planning to move all his stuff (and there is a lot) into storage. I tried to reason him out of some of the kitchen appliances (like the popcorn popper, which I’ve seen him use one time in the 7 years we’ve lived together) but he’s adamant that he uses it all. I can’t force it, so… he’ll have to get there in his own time. Probably after he’s paid a year or two of storage fees for no reason.
Mostly he’s been spending all his free time working on getting his ’56 Mercury fixed up. He really wanted to have it mostly restored by the time we move, since he will lose garage access, but considering he had to completely rebuild the engine (not planned) and now has several backordered parts impeding progress, it’s definitely not going to happen in time. So he’s currently semi-panicked about finding a garage space he can rent to keep the car and his tools in, and be able to work on it from there. He hasn’t found much so far, especially ones that aren’t stupid expensive.
I do still need to talk to some professionals about our options with the septic. Park Model RV’s are meant to hook into an existing septic system, which we won’t be able to do, so we’re going to have to get a little more creative. If it was just me I’d do a composting toilet and be done with it, but SO would 100% die at that idea so I wouldn’t dare even mention it. He’s very much a “living in 2020” type of guy, with all the creature comforts that that entails. From my research I do know that there are other options, most likely some kind of external tank, it’s just a matter of pricing them and figuring out which ones will work the best. For that I need a professional.
So… that’s kind of where we’re at. Mostly still a lot of stuff up in the air and things to figure out. I think it’s just going to feel this way until we finally order the house and get the process officially started, which is still a few months away. Until then… we wait.
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In my kitchen reno we did dark blue on the peninsula and white on the wall cabinets. I think you could do dark blue on the bottom and white on the top in the tiny house. Sell it to the SO by emphasizing that the darker cabinets will look cleaner even when they are dirty and the top white will brighten the space.
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I love this idea! Also, all of my kitchen cabinets are white and I find my bottom cabinets get way dirtier than my upper cabinets, because obviously spilled and dripped things fall down. So being able to hide that would be nice!
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there was a picture of one of the models at one point with different color cabinets and in a space that small it just ended up looking like you found rando cabinets at a discount and slapped them up. Like there are just so few cabinets, it doesn’t work making them different colors because there’s no opportunity for cohesion. For me, anyway.
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I just repainted all my cabinets and I did the lowers a very similar blue/gray as in that photo, and the uppers a nice creamy white. I am in love with it. I’m going to add a chevron backsplash thats a range of grays from alllllmost blue to basically white to finish tying it all together. I think I also have that exact hardware on all the doors and drawers lol.
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This is what I came here to say too! We did white on top/blue bottom. But I also saw your comment above not loving that lol. Honestly with a small kitchen changing the color wouldn’t be too difficult? Maybe start lighter so it’s easier to paint over if you want to?
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I kind of think you should make SO do the blue cabinets. They’re so pretty!
Love that over the sink dish dryer/holder thingy. Looks tidy and frees up a cabinet.
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If your SO is ecologically minded at all, pale roofs are MUCH better for the environment (reflecting instead of absorbing solar radiation), which is what also makes them better for your AC bill in the summer!
I also agree on the white/black theme. Literally the two hardest colors to keep clean. Give me dirt-camo-grey any day.
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That’s a good tactic to try, he might go for the ecological aspect…
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For the roof, you can’t do tin? Not as many color options…which might help narrow it down.
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They have a set of colors to choose from with the aluminum they use on the roof. It’s like 15 color options.
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I basically did the top kitchen in navy/grey counter. Large star backsplash. Grey performance waterproof floor. It makes me SOOO happy.
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Nearly spewed coffee re the SO + composting toilet situation. Agree about gray cabinets vs black or white, but the blue would be gorgeous if you could swing the SO’s vote. Also lighter is way better with shingles – for a small space with less between you and the relentless Texas sun especially. Are architectural shingles an option? It helped me to put shingle samples next to exterior paint samples for the final decision. They don’t have to match but they do have to “go” as they say.
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They use aluminum on the roof. They did have a color sample thingy but that didn’t really help me lol.
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I would go with grey and white for the cabinets. Maybe a medium grey for the bottom ones, lighter on top. Grey is a pretty forgiving colour when it comes to dirt.
I really like the grey exterior with the navy accents!
What roof colour options do you have?
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Painting cabinets is pretty easy with the right paint, if you change your mind or want a specific color. I did my parents whole kitchen with Fusion Mineral Paint. They have a good fb group, Paint it Beautiful if you wanna check it out/get ideas
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What if he ditches you when heās sick of living in a small space?
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That would be his loss! LOL
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Oh the stuff. So much stuff. My husband built a barn that is, literally, TWICE THE SIZE OF OUR HOUSE for all his stuff. I very seriously considered moving to another state but the thought of moving all his stuff 12 hours away…… omg.
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As someone with dogs to someone with dogs: don’t do white lower cabinets. Gray is your friend. I have turquoise lowers and white uppers and I’d be miserable if I’d gone with white lowers. I’m already kinda miserable with turquoise lowers some days. lol Or maybe your dogs will be polite and not put their feet on them?
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I have 11 dogs so I totally get what you are saying! This is also why I love my dark blue cabinets and question my sanity where the cabinets are white. LOL!
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hahaha yes! My one schnauzer boy is super nosy and puts his feet all over my cabinets trying to sniff out people food. And he traps a lot of dirt in his beard that he smears on cabinets and walls too of course. I caught him licking the fridge door the other day and just shook my head. š
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Another vote her for the bee-yoo-ti-ful blue cabinets… but if your SO just cannot, the grey would look great, too. White is just impossible to keep clean and you have better things to do! I also love that grey/navy/white exterior. They really are such snazzy little houses altogether, I’m very impressed with your builder.
I feel for your SO in the “getting rid of stuff” department. I suck royally at it. My kids bust my chops constantly (never mind THEIR storage bins in my basement) and my daughter currently is reading Marie Kondo’s book for a college class, so I’m getting even more flak from her. Sigh. I know I’m way too attached to sentimentally valuable items, but I also truly and deeply love all of my 500 books, music box collection, model horse collection, etc.
Here’s one tiny tip for you, though: buy SO one of these and then quietly remove the electric popper. Takes up no room, and makes the best damn popcorn you ever ate, guaranteed. š They are practically miraculous! https://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Microwave-Popcorn-Popper-Home/dp/B01MT1JJVQ/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=silicone+microwave+popcorn+maker&qid=1580245407&sr=8-4
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He doesn’t even eat popcorn but like once a year! LOL
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My cabinets are white and thus incessantly dirty looking. The dogs and kid make it even worse. I want grey or wood colored.
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