College senior Nara Williams is livin’ large in her very own house on the campus of Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. Large, but tiny: 130 square feet, complete with kitchen, bathroom, great room, and sleeping loft.
She is part of the “tiny house” movement–call it extreme downsizing. She says there are lots of benefits: lower home cost, lower energy usage, and an appreciation of the smaller things in life. And she says her “great room” seems huge because of the 12 foot ceiling.
The company who designed her house, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, has many different plans, all under 875 sq. ft. They look beautiful. This house (photo) is a one-bedroom 404 sq. ft. design–about 3 times the size of Nara’s house.
Maybe the tiny house movement is a little too extreme for some of us. But it’s a pretty interesting thought experiment. Can we live with less? What’s the sacrifice? What’s the benefit?
She says, “It’s taught me the value of quality over quantity, and to appreciate the little things.” If she’s learned that lesson as a college senior, she’s going to have a great life.