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The aspiration of owning a large home has begun to feel thoroughly archaic in the 21st century, with a combination of factors creating a trend for minimalist living. Instead, many are turning to the tiny houses trend.
Tiny houses are at the forefront of this domestic revolution, so here is a look at how and why this niche is evolving. You will also learn about the opportunities it offers to those who might be interested in an alternative lifestyle.
The Tiny Houses Trend & Living Small
⎆ Market Pressures
Millennials have been put through the wringer from a financial perspective. Unfortunately, most were graduating at the height of the 2008 financial crash. At that time, finding a job was difficult and the prospect of owning a home was far more distant than it had been for their parents’ generation.
Ever-escalating house prices and the increased difficulty of attaining affordable mortgages continue to compound this conundrum, as explained in this guide to tiny houses.
The upshot is that even those who are eager to get on the property ladder are prevented from doing so by factors outside of their control.
Rather than put up with this state of affairs, some people are breaking away from the market altogether and forging their own path. Moreover, they are doing it with homes that are a fraction of the size of their traditional counterparts.
Not surprisingly, this makes them significantly more affordable, making ownership a viable option even for those with tighter budgets.
⎆ Sustainability Benefits
There is another reason that tiny houses are gaining traction now and throughout the past decade. It’s simply because they are more sustainable and ecologically sound than their traditional equivalents!
Having a huge amount of interior space, complete with rooms that are rarely in use is expensive to heat and wastes energy. Of course, they are the cause of a cumulatively immense carbon footprint.
This is a time when consumers are more conscious about their environmental impact than ever. So, ditching this wasteful approach in favor of one which is more sustainable makes a lot of sense.
⎆ Permanence vs Portability
There is a significant amount of variety in the tiny houses sector, not only in terms of aesthetics but also in functionality. The chief distinction comes down to whether they are designed to sit in one place permanently or offer mobility.
Permanent, smaller houses often feature elements that include a foundation. Other, portable homes are on wheels, giving residents freedom of movement.
⎆ Material Options
If you are considering investing in a tiny house, your choices include the kinds of materials you want to use for its construction.
Interestingly, some purpose-built homes are prefabricated and come in kits that can be put together quickly. What’s more, you can build them without the need for a lot of heavy equipment.
Others are completely custom, designed in an architectural way, and made from materials found in most mainstream projects.
Another offshoot of this trend sees the repurposing of materials as construction materials for the tiny houses trend. The most common of these is adapting a shipping container. These containers are a perfect size and shape for tiny house use. They are also readily available in most parts of the country and the world.
Conclusion
The tiny house trend is evolving to meet the demand for sustainable living among younger people. However, it is also worth noting that this is something with cross-generational appeal.
Retirees looking to downsize from a large house they no longer need or can afford can benefit from a tiny house. In fact, this is going to help the trend to endure for generations to come.
If you have any other suggestions or recommendations, please let us know in the comments below. You will also find other interesting links below to take you to more articles about ALL things DESIGN.
Images Courtesy of Canva.
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About the Author: Ashley Edwards
