Whimsical or Practical Tiny Home?

Pinterest has a lot of pictures of cute, whimsical tiny houses that look like they are right out of a fairy tale. Wouldn’t it be great to have a home like that? Maybe an outdoor bathroom with hanging garden plants. A tree house built into a cleft in a rock wall. An earth ship, completely off grid. Sure it would be great…for an hour maybe. But would it be a practical tiny home in the long run?

You may live in this house a long time. Even if it’s just for a few years, you don’t want those years to feel like forever. You’re sick of that gnome face you carved into the ceiling support beam? There’s no going back now.

Think carefully before including unusual but permanent elements in your build.

Incorporate Small Expressions of Whimsy into Your Practical Dwelling

Like the photo on the upper right, you realize that most of these structures are in places like Bali and are used as hotel accommodations, not long-term habitation. However, you could still incorporate small expressions of whimsy into your practical dwelling in the form of an unusual door or window, an accent wall, or even a small reading nook.

This beautiful headboard is part of a tiny house that is full of artistic wood work. The owner has a knack for art. Do you?

Sadly, I do not. But I do know how to follow a plan, and I am good at building things.

This tiny home uses really nice wood finishes and accent features, but still provides the essentials of life like a bed, food prep area, and bathroom. The builder is an artist with great skills.

The Tiny Firehouse -Station #9

This tiny house was built to help raise money for volunteer firefighters. It has lots of windows and an outdoor bathroom. I toured it at the Tiny House Jamboree in Arlington, Texas, 2017. While it is perfect for its intended use, it’s not the most practical tiny home. We could clearly see Fin preparing her breakfast, and she graciously let us in. The temp was unusually cold and windy that day. The outdoor bathroom was a brisk experience, and a shower was out of the question. She was fine with the fishbowl-like exposure. I would need a bit more privacy.

Practicality and functionality

In the end, the ideal tiny house can be beautiful as well as functional. It can certainly be a balance between whimsical and practical.  An accent wall, a cute door, a unique shower, or clever shelving in the reading area can add an extra level of enjoyment and coziness to your home. A fire pole sounds like fun, but might just be a waste of space for most of us.

Your home must have usable, practical features of a regular home: bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and living room with the infrastructure to support your daily life. Add the expressions of art and whimsy after that.

After all, the gnome will probably be there when you’re long gone.