joshua tree workshop 2018

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Houseboats/Floating Tiny Homes FOR RENT in Boston/Charlestown, MA

Tiny House Vacations- ON THE WATER- IN THE CITY....
Check out this link, and the surprising amount of houseboats that can be rented by the night right in the Boston Harbor area! From 400 square feet, to almost 1200 in size....file 'em under "not-so-shantyboats"...very nice....

Here's a list...   http://www.airbnb.com/search#modified=true

We'll be filming this particular one for another episode of "Tiny Yellow House" very soon....


-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Friday, April 29, 2011

A BRAND NEW "Tiny Yellow House" episode for Make Magazine....

"THE JUNCTION BOX STASH SPOT"....a new video for Make Magazine, where I'll be airing a new video for them every month now. Also, in mere days, we shoot THREE more episodes of TINY YELLOW HOUSE- a gypsy wagon on Boston, a houseboat inn, and another micro-shelter (a super tiny homeless house/cabin) that I've built for the show. I can't wait....it'll be exhausting, but fun- and part of a team-up with AIRBNB.COM - I site where I've spent wayyyy too much time tiny house, treehouse, and modern-house peepin'!

As always, we're looking for small sponsors who want to reach MANY people- email me at kid cedar at gmail dot com.

Thanks for checkin' it out! (Note, again, this weekend's Baltimore road trip and tiny house/cabin art exhibit have been cancelled- a long story, that luckily turned into something much more exciting for us....we'll tell you later....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

The first modern zombie-proof, apocalyptic bunker house/home- WTF!?

Steve Sherrick from Modern Vintage Productions (My camera guy for the "Tiny Yellow House" youtube episodes (click the logo in the left column)) sent me this one....

Ok...this one's far from a tiny house, and being shown as more a case of really idiotic people blowing their money on stupid, pointlessly extravagant things.....and I'm not usually one to be negative, but for all the money they must have expended on this home, its still left devoid of any comfort, or any really stellar design appeal or style. Is it supposed to resemble a cold, robotic, prison? I'm left confused as to whether or not this is some multi-million dollar joke or not.....or if this person is just really paranoid (or the CEO of some ruthless citizen-robbing corporation who knows that its only a matter of time before the "villagers" have had enough).

In all seriousness, there are a few elements I do like, but all in all, its just another case of wasteful overindulgence- even the owner has to realize this (and I'm sure it financially pleased the architects to no end).





The write-up from "All That Is Interesting".....

Somehow, ritual drunk-conversation concerning team captains for the apocalypse has become a major part of the lives of 20-somethings. Having been matured in the Grandaddy-crowned masterpiece film (put “A.M. 180” on and forget that you have a job), 28 Days Later, we’re all a little too ready to deal with the 2012 of our dreams.
     “The Safe House,” designed by KWK Promes, starts to get eerily close to something I could work with, if say 200 bludgeoned members of the undead army came over to eat their way into borrowing some sugar.
     “The most essential item for our clients was acquiring the feeling of maximum security,” begins the designers’ website in the summary of the structure. Who wouldn’t feel safe in a concrete rectangle that folds in upon itself to become completely sealed? Even the windows are covered with a slab of concrete when the structure is on nap time.
     The house, with its movable walls, has only one entrance, which is located on the second floor after crossing a drawbridge. Seems like the perfect opportunity to use a flamethrower and defend the life of your family, while stylishly nesting in a piece of architectural elitism.
    
From: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/post/4956385434/the-first-zombie-proof-house ( A VERY cool site- be sure to check them out!)
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Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Thursday, April 28, 2011

A reader submitted treehouse photo- from Nicaragua....

Sorry we buried it so quickly, esp. as the email feedback had been so great....but for those who missed our next most recent post of the airbnb.com treehouse inn- you can find more here... http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/13037 (or scroll down further below)

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John Aber, after seeing some recent posts on treehomes/treehouses/treeforts here on relaxshacks.com, sent us this photo: Its a treehouse in Nicaragua/Central America, where after ascending several steps, you actually enter the structure by climbing INSIDE and through a hollowed out section of the tree.

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

An AMAZING treehouse/treehome inn in Rincon, Puerto Rico for rent!

First, for any newcomers (from a pair of new magazine articles on our work- we'll post 'em soon)- please check out our VIDEO tours of the recycled micro-cabins/shelters that we build....       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmR3kx660gw

AND.....

Wow.... this is a listing for nightly rentals that I came across on airbnb.com -here's the link, if interested in seeing/reading more...    http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/13037

Jo S

Located in the lush hills of Western Puerto Rico, our hooches are self-sufficient treehouses with solar hot water, solar lighting, kitchenette, and a queen size bed in the penthouse suite- with a killer view of the Caribbean sea. Lush, tropical, and private- with 12 acres of tropical hardwoods and bamboo forest.
We have two hooches available. The Luna hooch is $110/night. The Sunset hooch is $135/night (bigger, more private, better view)
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If I lived in such a climate, I'd be all for living in one of these open-air treehouse-cabanas (well, except for the monsoon/hurricane season). I was actually in Puerto Rico years back (its gorgeous), and while in its national rainforest, I actually thought to myself, "THIS would be the ultimate locale for a treehouse vacation home". At the time land was VERY inexpensive down there....and man oh man are the Pina Coladas (their birthplace) incredible down there!

I'd LOVE to film this one for "Tiny Yellow House" TV someday....we'll see....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

A truly "Green" playhouse/possible vacation cabin

If this is the kid's playhouse, I can't imagine how ridiculously opulent the actual main home would be!? I love the open look and feel of this design though, and the seemingly random addition of the green-stained/painted boards. In warmer climates, with several tweaks, it could make for very nice tiny vacation house/cabin....
 
Open House by Nixon Tulloch Fortey

(from Holly Gomez of "A Place Imagined": Can I get an adult version of this?  Six amazing playhouses were designed and built for the 2011 Cubby House Village at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.   They're all great designs, but this one really caught my eye.

Here's the write up on Open House:
Open House has been designed like a life-size toy, It’s singular material and object like form is intended to appeal to a child’s perception of a house – four walls, a pitched roof and a chimney - much like a Monopoly House. Whilst the exterior is very literal at first glance, “Open House” needs to be ‘unpacked’, which provides a flexible and ever-changing dynamic that allows the end user to create a myriad of real and imagined spaces.
Elements take on multiple identities – the wall that folds down to open the ‘house’ up to the garden also becomes a deck, or maybe a drawbridge, or maybe a shop window. One or more features can be unpacked at any one time. Once fully unpacked or opened, there is potential for a number of children to play in and around “Open House”.
With its contemporary detailing yet traditional form, “Open House” has the flexibility to sit well within any backyard. The design of “Open House” means it’s up to the proud home owner to decide just how it looks and works – giving them a sense of ownership of their very own abode.


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-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

666 square feet in Brooklyn, NY- apparently even the devil digs tiny houses...

666 square feet- and real estate wise, it probably would still cost a fortune! A very cool little house though...



Poking around Windsor Terrace the other day, we spied this cabin-like building that sprouted between an aluminum siding-clad single-family house, and an aluminum siding-clad apartment house. Much has been written about the growing tiny house movement in America, but while New Yorkers are famous for making due in small spaces, we don't often see them as freestanding homes. This one is 666-square-feet, on a 2,430-square-foot lot, and may we say it is adorable?

write-up from brownstoner.com

City dwellers have been living in small apartments and quarters for ages, but its rare that you see so small a single family dwelling so close to a major metropolitan area like Manhattan, NYC- as its usually all multi-unit apartment buildings and condos that dominate the landscape. Its great to see the occasional ultra tiny house/home still holding out in an area where land is at such a premium.
-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Monday, April 25, 2011

An adobe mini-house in New Mexico- "Homes made of DIRT" photos

A longtime friend of mine, Greg Aloe, recently traveled to New Mexico, and took a slew of really great photos (from rundown houses, to the earthships of michael reynolds, and more), some of which I'll share with you all later. For starters though, as the adobe look is so foreign to the area where I live (and for that reason I've always been so fascinated by this style of construction), I thought I'd start with these photos, which I love. Houses made of dirt- the banking industry must HATE it- and the thing is many of these houses outlast the "Safe, tried n' true, mortgage approved", cookie-cutter houses that most of us have little or no option but to live in today.






-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

A tiny, tiny "house" in Baltimore, MD this weekend- and its for sale....

A COUPLE OF OUR MINI CABINS will be for on display, AND for sale- in Baltimore.....

@THIS weekend's the Transmodern/Camp-Camp Festival in Downtown Baltimore- and myself and Steve Sherrick are heading down as we had been invited to display a couple of my micro-shetlers/cabins in the exhibit.

Locale- 421 N Howard Street- Baltimore, MD- and we'll be setting up in the gallery's Tyson Alley from what I understand. We're there friday and saturday night from 7-11pm for their open exhibit hours.

Again, we'll also be shooting THREE new episodes of "Tiny Yellow House TV" down there- with some very appreciated help from airbnb.com. Folgers would have been a great sponsor too, as this weekend will be exhausting!

This cabin shown below is the micro-shelter "The GottaGiddaWay"- a mere 4' by 4' at the base....designed as a greenhouse, an indoor/outdoor micro-office, reading nook, kids fort, a very-funky chicken coop, or who knows....its been in the NY Times, on ABC News, CBS, and several magazines abroad and overseas.... $1200- all funds will go towards shooting more education how-to videos, and developing a larger model of this cabin for the homeless. kid cedar at gmail dot com.


-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen (built and designed by)
(for fans of tiny houses, small homes, micro-architecture, cabins, cottages, container housing)

Sunday, April 24, 2011

A shipping container tiny house/apartment/condo complex

A container-habitat/complex (photo from dropboxinc.com- a company who specialize in conex shipping container/house modifications). Their site is pretty darn LOADED with some good information on the subject too.... (and I'd love to know their source for these windows!). Perfect for your tiny house or small cabin in the woods, and for those who don't like the industrial metal look, you can easily hide the exterior with slatted, horizontal wood battens (which you could also grow vines and ivy through if you wanted to conceal your home or locale).



And for those who missed this recently posted micro video of ours....


-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen (photo from dropboxinc.com)

A space-saving, foldable, recycled-pallet chair for tiny/small houses....

First, Happy Easter All, and...


"A Pallet-wood, hanging seat"

Very clever (from Make Magazine)- although I'd use some stronger rope- or all weather poly-based rope if you're hanging this outside. It could be put to use indoors as well, especially in space-cramped quarters, as its foldable/rollable when not in use. Its all made out of freebie wood ta' boot, and molds to your contour as you sit in it, so how can you loose?

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Friday, April 22, 2011

A Shipping Container Store (The Puma House) in Boston, MA- (Conex Box Building)

Made from 40 ft. long Storage/Shipping Containers, bolted together- Here's a video from last week in Boston, MA- just before I went over to the PBS studios for my interview segment (talk about multi-taskin', eh?).....Sadly, this shipping container store is being taken down/removed. These conex boxes make for great pre-fab, tiny/small houses or cabins if you haven't looked into it! You can buy them used for usually around $2000 or so. Bulletproof! Literally.....not that you need such an option for your home....or at least I hope not! (unless you plan on building in Libya or Cambodia).


-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Another Project: My micro-scrap wood A-frame garden trellis/deck "house"

More so the bare bones of what COULD be a tiny house....this is something I put together yesterday- with about $8.00(!) of mill extras and grade 3 lumber I have from a Vermont mill that I frequent when I'm up at my little cabin in the woods. For $30- I was able to grab more wood than I could handle (literally, I have to leave about 1/3 of it a my camp) and this wood, perfectly good, will be put to many uses in the coming months. This will also probably soon be for sale- alongside my homeless hut/micro-cabin when I'm down in Baltimore....its ALL cedar too....*sustainably grown Vermont white cedar.


     This little garden trellis-hut (not yet finished), complete with a solar hanging light (soon), will also be dismantled and trucked down to Baltimore, MD next weekend for the "Camp Camp/Transmodern" art/shelter/urban camping exhibit down there....can't wait! I'll also be bringing down the "$100 Homeless Hut" that you might have seen in the The New York Times....


  The slats in this little A-frame are designed/positioned so that you can horizontally slide and position shelving through them (for plants or coffee and books (when sitting inside)), and these slats also provide numerous hanging points for plants, birdfeeders, windchimes, or whatever strikes your fancy. Its also double-designed (with some safety railings added) to be a lightweight, easy to build kid's fort, or easy-to-raise/lift treehouse/treefort.


More to come, as again this one isn't done yet....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A Bookmobile (tiny book store-slash-micro camper)- designed for Cedar Crest College

Recently an individual by the name of Chimae Cupschalk bought a copy of my book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks..." and has since been in communication with me over a project, and a very unique and fun one, that a very good amount of time is being poured into in order to make this a reality. Chimae is planning (and VERY soon I understand) to embark on the construction of a mobile/portable "bookmobile" for Cedar Crest College in PA- which sounds like a really cool, and open-minded school.
   Anyway, Chimae had asked me a ways back for some ideas, and here's one of them. I feel the sketch is somewhat shoddy, but the idea is there....or at least some ideas from which Chimae can hopefully pull some direction or inspiration. Naturally, as with most of my micro-structure/house designs, this little mobile kiosk also has the built-in possibilities of being a sleep-able vending cart (say, for the homeless, or street vendors/merchants, or even for music festivals (Burning Man, Coachella, etc).

A bookmobile (sleepable-vending kiosk) designed by myself (Derek Diedricksen)- this particular sketch is NOT in my book, but it may appear in the next one, where I've already amassed 60 or so new tiny house, small cabin designs.
 Chimae- we wish you the best of luck, and would love to see photos when you actually get to building whatever you decide upon.

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

TWELVE TREEHOUSE BUILDING TIPS THAT JUST MAY SAVE YOUR ASS!

The less-revealed tips to building a simple treehouse.....which also greatly applies to tiny house dwellers, as in some areas, you can get away with building a micro structure in a tree (deeming it "sculpture" or a mere "kid's fort" when and if any ball-bustin' authorities come by) which can very well serve as guest quarters, or depending on your locale or county (ie. in a few places in the US where there are no building codes), as your actual micro-home.



Anyway, I've read books upon books dealing with treehouse ideas and construction, and I feel a good deal of them tend to get overly technical, in some respects, in terms of treehouse building (many of these books are GREAT though, especially for inspiration). What I also mean by this is that the too often recommend custom or high-end materials or techniques that simply go too far beyond the budget of the the "Average Joe" (or Jane), when it comes to building a treehut/tree-home escape for either yourself, or the kids....

So....as I've been doing a good deal of tree climbing lately in order to situate a platform thirty-five feet in the air (for adults only- as its a steep ladder and free climb combo to get up there), here are a few of the tips and methods that have resurfaced as I'm getting more-so back into this genre as of lately. I've designed a ton of treehouses on paper, but haven't slapped one in a tree in some time now (I'm building a small one, to get me back in practice/training (enter: Rocky training-montage theme music) for a much larger one I'll be building for a client this summer/fall.This later project will serve as a micro guesthouse.



Aside from the all the logical and normal steps (ie. select a healthy. and stout/big tree) here are some less-harped about tips for when YOU decide to do some aerial building...

1. Try to find a tree that is easy enough to free climb (without a ladder)- this just could save your butt if you accidentally knock the ladder down, or find yourself in any situation where you need to get down to earth by a means other than free-falling. Ouch.

2. I've never really considered pole-to-earth structures as true treehouses (they still rock...) so try and select a tree with as many large branches as you can (maples- in my regions of MA are usually perfect and plentiful). It makes the siting, climbing, wood and material hauling (in terms of free-climb stops on the way if need be) all the easier. The con- the more branches, the less maneuverability you have to set a ladder.

3. Don't build a treehouse too close to a neighbors house, or in a direction where a good deal (or any) of the windows are facing the neighbors property, or upstairs windows. It may sound comical, but seriously, if you're an adult building a treehouse, most others will find that odd enough- nevermind that this treehouse has a plethora of windows angled towards a yard that isn't yours.....of course, the best idea is to brief and consult your neighbors on the idea first....as to them, a treehouse shaped like a bust of Harry Potter eating a slice of pizza, could be strangely deemed an eyesore.

4. Realize that no matter how much planning you do ahead of time, a tree and its configuration of branches, is not a symmetrical, nor easily-measureable, entity. DO design your plans to anticipate last minute tweaks, changes, and alterations. Don't beat yourself up trying to fit in plans and walls that just won't work- you'll be wasting your time, and well, beating oneself up sounds painful.

5. On one of your initial pre-build climbs, knock or cut down any small, unsafe, rotten branches, that you might be tempted to grab or hang onto at some later-climb. I usually give even the healthy looking ones a test kick, to make sure they're not rotten on the interior. I heat my home with wood primarily, so I barrel all these sticks and squaw wood for kindling later on.

6. If you have to free-climb, always make sure to hold onto two seperate branches (if you can) while ascending- if one gives, at least you're already hanging onto another. I've fallen out of a few trees back in the day, so take my word for it. One fall was thirty-two feet- into a lake, luckily! Safety ropes are always a GREAT idea too.

7. This one's often tough, but TRY to build your treehouse in a somewhat aerodynamic fashion in regards to the prevailing winds. If you geographically live in a region, like a valley, with frequent one-directional winds, for example, don't fight mother nature. If you live atop Mt. Washington, don't build a treehouse at all!

8. DO take frequent breaks and adhere to a very loose schedule. In other words never rush things for a timeline- you're IN A TREE, HIGH ABOVE THE GROUND- and any rushed work can easily result in accidents. So far, with the platform I'm building, I've only raised and bolted one supporting joist each day- I'm in no rush- especially when I look down at the rock-covered ground three-to-four stories below.

9. In addition to slotting the bolt holes in your supporting lumber (to compensate for tree swaying and movement) I think its a good idea to install additional safety cables, AND secondary joist supports below, should anything give way. If you're any good at lashings, you can also use HEAVY-DUTY (poly)rope to lash the joists to a tree after they're bolted in. My cousins in the past have made treehouses at great heights with lashings alone- and they held for a very long time- even when they used only thin bailing twine (which I wouldn't recommend!).

         9B. Have at least 5-6 changes of underwear on hand from all the aerial construction you'll be doing.No, not really....4 pairs will do.

10. "Bucket your tools"- in other words, tie a long rope to a bucket (and a pulley if you care to set one) and haul this up when you need to bring tools top-side. Don't climb with and armload of tools, its dangerous, and I can't tell you how many times in the past I've done so, and dropped about half of them on the way up.You can also screw a small hook into the tree to serve as a tool stash for your work up above.

11. Always have someone on hand to spot, and help you. If you're a minor, always have a knowledgeable adult on hand.

12. And...Bring a cell phone along for the ride. If you fall and end up seriously hurt, you might be able to physically make it back to the house to call an ambulance from a land-line. Come to think of it, for immediate, neighborly help, aside from constantly shouting, a keychain airhorn, might be of help too...or a serious set of lungs for some hollerin'!

And lastly (#13, I lied!), and this is going against my own plans in this case, but you don't have to necessarily make a treehouse forty feet in the air (I'm doing so for the view), its STILL a treehouse even if its only six feet up.

Any other tips- feel free to add them- we'd love to hear from you....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

(for fans of/about: Treehouses, treehut, treehome, treefort, tiny houses in trees, platform homes, small living)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

A beetle inspired tiny stilt house/treehouse from Terunobu Fujimori

I've noticed that this guy loves charring his wood for visual purposes (and others- read below), and while I'm not so sure on that look (and its bound to ruin your clothes with a single brushing-against), Terunobu's designs are no doubt fun and unique- especially this insect-like, tiny home on stilts.

Artist Terunobu Fujimori created the tiny building for the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of the exhibition “1:1 Architects Build Small Spaces”. Fujimori, who didn’t even begin designing buildings until the age of 44, explains that burning the outer layers of the wood makes it naturally waterproof and pest-proof. The whimsical interior of the tea house features minimal furnishings and artistically arranged pieces of charred wood on the walls and ceiling.
(from copyplease.blogspot.com)




-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Monday, April 18, 2011

The grandaddy of all trees for a tiny home locale, treehouse/treehome.....

WOW....this tree's just too regal and impressive to build a treefort or treehome in, but I just had to share. I originally saw this on Lloyd Kahn's blog. Overall, this tree reminds me of something straight off the stage-set of Willow, The Return Of The Jedi, or The Lord Of The Rings ( to name-drop some nerdy flicks).
The lower massive branch could also enable you to walk, ramp-style, right up to the front door of your little tiny house aloft- but again, I'd just leave a tree this incredible, alone.

On another note- we finished shooting yet another episode of "Tiny Yellow House" for youtube last night (you can see all our videos on our RelaxshacksDOTcom channel on youtube). Its more geek-craft than it is tiny housing, but I think you'll still appreciate it, and it IS home related. This should air in early May I believe, on Make Magazine's channel/blog- and beyond...

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Indoor A-frame kid and adult hang-spot/fort/tent

Busy day today- some carpentry (a treehouse for a client), and then a shoot later tonight with Steven Sherrick of Modern Vintage Productions for ANOTHER edition of "Tiny Yellow House" TV (on youtube) for MAKE MAGAZINE. To watch our other videos- CLICK HERE. Some of the vids are the lower-fo sideshow ones- so be sure to look for the ones with the actual title "Tiny Yellow House" title...

AND....Here's another one to file under INDOOR CABINS/Tents for AMBIENCE....not a tiny house, but modeled after one....(from http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ and http://www.aplaceimagined.blogspot.com/. Camping indoors? (Seems an oxymoron...)



I especially like this one, as I'm currently building a tiny, trellis-framed garden A-frame- which I most likely will be bringing down to Baltimore's Camp-Camp art installation/festival at the end of this month- alongside "The Gottagiddaway" micro cabin/shed/greenhouse....
Can't wait!
Airbnb.com is helping to back THREE NEW "TINY YELLOW HOUSE" TV shoots down there, and we're still looking for one more related sponsor... kidcedar at gmail dot com to contact me....REAL affordable- and you'll be mentioned/shown in the START of each of these three episodes...

Anyway, off to build! The sun's starting to come out....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Saturday, April 16, 2011

A Modern Play Structure- a squared-log cabin/tiny kids house of sorts

For any newcomers- please check out our Tiny House/Small Living Videos HERE...

(Photo below) For kid AND adult shelter (tiny guest house frame?) applications- and I love the funky "V" support/look in the front.....

Grow ivy all around, and within, a structure like this, and it'd be a great outdoor spot to relax or nap (hang a hammock inside...)- as long as it isn't "poison ivy"!

I've been hoarding mill-lumber "stickers" (the freebie spaced boards they stack and air dry lumber with) and have been wanting to do something similar-ish with them for awhile in tiny house/cabin form. Most mills will give you these "stickers" for free, if you ask- or they'll come with your purchase of lumber. In terms of my own micro-cabin/tiny house carpentry, these have often come in handy for a variety of uses, from railing spokes to window trim.
Anyway, this one is VERY simple- and very cool looking....


Here's the write-up from A PLACE IMAGINED
    
     After seeing Jill's backyard play space (previous post), I have begun to think more about the degree of enclosure necessary to create a playhouse.  Children have such wonderful imaginations, something as simple as a change in ground material or an elevated platform could quickly become a castle and in the next minute transform into a rocket ship.  So with that in mind, how much of a visual barrier is really required to create a space?  I do see the value in having a private little nook tucked away from the rest of the world, but  in some cases, such as on a school playground, you may need to see the children at all times.  There are some great examples out there of creative ways to minimally define play spaces, and I'm on the look out, so if you know of one send it my way. 

The design above is by  Truitt Foug Architects.  I love the modern shape and chunky structure!  I can imagine kids climbing the walls of this one!  If you look closely you can see a second floor or loft area.  It appears to be 6x6's (I'm guessing size) resting on the horizontals that make up the walls.  Sometimes the most basic straightforward designs are the best.  Also, notice that the entire play space was pulled off using only one material.  Ok, one material and fasteners, but still. 

It still amazes me that there is such variety in playhouse design.  It's great to go from looking at a highly ornate playhouse of the past to minimalist modern structure like this one!
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-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Friday, April 15, 2011

MORE tiny houses/small living news- ABC TV's "Tiny Housing" piece, Rowdykittens, and more....


Micro-mini update (and thanks to Tammy Strobel from Rowdykittens.com for posting on my lil' cabin/design for the homeless (above)). Her site's one of the best- and on a short list of sites I check very frequently....the cabin above is for sale- check the info in the next most recent post below...

In other news/happenings... here's the ABC Network ("Chronicle HD")/Tiny House Piece- with my tiny houses and cabins/shacks (3:12 into this clip....). They did a great job.....a very fun piece....
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/27551291/detail.html

It shows a lil' more of this tiny cabin/study/greenhouse/meditation hut....(photo by bruce bettis).
We'll have more NEW- non-micro-cabin (this particular one) very soon....

And Kent Griswold of the always-great http://www.tinyhouseblog.com/ might have an interview post I did with my brother, Dustin Diedricksen, soonish as well (sorry for the mega-delay Kent!)....maybe I'll get a chance to yap a tiny bit about our upcoming Baltimore tiny housing trip for "Tiny Yellow House" Tv too...we'll see....as we're shooting some incredible stuff- and bringing one of our little cabins (the one shown above) on the road...and possibly building another one ON SITE- at this art gallery's exhibition....

AND.....Alex Pino of http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/ has some great new posts and videos up on his site- one, which shows a few clips of Matlacha, Florida, where him and I met up, hung out, downed some beers in the 100 degree weather, and filmed some really cool tiny houses....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Thursday, April 14, 2011

My micro-hut is FOR SALE (to help us finance our new episodes/and Baltimore-shoot/trip)

Or I'll gladly custom build another, or a larger one for you....
One of MANY new photos from Bruce Bettis....

Baltimore trip- THREE NEW SHOOTS for "TINY YELLOW HOUSE TV" (which I host/direct/produce)....
You can check out our videos and channel HERE....

The loose roster- end of this month (and we DEF needs small sponsors too- we'll front mention your biz with photos, web text, and a voice over in the start of the episode....you'll reach a TON of people in turn (ie- vid #1 now has 70,000 views..)....kid cedar at gmail dot com

Shoot 1: My Micro Tokyo-style shelter/sleeper (dubbed "The GottaGiddaWay")....as seen in the NY Times (its for sale too- fully furnished- the custom stained glass window and all- $1200.00 cash). This little structure is perfect for an escape pod (I've done some blogging and tiny house design sketches from within it), for use as a micro greenhouse or coldframe, a really cool/fun kids fort (inside or out) or treefort, a meditation space, a garden shelter, or a REALLY funky/modern chicken coop.... contact me at the email above if you're interested in buying it (after we film it). We can deliver/install it for a fee too...(this little cabin was in a yahoo.com shoot, one for WGBH, and on Chronicle HD, ABC-Boston as well...)

Shoot 2: A Maryland Treehouse built by Dan Wright from treetopbuilders.net (who do GREAT work). We'll be showcasing this incredible treehouse and interviewing Dan himself....and its proud owners....

Shoot 3: On the ride back, it looks like we'll be filming and interviewing (while dead tired, I'm sure, after shoot 1 and 2) Elizabeth Turnbull- Yale Student (in New Haven, CT) who has built her own dorm-lodging/quarters for her stay/studies in Connecticut. She's been ALL over the news in the past and is quite a fascinating woman. New Haven's great- and I grew up close by- so I'm psyched to be going back. My great grandfather was the head professor of art at Yale too....his work hangs in museums, and in the VERY FAMOUS (also my relatives) Louis' Lunch on Crown Street downtown...

This shooting and traveling is REALLY expensive, so any donations are appreciated (we'll mention you in the credits)- to paypal id: senorsell@hotmail.com- and any sponsors are very much so needed.....

Thanks!
-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

A VERY different sort of tiny house/treefort- a LIVE web-camera feed of an Eagle's Nest in Iowa...



Wow....how cool is this. Not so much tiny house related (although I DO have a design for a scrap-wood "Human Nest/Kid's Fort in my book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks..."), but I thought you guys would enjoy this as an additional post today....(The Decorah, Iowa Eagles (and babies)....at a fish hatchery).....

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen







A triangular treehouse sketch-daydream plan (micro-office, guest hut/cabin)


Although not an incredibly space-efficient shape/design the picture is angled/skewed in a bizarre angle- and doesn't represent the idea so well- sorry. This WILL be kinda cool once built though....very different, fun, and cozy....

 'Was messin' around the other night for a client, and came up with this little design, one I'd like to build for MYSELF! Its base is a simple, reinforced, 8' or 10' equilateral triangle....the side-wall framing is simple 2x3's....

It needs several tweaks, and some reconfiguring, but it would work.....and would appear as if "floating" about three or four feet off of the ground.....

The huge clear roof would face a campfire....it could sleep two, or serve as an escape office or meditation/yoga house/tiny treeshack....

Note: The few roof/poly-roofing supports are not shown....also, the side-roof/wall support joists will also extend and connect to the tree, serving as reverse knee-braces/supports as well (in addition to the cables).

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

YOUR ideas for "Tiny Yellow House" tv- our upcoming tiny house/construction/and redneck thrift (dumpster diving/crafting videos)

 See our most recent post (one below) for info on our upcoming Baltimore trip/shoots for "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube.....we want your help, and will credit you in the video....(and further below- info on our tiny houses on the ABC Network's "Chronicle"- airing tomorrow....

And (the last "And"- I swear...)- we might be shooting a lengthier, more multi-faceted, NEWER/slicker version of THIS video, below, real soon....where we'll show you a few other "in-a-pinch" redneck rigs.....


What I want to do (and we'll credit you in the video)- is to drop some of your ideas....ie (and I've already done it/made one before), as one viewer comically suggested, a office water-cooler jug-on-head set-up for protectiong one's eyes- when REAL (ALWAYS preferable) safety goggles, and/or sunglasses aren't on hand for WOODworking.....so post any ideas you have....the goofier (but effective) the better- as this will be a comedic "how-to" video....

Here's (above) the basic idea of the video/the old video- ALSO a great project for kids, and costumes on Halloween! This is a VERY ROUGH, spur-of-the-moment "how to" clip I shot, while working on an actual tiny shelter/house project, where the need truly arose....

ALSO......CHECK IT OUT: Tiny Houses (mine) on TV- WCVB/Boston (New England's ABC affiliate)- channel 5's "Chronicle HD" show- 7:30pm tomorrow- has a piece on my backyard work/workshop, etc...

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Um....you sure you don't want to use more than one tree!? A teetering huge treefort/treehouse/treehome

OUR treehouse/shetler/micro-office for sale in Baltimore.....(and below is a crazy(!) treehouse for today's eye-candy shot).......

Been working on my own treehouse/treehouses lately (lots of climbing!- 35 feet in the air!), and one of the models will be trekking down to Baltimore, MD April 29-May 1st for the Transmodern Festival- aka "Camp Camp" to which Relaxshacks.com has been invited. We're shooting SEVERAL episodes of "Tiny Yellow House" TV down there as well (from treehouses to trailer/tumbleweed-style homes (possibly the Elizabeth Turnbull mobile house/dwelling near Yale University in New Haven. CT)) and are in definite need of backers and donations. Any donation of $30 or above, and we'll mail you a t-shirt (Purerockfury- my old clothing line/site), a cd compilation (including my band) AND add your name in the thank you credits of one of the episodes. ANY donations are welcome though- and we'll thank you in the vid as well...if you run a business too- we're episode lead logo/text/voice over ads too- email me. All donations can be made (and would be greatly appreciated) to the paypal id: senorsell@hotmail.com (be sure to mention your shirt shirt- US shipping only).

Also- anyone in the Baltimore area- to help cover the enormous costs of a 3-episode shoot, we're also considering building a mini-shelter for an episode of MAKE MAGAZINE (that could serve as a micro-greenhouse/coldframe, a tiny backyard office or reading spot, guest sleeper, or a treehouse/fort for kids)- and then selling it (to help us get our asses back to Boston in one financial piece). Anyone REAL close to Baltimore, who might be interested in this 4' by 8' shelter (like the "gottagiddaway hut- but twice as big)- contact me at kid cedar at gmail dot com. $800- and delivered within 30 minutes of the city (or anywhere north on the way back to MA- if its right en route).
As for the photo above.....I've been scanning this photo for stabilization cables, or some other hidden support, but it looks as if this fairly sizeable treehome is goin' solo (well, support-wise). Its also interesting that the builder has given the outer skin/facade a stucco-ish coat, as that would seem to provide a ton (almost literally) of unneccesary weight- and would be a pain to apply (you can't really pre-fab the pieces and then aseemble them, as you could with a simple shingle or board and batten application). Still, a very cool, and almost Asian-inspired treehouse....
   I wondering if that chinmey is actually stone?- and functioning too?....meaning there would be an enormously heavy woodstove or fireplace inside.

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Monday, April 11, 2011

Building your own tiny/small house or dream micro-cabin/guest shack for FREE/Nothing...

Building your own tiny/small house or dream micro-cabin for FREE/Nothing...

(by example of a recent FREE CLUBHOUSE-SHED/Playground Set in the Massachusetts area)

We've had quite a few posts on this subject before, from scrounging pallet wood for construction (which can be found at almost every turn), to dumpster-diving for materials, and finding/collecting them streetside (esp. windows and doors on daily trash routes/construction site debris piles).....but Craigslist is the one often used and obvious place we have not discussed quite as much- at least in terms of pure salvage.
You'd be amazed, in YOUR area (well, unless you're in the middle of nowhere Montana, etc) at what pops up under the search title "Free"- lumber, appliances, boats, campers, defunct mafia torture tools, and more- and alot of it is perfectly good stuff- you just need to ask a few questions, and check out the photos first, before hoppin' in you car for the trek.
Today's Example: Now here's a free 8' by 8' by 8' clubhouse (or guesthouse? if you tweaked it) that was recently up for "FREE" in my area just last week- it also came with the offer of an enormous swingset worth of pressure treated lumber (none of it that old)- so, with some time and a few simple tools, you'd have this free shack AND an abundance of lumber all in one trip with a smallish trailer or truck.

Beyond that, if you want more bang for your buck, and have no kids, or no need for a swingset, with a little research you'll find that the slide itself (and various other swings and parts) are actually quite pricey as replacements. Therefore, there is a used market for these items on craigslist and ebay- making your trip even more potentially worthwhile....AND, potentially providing even the most "broke" of us with a means to acquire additional funds for that dream micro-cabin in the woods. Heck, in this case, the 8-foot-cabin cabin COULD already be that tiny dream cabin, writer's retreat, or treehome/treehouse escape- it just needs some rennovating and t.l.c.


Now the sticklers out there will immediately think "Now Deek, tisk, tisk...you'll at least need nails and paint to complete the tiny house task at hand, and those DO cost money...so your cabin quest really wouldn't be "FREE"". Well, that is true, but its also true that with a little pre-planning -and searching, you CAN find a TON of free paint most anywhere as well- and if the colors aren't up to your liking- mix 'em until you get something more workable or palletable. As for the nails, especially with larger ones, I always have two small buckets on hand when I'm dismantling projects and salvaging (removing nails) from wood- one bucket is for nails that are still useable and good (or easily bent back into shape), the other's for nails that are totally hopeless. This later bucket eventually goes to the metal scrap yard for recycling. The point is, though, that after a little salvaging here and there, you'll be amazed at how much by the way of hardware (nails, hinges, hooks, bolts, lag screws) you'll accumulate- and aside from the expenditure of time, yes, even your nails will be free...

In the case of the swingset I'm also assuming (if built properly) that its fairly loaded with galvanized carriage bolts- and sizeable ones too....and those things don't come all that cheap....not to mention the other specialized hardware a playground-set harbors- which you just may find a use for...

As for the gas money to get to these free items- well, that's where selling some of this stuff on the side not only covers that and evens things out, but brings you out far ahead in the end of this often fun and rewarding game. Also, after doing this for awhile, you may end up with an excess of perfectly useable lumber. If that starts taking up too much room next to your front-yard collection of garden gnomes, then there's also the cash possibility of moving THAT as well.

And....be sure to pat yourself on the back while reminding yourself that you're most likely keeping a HUGE amount of trash out of landfills by going this avenue of cabin building- it always makes for a nice backstory too...

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen
Author of "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks...", Host of "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube, Honcho of http://www.relaxshacks.com/

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Monte McCoy's Tree-less Treehouse for kids/adults- a shack/shed on stilts


Monte McCoy's Kids Fort....which could also make for a great tiny guest house, micro-office, or general escape pod out in the woods.....again, so simple, yet a very cool concept and execution. Apparently this little cabin is on steel posts embedded in concrete. Its pretty much a tree-less treehouse/treehome.


Via lumberjocks.com
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-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

Saturday, April 9, 2011

A homemade trailer/camper/tiny mobile house FOR SALE- (which looks like something from Star Wars...

This lil' homemade camper (for sale! only $1500!) is incredible- thanks to Katherine/"femmpaws" for sendin' it in!





This is a home built trailer that is totally unique. It's interior is twelve feet long and the floor is 58 inches wide. It has about six feet of headroom and the bed sits at the widest section with just over six feet width. There are tie downs on the floor and the entire rear of the trailer opens to haul a motorcycle or ATV.
If you cannot tell from the pictures, this is built very much like a boat interior. Lots of storage, etc. There is a table and bench that fold down in sections. The bed folds in to a couch or can be removed.
Wired for 110volts with GFI plug. There is a small 12 volt system powered by 2 small gel batteries that you can charge your phone with or light the interior. There is an area for a propane stove/cooking area that pulls out and stows on the side. The right side door in the pictures has a 5 gallon water pump system with a stainless bowl sink and towel hook.There is propane for use inside or outside for lanterns or cooking (tank is full by the way). All of the windows are marine type and the exposed ones each have awning covers, there is also an awning for outdoor use that stows in the side of the trailer.
This has a definite cool/funk factor that gets attention everywhere we have taken it. Lots of uses from hauling to camping on the beach. Call if you would like to have a look, if your just curious enjoy the pictures! Thanks, $1500 Cash only, Call 360-734-4648 Current tabs and title in hand.
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Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

(for fans of: campers, rvs, rving, cabins, tiny and small homes, micro-architecture, homemade trailers and campers)

Friday, April 8, 2011

Tiny Houses on BU TV with host Yoojin Cho- (my four micro-backyard-cabins/shelters)....

Here's a new tiny house/shelter video- done by Yoojin Cho for a BU Broadcast-Journalism class (she got an "A"- congrats!). Yoojin was kind enough to let me post this up here, and on my youtube channel as well ("RelaxshacksDOTcom" for the program "Tiny Yellow House"). Check it out (and sorry I buried the other brand new post so quickly!).



-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

A $7800 houseboat/floating home for sale (or the world's bulkiest road camper!)


Thanks to Jared Crane for sending this one in....and sorry for the lack of a post yesterday- my computer's been down and I was in the recording studio with my band the majority of the evening (Age Against The Machine (Rage Tribute Act and Originals))- we just did a tune for the NHL/Boston Bruins....and a few others...
....I'm also gearing up for the Baltimore trip for 2-3 shoots for "Tiny Yellow House" TV on youtube....a treehouse by Dan Wright of treetopbuilders.net, a shoot of the "Camp Camp" festival downtown which I've been asked to set up a micro-housing/shelter exhibit at, and one other....again, anyone looking to get their name and business out there to MANY people, we need some small ads to make these things keep happening (kid cedar at gmail dot com)- Hell, just the gas and tolls alone on this road trip will set us back a few hundred bucks....yeowch! We're lookin' forward to this one though- I love Baltimore, and haven't been there in 5-6 years now....

As for the houseboat...If I had the loot, and lived out there, this seems to have alot of potential- even as a dry-docked land cabin or tiny house/home.....not sure on how the woodstove and its required clearances would work though- looks like a total fire hazard....






Footprint 32' long x 12' wide. 14'4" high.
Houseboats are no longer welcome at the local marinas, but this charming floating home would do very well in a lake or pond, or on land as a poolhouse, guesthouse, art studio or ?. It is complete with a living room, office study, kitchen and composting toilet on the ground floor, and a bedroom, loft, shower room and balcony above. The stove, refrigerator, water heater, and composting toilet are near new. The construction is cedar and the bottom is fiberglassed. Let your imagination run wild! $ 7,800. Call for a delivery cost estimate.
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-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen