By Sarah Finnan
06th Apr 2023
06th Apr 2023
Unsplash
Tiny homes have surged in popularity in recent years with more and more people favouring smaller spaces over larger (often way more expensive) properties.
A trend that first started over in the US in the 90s, it initially took off as a reaction against increasingly huge houses and unaffordable prices. Quickly catching on in other countries across the globe, the idea soon made its way over to Ireland where it’s since piqued many people’s interest.
If the name didn’t give it away, tiny homes are essentially fully functioning homes just on a much smaller scale. They comprise all the same features of a “regular” home, but their unique design means that the layout is more compact and everything is contained within just a few rooms.
Touted as cheaper, more sustainable options to traditional housing, people’s reasons for downsizing vary, but tiny homes are part of a wider ideology: the notion that less is actually more. Encouraging people to live more simply and just have less stuff, cabin culture has already become the norm in many parts of the world, so perhaps Ireland is next?
Who’s to say, but if the idea appeals to you, here are five accounts worth following for info/inspiration/the push you need to just go for it.
Founded by JP Simpson in 2018, Big Man Tiny Homes has been helping people custom-build their dream homes for five years now.
Already with extensive experience in the industry, Simpson has spent the best part of his career working on different housing projects – from bespoke cabins to large-scale housing units.
However, a trend started to emerge and he noticed that people’s priorities were changing when it came to what they were looking for in a property. Realising that tiny homes could hold the answer, he decided to start his own company and thus Big Man Tiny Homes was born. “People now want a lot more freedom in their lives and don’t want to be tied down to massive debts. Living big in small spaces is one way of making those dreams a reality,” he notes.
The tiny house movement has “exploded all over the world”, as he puts it, with more and more people making the conscious choice to downsize. So, whether it’s a small modular home, a garden studio or even a mobile home you’re interested in, Simpson and his highly-skilled team of experts are more than qualified to guide you through the process.
Based in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, TinyHomes.ie works with clients from the design process right up to the actual build and fit-out.
A carpenter himself with over three decades of experience, Stephen’s focus is on creating unique energy-efficient homes that offer a practical way of living. Each one is fitted with an advanced roofing product, double-glazing UPVC windows, 214mm thick walls and a sliding patio door.
The interior is then fitted out to your tastes with a range of choices suited to your personal needs with optional add-ons such as additional storage/wardrobes, heat recovery ventilation, decking and clever space-saving furniture also available.
Log cabins and log homes are a quickly expanding market in Ireland, which is where MyCabin.ie comes in. Specialising in just that, they help clients to choose and design their cabins from start to finish. All of their cabins are manufactured using the most efficient technology to save on waste, as well as costs. Made from slow-grown pine, the manufacturing process starts with raw log and the final product is engineered square timber.
For anyone that might need a little inspiration, the team has two show sites, one in Blessington, Co Wicklow, and the other in Cobh, Co Cork – both with an extensive range of log cabins, log homes and timber frame buildings.
The country’s leading quality log cabins supplier, Eco Home offers self-build, professionally installed standard or bespoke log cabin homes – each one catered specifically to the Irish market. Centrally located in Tullamore, Co Offaly, they have over 30 years of experience in the industry.
Eco Home log cabins are manufactured and built from the finest quality Scandinavian spruce, the majority of which comes with floor insulation and roof shingle tiles included in the price. They can be bought flat pack for self-assembly or the team can assemble your cabin for you onsite, and in even better news, they also deliver all across Ireland too.
While the above accounts are good follows when it comes to actually purchasing a log cabin/tiny home, this particular one is more decor/inspiration focused. Run by a young couple in their early 20s, their feed is populated with site photos, progress pics and gorgeous interiors shots that prove tiny homes can be every bit as beautiful as their larger counterparts.
Bright, rustic and with plenty of personality, the white paint makes the inside look bigger while the mismatched photo frames and other such ornaments help to make the space uniquely theirs.
This article was originally published in May 2022.
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