Tiny Texas Houses

The other day I implied that there would not be any more blogs posted until new plans were formulated. Things have changed, however, and now it's back to blogging sooner than expected.

Yesterday, my daughter, Jamie, and I took a short trip to Luling, Texas, about 50 miles northeast of Austin. The intent of our trip was to see the Tiny Texas Houses located in Luling. We both were expecting to see miniature houses- sort of,oversized doll houses, big enough to (perhaps) walk in, but too small to live in. We

had envisioned a tourist attraction; but what we discovered was much more.

Tiny Texas Houses, is the brain-child of Brad Kittel a slightly-graying hippie (complete with

ponytail and round wire-rim, John Lennon glasses), intellectual and self styled adventurer turned

entrepreneur.

What he has created is a whole new life style of what he calls - "a whole new paradigm of pure salvage living." While not exactly a part of the Green Movement, conceptually it follows the same beat. Kittel downplays America's whole philosophical mindset of, more and bigger is better; and replaces it with the minimal requirements for living comfortably with no frills included.

Specifically, he has picked up on the America's material extravagance and launched what might

be perceived as a - one man crusade, against our material excesses and our throw away society. Tiny Texas Houses use 99% pure salvage materials; only the nails, wiring, insulation and finishing materials (mostly linseed oil, Tung oil and milk paint) are

purchased new.

Kittel began, over twenty years ago, collecting architectural salvage materials, and now has a 140,000 square foot manufacturing/warehouse facility where he both lives and produc

es his- Tiny Texas Houses.

The word salvage harkens visions of the scatters remnants of days gone by; but, in fact, what you find at Tiny Texas Houses, is an orderly arrangement of materials waiting to build the next Tiny Texas House.

The houses are, architecturally, built around the concept of the minimal requirements for living. Most are built with only - a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom and bedroom loft; and range in size from 10 x 16, to the largest, tiny house built to date, 12 x 33.

There is no "lip gloss" in a tiny house; the appropriate term would seem to be - adequate. The tub and shower may be a cast iron tub with a shower overhead, or it may be horse drinking trough with plumbing for a hand held shower; one is more attractive than the other, but both are - adequate.

Perhaps, the most surprising thing about the tiny house is just how livable they appear to be. One finds oneself thinking - I could live here! And the Tiny Texas House, has all the amenities one truly needs for survival - even in the 21st century.

Though the tiny house, is indeed small in size, the price of the tiny house (in relative terms) is not so small; the 10 x 16 models sells for $38,000 (a building cost of nearly, $250 per square foot); the equivalent of paying $380,000 for a 1600 square foot home - less the lot. Salvage materials are not cheap!

Despite the name, and despite its size, the concept underlying the tiny house is more about salvage than it is size. By his own admission, Kittel's future plans call for ever larger - "tiny" houses; but, there are no plans to change the underlying concept of - pure salvage. One gets the feeling that Tiny Texas Houses will remain, for always and ever, 99% pure salvage materials.

The problem is that most of us are just too spoiled with all of our excesses and our need to keep up with the Jones's. Clearly, the Tiny Texas House is not for everyone (I can't imagine raising a family of five in house of 250 square feet or less!).

Nonetheless, I for one, applaud Brad Kittel's effort.