Cover Image: Micro Living

Micro Living

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I am obsessed with tiny houses and these houses are truly tiny, but this book exemplifies that quality is more important than quantity. Gorgeous homes!

Was this review helpful?

This book takes the concept of down-sizing to the extreme. Many of the 40 homes featured are smaller than 150 square feet. From a refurbished Airstream to a treehouse, what these homes lack in space, they more than make up for in character. The book includes floorplans, advice and lots of lust-worthy photographs. Whether you’re thinking of building your own tiny home, want some tips to make the most of smaller rooms or just fancy taking a peek into how other people live, Micro Living is for you.

Was this review helpful?

Was thinking about maybe having one of these when I retire...on second thought, nope! too claustrophobic.... Cute little rooms tho'. Maybe a craft room?? Nope, can't see it happening for me. But it's an interesting concept, but not for me..

Was this review helpful?

Micro Living by Derek Diedricksen showcases 40 tiny houses, giving profiles and floorplans. Each entry has a plethora of gorgeous pictures bringing the home to vibrant life. The tiny houses are divided according to square footage size, ranging from large tinies to truly wee little homes. Deek encourages people interested in micro living to make use of the plans and profiles inside to inspire ideas for their own home. I love tiny houses! If I could afford it, I would have a wee little house. I love feeling snug and safe, and I love being up high, so a loft bed is a plus! While not containing a loft, I also really liked the refurbished airstream home.

***Many thanks to the Netgalley and Storey Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Anyone who has spent any time watching home improvement channels, either in the US or on Netflix would have heard of the tiny house movement. There have always been homes/dwellings where people had to make adjustments, but this movement is more about making a conscious effort to reduce the footprint on the surroundings or the environment either for monetary or for ethical reasons.
I have had the opportunity to stay in one or two of the more unique accommodations on offer in the US.Our experiences in these quaint places was more of an adventure, but I need to take my hats off to those who continue to live in such a set up on a daily basis. This has led to a continuing fascination with shows that deal with tiny houses. I thought I would be interested in a book detailing a few of those and I was right. I was excited to see two houses which I recognised from some episode I watched before! 

This book has detailed pros and cons, options and drawings. It is almost like a toolkit for anyone who might have been considering the move, to start putting things in perspective. There are also a few takeaways for those of us who might want to implement some of the space-saving tactics in our daily life. 

This book is most useful for those who are seriously considering building or having a tiny home built.

Was this review helpful?

Nonfiction
Adult
My community of Grand Forks, British Columbia, went through a devastating flood just a few months ago, displacing nearly a quarter of our residents for weeks. Some are still homeless and will be for months. One of my friends has opted to build a tiny house on wheels instead of rebuilding her stick house. As a result, I was very interested in this title when it came available for early review from Storey Publishing. It’s out this coming week, and offers a lot of helpful information and ideas for anyone who is thinking of really downsizing. As the subtitle says, Diedricksen looks at 40 tiny houses, organized into Big Tinies (over 250 square feet), Small Tinies (150-250 square feet), and Teeny Tinies (under 150 square feet). Most fall in the middle group. Each section includes short articles offering advice on living tiny successfully, and the book includes framing plans for a basic tiny. Each of the 40 tiny homes is presented over about six pages, with lots of photos to show the outside, inside, and a plan of the layout. An infobox includes the dimensions and square footage, the budget in U.S. dollars, and details on the heating and cooling systems, bathroom, power, and hot water. Along with full-colour photos, each entry has a “Derek’s Takeaways” in which the author offers his thoughts on why he chose it for the book, and “In Retrospect,” giving the creators a chance to say what they might do differently (usually allow more money or more time!). Innovative space and design solutions are featured in the photos, making this a very useful resource. The range is very wide – the priciest I spotted was $300,000 (it is actually a recreation cabin, over 600 square feet in total), and the cheapest an $1,800 64 square foot bunkhouse with a separate outhouse and woodstove, but no hot water or power. Frequently the cost is solely for materials, not including sweat equity, and nearly all are under $100K, with several under $30K. While nearly all are in the U.S., one in Regina, Saskatchewan boasts two fold-out decks! My thanks to Storey Publishing for the advance reading copy provided digitally through NetGalley. And if this topic interests you, check out my earlier review of Tiny Homes on the Move.
More discussion and reviews of this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38746175

Was this review helpful?

This is tiny house porn at its best.

For all of those who have thought about living in a tiny house, building one, or just visiting one, this books gives a very complete collection of the best of the batch out there. The book is divided into three sections of tiny houses. Big Tinies (over 250 square feet (23 square meters), Small Tinies (150-250 square feet (14-23 square meters) and Tiny Tinies (Under 150 square feet (under 14 square meters). There is even one plan for a cabin, included.

The houses are all ones that are in use, and each house story talks about the pluses and minuses of the house, such as no insulation in the floor, or not enough light in the bathroom.

Here is a picture of one of the Big Tinies interior:
<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-29-at-10.27.38-PM.png">

And this one is a small tiny
<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-28-at-10.34.18-PM.png">

And this is a tiny tiny
<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-29-at-10.12.51-PM.png">

Lost of practical advice, on how to prepare to live in a tiny house, as well as advice on what you might have to think about before making such a move.

Highly recommend this book, with the caveat that you will probably need another book of plans if you decide to go ahead with this.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest reivew.

Was this review helpful?

I've been obsessed with tiny living since the first time I heard of the concept, so this book was very interesting to me. I live in a tornado prone area, and don't have the means to travel so owning my own tiny home is a pipe dream at this time, and I enjoy living vicariously through seeing tiny homes that others own. This book was great, and I loved looking through all the floor plans and imagining what I'd like to have in my own tiny home.

Was this review helpful?

My entire family is obsessed with tiny houses. We’ve even viewed one that was on tour near us and imagine what it might be like for our family of 6 (myself, my husband and our 4 kids) to live in a tiny house. I liked this book because it showed tips and tricks to how to make tiny living possible, but gave me ideas to use in our house. I think this was a fun and current book.

Was this review helpful?

Although much of this book may be beyond the amateur, we can always dream. If you're serious about micro-living and making your own house, you can't go wrong with inspiration and advice from Deek Diedrickson, an expert and figurehead in the Micro Living community.

Dream big, go small.

Was this review helpful?

Derek Diedricksen is well known in the US tiny house community and he was able to visit all of these houses personally and stay inside them for one or more nights. This is a distinct advantage over some authors of similar books who cull their examples from the internet, which has many excellent websites devoted to tiny houses. The advantage to the personal approach, in addition to being more honest, is that design shortcomings and advantages are much more apparent when you stay in a place. (I often tell clients I can diagnose their house in a weekend if they will let me stay there alone.) Mr. Diedricksen has also been able to ask designers and residents for their honest opinions of their dwellings – the good, the bad, and the less than optimal. These personal insights are valuable, if too short.

This is a competent book with good photos and designs. Whether it is worth buying, rather than just leafing through in the bookstore depends on your own motivations. Adding another physical book to your collection just adds to the hassles of tiny living and, as of this writing, the electronic edition is pretty pricey.

Was this review helpful?

I'm a sucker for tiny houses! I have lived in a few tiny places myself - a tiny, dry cabin in Alaska, very small apartments and a class C RV - but u will dream of a tiny house on wheels. The structures features here are divided into big tinies (250+ - 400 sq ft), small tinies (150-250 sq ft) and teeny tinies (under 150 sq ft). We get a wide variety of styles and cost ranges as well as a variety of structure types. Some are indeed built onto trailers, but others are on foundations or skids or even on stilts or in trees! While not every structure featured is set up for full time living, most are and in every case, there's plenty for inspiration if nothing else. I enjoyed reading Deek's take in the various builds, what he thinks works well and what doesn't. Those who built the structures also comment on what they would do differently. In addition, there are essays on the challenges of living tiny, minimalism and things to think about before beginning to build. While not every one suits my own style, this is a fun book to read through and dream. Will I every build my own tiny house? Maybe, maybe not. But considering all the possibilities sure is fun!

Thank you to Netgalley and Storey Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. All comments are my own, unbiased opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I have been fascinated with this concept for a while now and have found myself on many occasions procrastinating via Youtube testimonials of people who choose to live like this. This was the main reason I wanted to read this book. I wanted to know more, see more and this book hit the mark.
I love how the author, Derek Diedricksen, included the floor plans of each 'Tiny Home' as it gave a better understanding of the size.
I envy those who live like the people in this book do. I would love the simplicity, the minimalist approach to living life. This book for me shows that to live a minimalist life you don't have to get rid of everything and live in a trailer (some of the homes are much much smaller). You simply have to think about what you actually need, what is important for your day to day living and implement that into your surroundings and with thoughtful planning, you can achieve that within a small space.
Micro Living by Derek "Deek" Diedricksen is an excellent glimpse into the world of Tiny Living and a tempting one at that.

Was this review helpful?

Livre très intéressant sur les différentes façons d'aborder le micro living. A travers plusieurs habitats de tailles différentes, on appréhende le micro living. J'ai particulièrement apprécié les témoignages des personnes vivant dans ces habitats, avec leurs appréhensions, réussites et échecs, qui sont d'autant plus intéressants pour les personnes qui souhaitent se lancer dans cette aventure.

Was this review helpful?

Fascinated by the tiny home movement, so ASAP grabbed this wonderful book on NetGalley: “Micro Living” by Derek Diedricksen. The author, a tiny house enthusiast, gives an insider’s look at this growing trend for living with less, especially in our size of homes.

Diedricksen showcases 40 tiny houses — all in 400 square feet or less — equipped for full-time living, with photos, floor plans that include inventive space-saving design features, plus details on heating, cooling, electric, and plumbing systems.

You’ll also hear real-life stories from residents who share the real deal on living small, and get tips on what to consider before you build, along with framing plans for a prototype small cabin. All in all, the perfect starter handbook for tiny home dreamers and doers alike! 5/5

Pub Date 30 Oct 2018

Thanks to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#MicroLiving #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book speaks to me, I too and interested in paring down and minimalizing. Micro Living shows how it can be done beautifully and comfortably.

I love the way this book is designed, it has clear and easily understood stories. I think it was very effective how he sectioned off the book into "small" vignettes that can give inspiration to a prospective builder or buyer. He even included plans! The pictures are worth buying the book and putting it on your coffee table. Really well done.

This is an absolutely fantastic must-buy book for someone interested in tiny home building.

Was this review helpful?

Micro living! Also known as: the only house you, as a millennial, will ever be able to afford! And sometimes you won't even be able to afford that.

If you're into micro living, you'll be interested in seeing the design ideas put forth by this book. Me, I own too many books to live in a micro house. There'd be no room left for me. Only books.

Was this review helpful?

A very thoroughly illustrated book on micro-living, a concept which I find infinitely fascinating but ultimately impossible - a nice glimpse into that world, well put together.

I received access to this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The author, Deek Diedricksen, showcases 40 different "tiny homes", and gives pluses and minuses of the planning and layout. Also, a good discussion of what to expect, and whether this is something for you. I liked the variety, and seeing the layouts of the different homes. Even a few trailers and buses were included. Not sure if I could or want to live in some of the super tiny ones, and would definitely like to have an indoor bathroom, but the concept is interesting. A few pages of tips and advice (wish there were more) of how to downsize, but unless you know what you have and need it is hard. I like the idea of eliminating the excess though, as while not a hoarder I do tend to have more than I need, and do not organize well. Easier if I can just get rid of some of it. One tip that I thought was good was to plan like you were going to move, and box up things not being used. If the box is not opened in 3-4 months just get rid of it. Like that idea, and may give it a try. Would recommend this book, and curious now to read his blog at Relaxshax's.

Was this review helpful?

As if I needed another reason to sell everything and buy a tiny house. This is a beautifully designed book with so many inspiring ideas. Diedricksen interviews dozens of tiny home dwellers with wildly different aesthetic styles and budgets. If you enjoyed Tiny House Hunters on HGTV, but wish you had a book to refer to, check this out. He even includes plans for a tiny house in the appendix. Very fun read.

Was this review helpful?