Miley’s Tiny House

Explanation of why the subject of a tiny house is suitable for a blog devoted to Mid Century Modern does not come easily. Admittedly, the answers I have to such a question are rather weak and without significant justification. Even so, Mid Century Modern in essence is modern. The designs of this period still possess great appeal to contemporary designers and bring forth designs that could comfortably coexist with structures built during the middle of the 20th century. Mid Century Modern Groovy was never intended to be so strictly composed as to exclude articles of interest to anyone who enjoys the modern aesthetic. Also, besides having an enjoyment in designing tiny houses, I have an enthusiasm for modern design. So, therefore….

Miley’s tiny house is an ultra-modern design seeking to break up the rectangle while applying a square. The design above was actually a personal challenge to set down a scheme confined within a square. The results of this challenge, I think, are largely successful. The follow series of images not only shows the design from various perspectives, but also shows it as it develops.

This view is from the southwest and shows the windows to the kitchen and bedroom, the patio off of the kitchen and part of the wall of the living room. As can be seen, the house is set on a large square, in this case composed of polished stone.

This view is as we move north along the west side of the building.

This view is from the west looking east. The compelling design element from this direction is the wedge that projects to cut off the paved area to the south. This house makes the most of the outdoors as we will see as we proceed toward the main patio area.

This view shows the door to the kitchen and the angle of the living room painted in a different color. Color is used in this house to accentuate the form of the architectural details. This also gives the illusion of greater space since the eye is led to different areas based on the function emphasized by the color.

Here we are looking to the southeast directly through double doors into the living room. These doors are more for the feeling of open space rather than to use as an entrance. We also get a peep at the angular nature of the layout.

A little better look, this time from the north looking south.

Now, we finally get a clear look at the main patio off of the living room and dining room. We also see to the left a door that leads to the bathroom, which can also be accessed from the inside.

We can now see into the living room, dining room, with a peek into part of the kitchen. Notice the outdoor furniture and the globular sculpture. Due to the angles of this house and the various areas separated from each other, sculpture would work very well, even if this is a tiny house.

We look now east to west and see the bathroom jutting out from the center of the structure.

We are beginning to come back around.

Here the sculptural quality of the house brings attention to a geometric sculpture.

We continue around the building.

A closer view of the windows to the bedroom and kitchen.

A little further.

This is the main patio at dusk with landscape lighting.

This image is heading in an opposite direction from our start, looking into the living room with the addition of another sculpture.

Going further.

The door off of the kitchen.

The delightful view of the kitchen patio and the area off the bedroom.

Here we see the dramatic outdoor lighting and the movement of the sculpture to the corner of the bedroom and bathroom.

A better look.

Here we get the full effect of the use of landscape lights used to integrate the house together as a work of sculpture. Blue is infused in all the colors. Yet the underlying warm colors mute the coolness of the blues.

The full effect of the strong colors against the grass and white of this view, brings us into the house.

Here we get a look at the living room through the patio doors. The doors are meant to fold up wide to bring the outdoor area in. Yet the bright, epoxy floors not only spotlight the colors and shapes of the furniture, but also provide a separation between other places in the house and outdoors.

We get a view from inside the living room. Notice the beanbag chair? After all, this is Mid Century Modern Groovy!

Classic chairs and table.

Here we get a more inclusive view of the living and dining room.

We get to see into the kitchen and the window to the outside as well as the door to the kitchen patio.

This is the bathroom. To the left is the door that goes out to the main patio. We saw the door to the bathroom, door off the dining area to the left. The door on the right goes to the bedroom.

The bathroom again, this time we see a reflection of the furniture on the main patio.

The bedroom with yellow bed.

The bedroom again looking at the closet.

A view of the kitchen looking into the living room.

Back outside with the violet light shining on the bathroom wall.

The main patio with the globular sculpture accented by a strong yellow light suggesting primary colors.

The addition of a green accent lamp.

Highlighting the sculpture at the southeast corner of the house.

A full look at the bathroom from the location of the shower.

This completes this tour of Miley’s Tiny House. This house is less than 400 square feet, yet the open nature of the access to the house from the exterior makes it seem much larger. As repeated frequently in this tour, the house has a modern sculptural design that uses color and other architectural elements to blend the parts into a whole. The long windows that mimic the doors establishes a cohesive vertical flow around the house. Although different, strong colors are used, those differences bind them to the design as well as section areas apart. This house would not be the same without the use of color in the locations designed for them. Possibly a different combination could be used, but the use of color is essential. A contemporary beige or grey would look dreadful. For me, this is just too good to design a structure that must use color over neutrals. How Mid Century Modern groovy of me!

Howard Bosler

https://www.midcenturymoderngroovy.com