As we work on our fourth wee building, I've had a number of people ask me if I wish we had built bigger to begin with. For a number of reasons, the answer is a resounding, "No!"
1. Taking one step at a time. When you're building yourself, keeping things on the smaller side is more manageable. No second stories. No massive walls to erect. No vast hauls of materials. Building anything from start to finish can be an overwhelming prospect, why make the build longer and harder than it needs to be?
Our philosophy: figure out what we really need/want and build just that. For us, at first, it was a 10x16' freestanding screen porch, so we could flex our building muscles, hone our design ideas and have a place to rest and eat while we worked on the bigger house. Then came a house with what we needed for everyday living: a bedroom, living/dining room, kitchen and bathroom. Only after those were in place, did we prioritize having a guest space and dedicated office. After that came a better place for storing tools and working on future projects.
2. Paying as we go. Instead of a massive project, requiring a loan, we financially bit off each installment project as we went along—with each building paid for completely before starting the next.
3. Embracing variety. Each building has its own purpose and personality. As the mood strikes, we settle down in the right spot at the right time. Quiet time to write? I move down to The Clubhouse. Taking a beer brake from building? We favor the screen house. Cold, blustery night? Time to light a fire in the woodstove of the main house and cook some soup. Where's Bill right now? Using the saw to cut some trim outside the shed.
4. Living outdoors. We like to spend much of our time outside, so moving between buildings is a pleasure rather than a burden. We love walking the path we constructed between the screen house and The Clubhouse. We love sitting around the firepit in the slate-paved "room" between the main and screen houses. After a session in the vegetable garden, I can plop down for a rest on the porch of the shed. These buildings, with all their windows and doors and paths and stairs and decks, keep us well-connected with the beautiful outdoors. We're fortunate enough to live at the edge of a forest on the side of a mountain, and these buildings complement this space.
5. Keeping the adventure going. New projects spark new ideas and keep us adapting to new challenges. No, we aren't going to cover this land with endless tiny buildings, but we've really enjoyed (even on the hard days!) learning new skills and trying out new designs. Rather than start another build at this point, we're planning to work on small projects and improving the spaces we already have. (Pizza oven, anyone?)
1. Taking one step at a time. When you're building yourself, keeping things on the smaller side is more manageable. No second stories. No massive walls to erect. No vast hauls of materials. Building anything from start to finish can be an overwhelming prospect, why make the build longer and harder than it needs to be?
Our philosophy: figure out what we really need/want and build just that. For us, at first, it was a 10x16' freestanding screen porch, so we could flex our building muscles, hone our design ideas and have a place to rest and eat while we worked on the bigger house. Then came a house with what we needed for everyday living: a bedroom, living/dining room, kitchen and bathroom. Only after those were in place, did we prioritize having a guest space and dedicated office. After that came a better place for storing tools and working on future projects.
2. Paying as we go. Instead of a massive project, requiring a loan, we financially bit off each installment project as we went along—with each building paid for completely before starting the next.
3. Embracing variety. Each building has its own purpose and personality. As the mood strikes, we settle down in the right spot at the right time. Quiet time to write? I move down to The Clubhouse. Taking a beer brake from building? We favor the screen house. Cold, blustery night? Time to light a fire in the woodstove of the main house and cook some soup. Where's Bill right now? Using the saw to cut some trim outside the shed.
4. Living outdoors. We like to spend much of our time outside, so moving between buildings is a pleasure rather than a burden. We love walking the path we constructed between the screen house and The Clubhouse. We love sitting around the firepit in the slate-paved "room" between the main and screen houses. After a session in the vegetable garden, I can plop down for a rest on the porch of the shed. These buildings, with all their windows and doors and paths and stairs and decks, keep us well-connected with the beautiful outdoors. We're fortunate enough to live at the edge of a forest on the side of a mountain, and these buildings complement this space.
5. Keeping the adventure going. New projects spark new ideas and keep us adapting to new challenges. No, we aren't going to cover this land with endless tiny buildings, but we've really enjoyed (even on the hard days!) learning new skills and trying out new designs. Rather than start another build at this point, we're planning to work on small projects and improving the spaces we already have. (Pizza oven, anyone?)