If you are embracing a minimalist lifestyle and are obsessed, like I am, with tiny homes, small spaces and living with less, this post will definitely be of interest to you. After all these years working in design and helping clients declutter and organize their lives, I know that less definitely gives you more. More freedom, more relaxation, more control.
Just over a year ago we moved to a new area in north end Halifax. A few months later I was out for a walk and decided to take a new route to explore the neighbourhood. I spotted a lot beside an existing house under construction. There was a sign that named a company called Sprout Dwellings as the builder.
It was their tagline “We’re up to something small” that immediately caught my eye. I pulled out my phone and looked them up online at https://www.sproutdwellings.com/ and became totally obsessed with what they were creating. I drove or walked by that lot nearly every week to follow the progress. I couldn’t stop thinking about getting inside for a peek at this tiny dwelling.
In mid April of this year, I was finally granted a viewing with Erin and Sean just as they were finishing up construction. I was so excited it was all I could think about for days. It was such a pleasure to meet with them and learn more about their idea for affordable, sustainable housing that can function as a backyard suite, cottage or even a permanent residence.
Their system is turnkey and as their website says, “is repeatable and modular” thereby saving on construction time and costs. They offer four different layouts including a studio, back bedroom, side bedroom, or two bedroom. You choose one of three finish packages including Scandinavian, mid century modern or vintage.
The 580 square foot design that I was invited to view is quite ingenious. There is certainly no wasted space. I was immediately trying to figure out how we could live in the space and how I would design our storage solutions. I have concluded that two people who intend to make one of these sprouts their full-time residence would probably need to go for the two-bedroom unit. After all, we do have some stuff.
Now . . . all we need to do is find someone who wants to sell or lease us a piece of land on their property somewhere in Nova Scotia to build our very own sprout dwelling. Any takers?
I know we are not alone in our quest to live tiny so please share this blogpost on your social media pages.