Minim House is a 11’x22′ trailer-based microhome at the MicroShowcase in Washington DC. Designed by Foundry Architects and Brian Levy, and built by David Bamford (Element Design+Build), Tony Gilchriest and Brian, the project sought to reimagine what a tiny house can be, adding livability, streamlining construction, modernizing aesthetics, increasing off-grid versatility, all while keeping costs affordable. The house has won several AIA awards (DC, Baltimore) and has been featured in Dwell, Inhabitat, ABC, CBS, Treehugger, HGTV, Tiny House Design, Tiny House Swoon, Tiny House Nation (TV), Small House Bliss, Gizmag, Urban Turf, and Apartment Therapy. Construction and final pictures with full captions are below. Key space and green features include:
- A 5′ hydraulic pedestal table, designed & built at the Micro Showcase, that can be a coffee table, dining table, or work table depending on height. [see transforming tables]
- A pullout full size natural latex bed [see convertible beds]
- A 5′ walnut desk that opens up to reveal a full sized keyboard inside.
- Cubista 5 in one nesting stool [see compact seating]
- Dickinson marine propane heater and low profile ceramic wall panel heater [see heating ]
- Space efficient combination microwave/convection oven [see micro kitchens]
- Compact full function kitchen [see micro kitchens]
- Off-grid rainwater collection and filtration system [see off grid water]
- Off-grid Incinolet incinerator toilet [see off grid sanitation]
- 960 watt solar array and off-grid electricity system [see off-grid electric]
- Built with highly insulating and easily assembled SIPs (structural insulated panels) prefabricated off site.
As you look at the photos take along the Minim House Tour Guide. Many more details and plans are available on the Minim Homes website.
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Busskipper
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First let me say “WELL DONE” This is a well thought out and a very efficiently designed and finished Space. I am not likely your average follower – Old, Conservative and have lived in Obnoxious, Oversized, Houses, through the years. Your use of the Sips panels is likely the best thing you have done – they give you an R-26 rating on a 2×4 wall and the ceiling is almost R-40 the finish looks superb both inside and out. The floor and the use of the Marine/RV table mounts, was well thought out. A couple of question’s come to mind, why did you not use a Mini Split (LG LS090HYV 9,000 BTU 28 SEER Ductless Heat Pump Air Conditioner @$1,260.00 it is not that much and you could even have it in 24volts to be solar if you wanted, IMHO it would far outlast the wall unit that is installed – added note it would supply both heat and A/C) Next thought is are all the Curtains insulated? If they were and you were to put them in tracks, on the ends, they would help a lot with the heat and the cold of the large glass spaces. I am sure you have given little thought, as to the possibility, of moving but it would appear to me that if you did the main floor at 8’6” you would be able to travel down the road as a real Trailer. (My thought is that you would build just inside the end walls and slide the Couch and Bathroom out when you arrived at your location. The Architect would be able modify and design it for future units) One more last thought – A possible solar awning over the South facing Windows, and Door? Would add to your solar by 50% and truly get you off the grid while giving shade and relief from the Rain.
While the other units are sort of cute – your unit is more practical and has some real appeal to the masses, it also shows a lot of well thought out planning and for that you deserve a BIG pat on the back – GOOD JOB!
To all of you keep up the good work. -
Teresa
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Truly Beautiful and amazing work. IF you would ever move it what is the weight and what kind of vehicle would one need to pull it somewhere??
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Need a truck that can haul up to 14,000 lbs…
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Lisa Dalgliesh Lucas
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Absolutely beautiful! Love love love the roll out bed. I saw that idea decades ago in a studio apartment and kept the clipping all these years. It had not occurred to me to do it in a Tiny Home. Well done.
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Where do you store all the extra stools for the dinner table when they aren’t in use? Do they collapse? This is such a sleek design, much less crowded then the lofts we usually see in tiny homes. And gorgeous kitchen, really, that’s such a nice touch.
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The 5 stools store in the Cubista cube, from Resource Furniture in NYC.
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I really like this one. Where are the batteries placed? Same place as the filtration system?
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Batteries are in the closet floor- they only take up a few square feet…
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Brian
Love following these posts…..I am dreaming of a Minim house of my own when I return from Bali next year. Could you give me the space dimensions in the corner where you have the roll out bed. I know it is a super idea but I would like to know if I could fit an acutal queen bed there (less practical but what I would want) Dimensions would help me keep dreaming.
Thanks, Teresa
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Frances Seaborn
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Hi Brian, your tiny house looks amazing – I love it! I can’t find anywhere what it cost to build though. It would be really interesting to show the costings of each of these tiny houses. Do you have plans of the Minim for sale? I would love to build something like this in Tasmania (Australia). Cheers Frances
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See minimhomes.com for more details 🙂
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Thank you!
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I have seen this home before today and it has been one of my favorites …for use of space and openness but keeping with the tradition Tiny House idea, 🙂
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Katie Gardner
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Brian! Josh just told me about your house and I’ve spent the last hour looking at the pictures. It is amazing!! You should be so proud. Happy 2014 and Best Wishes to you and your community of tiny houses. Katie Gardner
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Rosie
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Is thee any possibility you could source some of the items: SS for the bath, bed mechanism etc?
Really loved looking at the Minim House – gave me some great ideas. I’ve been thinking of getting a larger Studio Shed and some of these ideas will work great for me.
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Hi Rosie, the stainless is custom made, and bed mechanism is a basic platform with casters…
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Anonymous
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Thanks so much. It really is a great project.
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Of all of the tiny houses which I have viewed this one is my absolute favorite. My husband and I have been thinking about building tiny and one of concerns living in Ontario is how a tiny house would be livable in an Ontario, Canada winter. It seems to me that you have solved that problem with the high R values. When you add that to how will the space is organized with a real kitchen it makes the home a winner in my book. I love affordable your plans are as well. The minim looks to be the house for us.
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Love this!
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che
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Hi. Enjoyed the tour this past Sunday. When thinking about using this particular home into old age, is it possible, without too many issues, to make the bed a little taller?
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Yes, though this will make the platform taller.
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Bill & Deepali
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Mind boggling. I hope you are swamped with orders. What I’d love to know is how this entire thing can be priced at $30k?! We wanted to do Rainwater Harvesting for our home and there are only 2 guys in Seattle with the knowhow and they want $30k just for RWH!!! It’s out of our reach. Can you help us connect with a RWH person who can help us out in Seattle? Also, we have a tiny plot that would fit a Minim. We’d need to check with the city to see if we can use this Minim on our plot. Hope to hear from you!!
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I think this recent post on off grid water should help answer your question. Entire system is approximately $1700 off the gutter.
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Anonymous
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I love this design! I’m 55 years old. I want to downsize and simplify my life, I think you have found the way. I have looked at a lot of tiny house plans but yours with the full kitchen, great windows and no loft really appeals to my needs. You probably said how much it costs to build this home but I missed it. Also are your plans available? Thank you.
Peace -
bee knight
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admirable in so many architectural and green ways…concern about pressed plywood with formaldehyde outgassing
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More info on this subject from the manufacturer: http://www.murus.com/faqs
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Phil
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Would you change any details for other climates (hotter/wetter/etc.) ? Love the layout so much easier to access and use everything. I’m 6’4″ and some tiny homes I just wont fit in the loft or under where other shoehorn the kitchen. Kudos to you
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Kareem
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I love the design of your home! The only question I had is can the water filtration and solar power systems be added in at a later date? I’m trying to see what is the rock bottom price I can build this thing for and also trying to reduce weight as much as possible.
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Yes, sure thing, they can be added later.
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Hi Guys! I have been scouring the internet for a tiny house plan that does not have a loft because I am a single mother of a toddler – This is THE BEST and most beautiful option I have found so far – I live in CA and have started to look for a trailer that would work with your plan and wondered what your thoughts were on extending this plan out by 4 ft – Reason being, the little one would need her own roll out bed [twin] and I would need a little more closet space for long hang etc which I didn’t see in the video walk through – Let me know what you think or if you have alternative suggestions- THANKS!
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I am interested to hear how you plan on extending this out. I am also interested in extending this out about 4 feet in order to make the kitchen a bar setup and move it so that the back of the appliances and sink faces the rest of the room. Then I will add bar seating in front of the bar and a beer tap. So when people come over to watch movies or ballgames, they can sit on the bed, couch, or at the bar.Of course I will have to shorten the galley style kitchen but thats ok with me. Are you just going to buy additional SIP panels and extend it that way? Im not asking for detailed plan discussion, just some small comments.
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Don’t have any plans to extend the house. For more info on modifications: http://minimhomes.com/faq/
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Drew
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Love the design but was wondering roughly how high your interior floor is off of the ground you are parked on. Without raising the landscaping like you did it looks like it would be around 2 or 3 feet?
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Yes, about 21” above ground.
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Hello, Brian. We’re building our own micro house on a trailer. We’ve been to your open house and have a couple sourcing questions we hope you can help us with. Your countertops, I believe, are from a local source; could you share that info? Also, your custom metal shower walls. We’d love to know who you used for that, as well. Thanks!
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Most of the suppliers are listed here. Wood is all from Hicksville Planing in MD. I see I forgot to call out the stainless fabricators- sorry I can’t seem to find the contact info for them!
https://microshowcase.com/microdwell/minim-house/#jp-carousel-1959
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joe diggs
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Hey i want this floor plan how much is it and where can i get it
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minimhomes.com
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Sharon
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Can this home be built as is and delivered and at what cost to North Carolina. I am a senior citizen and this could not be more perfect for me.
Fantastic home!
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We are working on completed units- see minimhomes.com to sign up to receive information when these are available. Thanks for your interest.
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Donna C
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Hi,
Love your build, where can one purchase?costs,etc.
Thank you,
Donna-
Minimhomes.com
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Tashina
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Is there a way to purchase? I am very interested. I want to know how much the unit is and how much it would be to get it to ny?
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See minimhomes.com
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Christine K
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Hi Brian,
I’m all the way from Australia here and found your design for the minim house to be amazing, especially your kitchen. I’m writing to ask about your roll out bed. Although it’s a smart idea, I can’t help but feel as if sleeping right next to your kitchen, office, living room and bathroom to be a really busy place. Do you find it difficult sleeping in those conditions? Would you have located it differently, maybe have made a loft for it instead (despite your drinking habits)?
I’m interested to know what you think about it.
Best,
Christine-
It’s typically not too busy with 1-2 people in a micro house. 🙂
After months of design thinking we opted conclusively against the loft, which I have been completely satisfied with. Consider the many downsides of the loft: difficult to get up/down in the middle of the night (potentially dangerous), hot in summer, loud when it rains, hard to make the bed, sexy time more encumbered…
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Roll out bed excellent for elderly who can make it up a ladder or narrow steps.
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