Secondary Backyard Homes: A Housing Solution

Whether they are called accessory dwelling units, backyard cottages, granny flats or in-law suites, these secondary backyard homes are becoming a popular choice for housing family members.  If you need to house aging parents, adult children or displaced in-laws, a small secondary home on your property could actually be cheaper than renovating a basement or attic for living.  As long as your city’s zoning regulations allow backyard building, it may be the perfect option for you.

Secondary Backyard Homes

It’s becoming more common these days for middle-aged adults to be caring for both their aging parents and kids due to a large aging population and a generation of young adults that are struggling to achieve financial independence. According to Pew Research Center, 47% of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting an adult child.

 

Creating a small backyard home for an elderly family member provides the option of customizing the home.  It can be fitted with specialized flooring, security features, and grab rails if needed.  It’s also easy to maintain due to the small size and still gives the person a sense of independence.

MODS Tiny Container House Design

 

If you are interested in a secondary small home on your property, contact us today.  We can easily design and build a home to fit your exact needs, whether it is a tiny house, standard MODS unit or customized home.

Amazing Tiny House Vacation Rentals

Are you interested in living in a tiny house?  Before you begin the downsizing process, check out one of these amazing tiny house vacation rentals!

US Tiny House Vacation Rentals

Caravan

Caravan is the first Tiny House Hotel in the United States.  It’s located in the heart of the Alberta Arts District in Portland, Oregon.  Visitors are able to experience what it’s like to stay in a beautiful, custom-built tiny house.

tinyhousehotel.com

Caravan Tiny House Hotel

Fireside Resort

Fireside Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming features gorgeous, rustic 240 square foot cabins.  It’s located just minutes from the slopes and includes full kitchen, fireplace, and a furnished deck.  They are also pet friendly!

firesidejacksonhole.com

Fireside Resort Jackson Hole

Charming Shotgun Cottage Uptown

This 400 square foot tiny house is located on a quiet street in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The house boasts a private backyard, Jacuzzi tub, and is only ten minutes from the French Quarter.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/369715

Shotgun Cottage

Silo Studio Cottage 

This charming little cottage is located in Tyringham, Massachusetts.  It’s situated on four acres of land that includes gardens, a lily pond, streams, and a two acre woods with walking path.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/1238125

Silo Studio Cottage

Seattle Mini House

This 285 square foot tiny house is located just 6.5 miles from the heart of downtown Seattle.  It has its own private back patio and yard space.  The house has been featured in the New York Times, various magazines, blogs, and television shows.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/435900

Seattle Mini House

Pirates of the Caribbean Getaway

This tropical themed house in Topanga Canyon, California is located right in the heart of the canyon.  There are waterfalls and ponds around the property.  Only a 15 minute drive to Santa Monica and 30 minutes to LAX airport.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/507927

Pirates of the Caribbean House

Bayside Bungalow

Enjoy a beachfront getaway while trying out tiny living.  This tiny house is hand built and located in a rural area just minutes from downtown Olympia.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/717914

Bayside Bungalow

Tiny Texas House

This Victorian style tiny house is located in Canyon Lake, Texas.  It features vintage stained glass windows, antique woods and trim.  There is also a patio with gas grille and hot tub.

www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p261589vb

Tiny Texas House

Drifting Cottage

Drifting Cottage is located in Savannah, Georgia in the Baldwin Park Historic District.  There is a private patio surrounded by lush landscaping.  There are two full beds in the loft, so it can easily accommodate four guests.

www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p398727vb

Drifting Cottage

Portland Cottage

Just a few blocks from the historic Mississippi district in Portland, Oregon, this tiny house offers full amenities and ultimate comfort.  There’s a full kitchenette, gas fireplace, and even a small laundry room.

www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p425714vb

Portland Cottage

Wood Cliff Cabin

Wood Cliff Cabin is a hand-built, secluded four-season retreat.  It’s perched on a cliff, 80 feet above a mountain stream.  There is a full equipped kitchen, deck, and an adjacent bath house with a sauna.

www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p306623vb

Wood Cliff Cabin

Parisian Victorian Cottage

This tiny Colorado Springs cottage is the perfect place for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.  It’s decorated in soft whites, creams, and pinks with Parisian Apartment style decor.  There is also a beautiful garden and patio.

www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p252548

 Parisian Victorian Cottage

International Tiny House Vacation Rentals

Endémico Cabin Hotels

These tiny cabins are staggered among boulders on a secluded hill in the Valle de Guadalupe region of Baja California.  Each cabin has an unobstructed view of the valley as well as a private wooden terrace.  Even though the location is remote, there is an onsite pool, restaurant, and bar.

hotelendemico.com

Hotel Endemico

Aroma(n)tica Tree House in Monferrato

You can experience tree house living with panoramic views, a garden, and a swimming pool if you are looking for a place to stay in Monferrato, Italy.  The tree house is located behind a mansion that you can have access to for amenities as well as a wine cellar.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/880308

Treehouse Tiny House

Cave house La Chumbera, Granada

The Cave House is located in the scenic, traditional town of Monachil, Spain, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.  The property has two fully equipped caves with private terraces for breathtaking views overlooking the town.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/490483

Cave House

Container Forty-Five

Build from a 45 foot shipping container, Container Forty-Five is a sustainable 340 square foot home with amazing views across the Cornish countryside.  It’s located in Penzance, United Kingdom.

tinyhousevacations.com/property/container-forty-five

Container 45

Hebridean Earth House

This secluded, earth bermed cottage in Scotland has the most extraordinary views from its large lounge windows.  It’s also just a mile from the beach.

tinyhousevacations.com/property/hebridean-earth-house

Hebridean Earth House

Hotel Montego Bay Beach Village

The Hotel Montego Bay Beach Village is located in Morjim, India.  It’s on a beautiful white sand beach and guest accommodations include log cabins, beach villas, and a larger guest house.

montegobaygoa.com

Hotel Montego Bay Beach Village

Camping Zeeburg

Besides tents and camper placements, Camping Zeeburg in Amsterdamn has comfy eco-cabins and colorful wagonettes to rent.  There is a nearby swimming pool and a restaurant onsite.  Travelers from all over the world will enjoy the open and friendly atmosphere.

campingzeeburg.nl

Camping Zeeburg


If you are interested in building a tiny house for your main residence or for a vacation home contact MODS International.

Multipurpose Furniture for Small Spaces

Multipurpose Furniture for Small Spaces

Using multipurpose furniture is an excellent idea when you don’t have much space to work with.  Here are a few great furniture options for your small space.


Staircase Drawers

Staircase drawers are very popular in two story tiny houses.  It’s a great place to keep shoes, books, tools, and anything else that you need a small space for storage.  Staircase drawers are a great DIY project and an excellent way to create that extra storage space you need.

Staircase Drawers


Folding Table

This fold down table from Ivy Design comes disguised as a blackboard, magnet board, mirror or painting. It’s sturdy and has enough space for five people. It eliminates the need to have a stand-alone table taking up space in the middle of a room.

Folding Table


Hidden TV

A TV isn’t a real space hog, but when you have little space to work with it can be difficult to find a spot to dedicate to a television. This DIY idea solves that problem. Mounting the TV to the inside of a coffee table is simple and all you have to do is pull out the cord and plug it in.

Hidden TV


Ironing Board Mirror

This ironing board mirror by Aïssa Logerot is an awesome idea. It’s a full length mirror, but when you tilt it horizontally it locks into place and becomes an ironing board.

Ironing Board Mirror


Folding Chair Ladder

A step ladder is a useful object to have, especially in a small home where use of vertical space is extremely important. This chair from Stonewall Kitchen can be transformed into a step ladder in one simple step.

Folding Chair Ladder


Pet House Side Table

Finding room for pets’ belongings when you don’t have many square feet to work with can be hard, but they still deserve to have their area. There are many options out there for dual purpose pet houses, so it’s easy to find one that fits in with your décor. Here are two examples: a modern walnut side table for dogs up to 25 pounds and a small wicker side table for cats.

Dog Bed Side TableCat House Side Table


Coffee Table with Ottomans

A coffee table often takes up valuable space in a small living room. If you are going to have one it’s important that it serves multiple purposes. This coffee table comes with two ottomans that go underneath the table and can be used for seating and storage. There is also a storage area that can be used for books, magazines, and electronics.

Coffee Table With Ottomans

Decorating and furnishing a small house or apartment can be a challenge, but can also be fun! Creating hidden storage areas and utilizing space saving furniture will help you live large in your small space.


Contact MODS International

Creative Shipping Container Uses

Creative Shipping Container Uses

Shipping containers are an excellent building material due to their strength and ability to be easily customized.  This is why they are being used for all sorts of creative builds other than just housing.


Playgrounds

Who didn’t love building awesome forts out of objects they found around the house as a kid?  It only makes sense that used containers are being utilized to build really awesome playgrounds around the world such as Skinners Park in Melbourne, Australia.  It was created using four containers and even the railings, overhangs, and balconies are made from parts of used containers.  Another unique playground sits in the center of the recently created Downtown Container Park in Las Vegas.  Here a shipping container has been converted into a 30 foot tall tree house with three different slides.

Skinners Playground

Downtown Container Park Playground

Swimming Pools

Shipping containers can easily be converted into the perfect pool.  The dimensions (20 or 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet deep) create an ideal swimming pool size.  The container can also simply be buried in your backyard to create an in ground pool.

Inground Shipping Container Pool

Shipping Container Pool

 Art

It takes quite a bit of creativity to turn shipping containers into a work of art.  “Trade Deficit”, located in Denver, was created by fusing together four containers to represent the area’s industrial past and the vertical expansion of the city.  Spanish graffiti artists Pichi&Avo, created a large canvas out of stacked shipping containers.  The breathtaking result was featured at a festival in Belgium.

Shipping Container Sculpture

Shipping Container Art
Advertising

Shipping containers are also a great tool for clever advertisements.  For Power Smart Month in British Columbia, BC Hydro used two containers to promote energy efficiency at home and in the work place.  People passing by could see into the containers to compare the energy consumption of two different users and gained tips on how to be more efficient with energy use.  Nissan used a shipping container to promote its new Armada SUV.  An armada was placed into a container and set up in densely populated areas such as Times Square and South Beach Miami.  The reactions of people passing by were used in the TV ad.

Shipping Container Ad

Shipping Container Ad

 

Contact MODS International 

Are Tiny Houses Going Mainstream?

Are Tiny Houses Going Mainstream?

The tiny house movement not only has the internet abuzz, it has now invaded your television.  It’s not surprising that television networks are eager to be involved after seeing the success of tiny house blogs, videos, and documentaries.

Kirsten Dirksen has been blogging and creating YouTube videos about self-sufficiency, simple living, and tiny houses for years.  Her YouTube videos have had over 100 million views.  One of her most popular videos is a full-length documentary called We the Tiny House People she released in 2012.  For five years, Kirsten traveled around the world filming segments about tiny houses and the people that live in them.  The result is a wonderful in-depth look at an assortment of tiny houses and why people choose this lifestyle.

Other filmmakers have followed suit.  Tiny: A Story About Living Small was released in March 2013.  It follows a couple who is trying to build a tiny house on their own, as well as features other families who have downsized their lives to be able to fulfill their dream of living in a tiny house.

Related: Add a home bar to your tiny home.


Tiny Houses on TV

There are now five main television shows that are all about tiny houses.  All five shows are relatively new, premiering within the last year and I’m sure we will be seeing even more tiny house shows in the future.

The very popular Tiny House Nation on FYI is now on its second season.  John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin are renovation experts and the hosts of the show.  They travel across America to show off creative small spaces and the innovative people who reside in them.  They also assist families who are ready to downsize design and construct their dream tiny house.  The show features both luxury and budget residences and anything from an NYC micro-apartment to a caboose car turned into a home.

Zack Giffin from Tiny House Nation

Zack Giffin – Tiny House Nation

Also on FYI, is Tiny House Hunting.  The show is much like other house hunter shows, but focusing on perspective buyers interested in purchasing a tiny house.  Realtors show each potential homeowner three different small residences for them to choose from.  Full-time homes, as well as vacation homes are featured.

HGTV has also joined the tiny house movement.  Tiny House Builders is a new show featuring Derek Diedricksen.  Derek prides himself on building tiny structures around the world that make the most of their surroundings, which means the locations he builds in are some of the world’s most beautiful, but can also be treacherous.

HGTV has two other shows that feature tiny houses.  One is Tiny House Hunters, where potential home seekers view three houses under 600 square feet and then decide if they want to downsize and join the movement or remain in their current home.  The other new show is Tiny House, Big Living.  This show features couples going through the downsizing and tiny house creation process.  Some couples use a builder and some decide to build their tiny house on their own.


Many people view the tiny house movement as just being people living in cute little houses, but it’s so much more than that!  It’s all about the desire to consume less, leave a smaller carbon footprint, and live simply.  Thanks to the hard work of bloggers, film-makers, and mainstream television shows, more people can learn about the true economic and environmental benefits of tiny houses.

Are you ready to join the movement?  We can help make your tiny house dream a reality!  Contact us today!