Ariana's Tiny House

On the Move

For when the house has to be moved, a checklist exists what has to be unplugged, tied town or relocated to be safe to travel. 

Basic Configuration

Arianas TinyHome is a Tumbleweed Elm Equator 26' with 2 Lofts.

Dimension	Metric	Imperial
Length	~8.0 m	~26 ft 3 in
Width	~2.60 m	~8 ft 6 in
Height	~4.0 m	~13 ft 1 in
Center aisle width	~1.10 m	~3 ft 7 in
Loft ceiling height	~1.20 m	~3 ft 11 in
Floor space – lower level	~18 m²	~194 sq ft
Floor space – lofts	~14 m²	~151 sq ft

Towing requires a 1-ton truck, roughly a mid-size heavy-duty pickup (e.g. Ford F-350 or similar class vehicle).

Ariana's model is set up for short-term off-grid use: water tank (rainwater collection possible), stove/oven and refrigerator can run on either electricity or propane, propane fireplace, composting toilet. Gray water (dishes/shower/washing machine) can be held in a small tank and disposed of at a campsite hookup or — if biodegradable products are used (the only kind kept on board) — released in nature. A washer/dryer combo is located under the stairs to the axle-side loft. A solar-panel and battery combination provides off-grid electricity. 

Heating is provided by a propane fireplace stove located below the ladder to the porch-side loft.

Lighting consists of LED elements built into the ceiling and loft beams.

Ground Floor

Floor Plan

Furnishings – Ground Floor, Right to Left

The Outside

Six flower boxes decorate the windows when the house has reached its temporary destination. In addition, Ariana owns a ballet bar she can attach to the side of the house to get some training in, no matter where she is. 

Porch / Terrace

A small rain-protected area in front of the entrance door, covered by the rear loft. There is room for one (rocking) chair on. On each porch post hangs a Bryn Mawr owl lantern with light blue glass panes. 

Entrance Area / Dining Table

Two benches face each other between the front wall and the start of the kitchen counter / refrigerator. They have seat cushions, and the bench boxes provide storage — including Ariana's camping gear and thermal clothing.

The dining table consists of a tabletop that can be pulled up by ropes to just below the ceiling (i.e. the underside of the porch-side loft floor) and secured there. Four long legs can be clicked on to bring it to dining table height, or four short legs to keep it at bench height, in which case the seat cushions can be folded out to create an additional sleeping space for two people.

Note: The door is currently still blocked when the table is lowered, as it opens inward.

Kitchen Area

Kitchen – Left Side

On the left side of the entrance: the kitchen counter. Two-burner cook top with oven below. Two magnetic strips on the wall behind the cook top hold kitchen knives and magnetic utensils (ladles etc.). Next to the cook top: a section of work surface with two deep drawers for dishes and supplies.

Next to the work surface is the kitchen sink, with pull-out drawers below for the dustbin, cleaning products, dish cloths etc. The sink can be covered with a wooden board for additional counter space. Window above the sink. Above the cook top and work surface: two shelves with rubber band guards, holding frequently used staples such as coffee, muesli, and tea. Under the lowest shelf, Ariana has mounted a metal strip from which magnetic spice tins hang. On the work surface: a portafilter espresso machine.

Dishes and cutlery are typically held in sets of 5, gathered eclectically from flea markets. Notable items include Pac-Man cooking spoons and a game console kitchen towel.

Kitchen – Right Side

Across from the cook top and oven: the refrigerator, which can also be switched to propane operation. Above the fridge, between fridge top and loft floor: additional pantry storage — usually a box of granola bars and beef jerky ready to grab on the go. Several Doctor Who fridge magnets decorate the outside. Inside: two fridge critters that greet you when the door opens, but grow increasingly annoying if you leave it open too long.

Middle Section

Looking from the kitchen area toward the back (toward the Sanctum or the bathroom) and upward: on the front beam of the rear loft hangs a framed embroidery piece with LED lighting.

Middle Section – Left

Behind the kitchen counter is a utility / broom closet. Inside: the water heater / tankless boiler and the gas canister. The remaining space holds cleaning supplies, broom, dustpan, rags, buckets, toilet paper etc. On the inside of the door is a shoe organizer where Ariana stores her shoes.

Middle Section – Right

On the side of the refrigerator: a ladder leading up to the porch-side loft (Ariana's sleeping area). Across from the ladder: stairs leading up to the axle-side loft (the 'living room'). Under the stairs: shelves holding towels, laundry detergent etc., as well as the washer/dryer combo — that makes the whole house wobble during the spin cycle.

Bathroom – Rear Left

A small bathroom with corner sink, composting toilet, and shower stall. Above the sink: a mirrored medicine cabinet recessed into the wall of the house. Ariana has applied a range of space-saving solutions here as well, such as shower items hung from clip hooks.

Sanctum – Rear Right

The Sanctum is just over 1 m (~3 ft 3 in) wide and approximately 2.30 m (~7 ft 7 in) long — slightly wider at the built-in shelf next to the axle-side window. The small room has two windows: one facing the axle side, one facing the side of the house.

To the left of the window: a factory-installed three-shelf unit. As elsewhere, Ariana has strung two rubber bands horizontally across each shelf to keep books from falling out while travelling.

Below the lowest shelf and the axle-side window, a desk is spanning the full width of the room. In front of it: a rolling office chair. On the desk, in the room's corner, stands a small rose bush in its self-watering, light-seeking pot holder.

Along the entire length of the side wall below the side window: a shelf roughly as tall as the desk, approximately 40 cm (~16 in) deep, with square compartments holding Ariana's tools and electronics components in baskets and plastic boxes. Also serves as additional work and storage surface.

On all four walls hangs a pixel display, ready for use in rituals. Along the baseboard-floor edge, an LED strip forms a pre-configured ritual 'circle' that also encompasses the shelving.

The room is closed with a heavy curtain rather than a door.

Upper Floor / Lofts

Floor Plan – Lofts

(See loft floor plan — both sides: Queen bed + Storage, centre: Open to below)

Lofts – General

Both lofts can only be entered while crouching, but allow upright sitting on low furniture.

Both lofts have railings facing the open central area and two small built-in (night)stands in the corners at each end wall.

Between the loft floors and the start of the roof slope: several elongated windows, providing light and ventilation. 

Between the Lofts

Ariana has hung her yoga mat on two hooks here to keep it out of the way. It can be raised and lowered via a rope hooked to the ladder. Two skylights provide roof access and additional natural light. 

Porch-Side Loft – Ariana's Area

Accessible via the ladder on the side of the refrigerator. At the end of the loft: a small pointed arch window. Beneath it: a queen-size mattress with a small built-in night stand on each side.

Directly in front of the railing on the interior side of the loft: a square-compartment shelf, flush with the top of the railing, where Ariana's everyday clothing is stored in baskets — also providing additional visual privacy. When the house is stationary, two Pac-Man decorative lamps sit on top of the shelf.

Axle-Side Loft – Living Room

  

(Note: the photograph does not fully represent Ariana's model, as the ceiling in the porch-side loft area is higher and flatter in her version.)

Accessible via stairs, with an additional landing platform above the broom closet — so access goes around a corner. In front of the axle-side window lies a colourful futon, half-rolled up to serve as a sofa — the rolled portion acting as a backrest. The sofa is decorated with a pillow and two throw blankets. 

On the corner ledge above the broom closet: a chest for storing additional equipment or out-of-season clothing. Next to it: stacked woollen blankets for overnight guests or extra cushioning. Several flat sitting cushions are stored on top. 

In one of the built-in night stands: a stack of old repair manuals for various car models. On the left night stand: a Tetris lamp; on the other: a lava lamp.

Towing Vehicle

A Ford F-350 Platinum DRW Heavy Duty 1.5-ton truck with Crew Cab (rear seat). Largely standard configuration with 5 seats. It runs on (bio-)diesel.

Ariana has since acquired a truck cap for the truck's bed, allowing her to use it for additional storage.