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Houzz Tour: Industrial Minihouse in Seattle
An artist transforms a garage into an efficient, open home in 250 square feet in Washington state
Michelle de la Vega's friends call her an "ant person" — a fitting description for a woman who can carry a heavy load despite her petite stature. "The biggest challenge by far with the minihouse was being a single woman who at the time knew nothing about building," she says. "I was acting as my own general contractor, because I couldn't afford to hire one and it wasn't easy to be taken seriously by all the subcontractors I was dealing with."
Her salvation came in the form of a local carpenter she learned to trust. "Eric was a godsend," says de la Vega, an artist and a welder. She adds that she got taken for a ride a few times by a few suppliers, but that in the end, the minihouse enabled her to build a new life. "It's a space that I cherish for many reasons," she says. "It has a very safe and peaceful feeling, and I love it to pieces."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Michelle de la Vega once lived here and now uses it as a vacation house.
Location: South Seattle
Size: 250 square feet
That's interesting: The minihouse will be featured in a book on small homes by Terence Conran in October 2012.
Her salvation came in the form of a local carpenter she learned to trust. "Eric was a godsend," says de la Vega, an artist and a welder. She adds that she got taken for a ride a few times by a few suppliers, but that in the end, the minihouse enabled her to build a new life. "It's a space that I cherish for many reasons," she says. "It has a very safe and peaceful feeling, and I love it to pieces."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Michelle de la Vega once lived here and now uses it as a vacation house.
Location: South Seattle
Size: 250 square feet
That's interesting: The minihouse will be featured in a book on small homes by Terence Conran in October 2012.
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by Ira Lippke
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| De la Vega threw everything she had into the building project. "The way I approached the project reflected my habitual approach to life in general. I’m an artist, so I have a fairly strong sense of what I like," says de la Vega, seen here at the threshold of the minihouse. |
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| Everything about the building and renovation was a challenge for de la Vega, but the one thing that was never a problem for her was vision. "Vision is something that comes naturally for me, compulsively even," she says. The whole building process was a practice in falling off the horse and getting back on a few times over. "But my philosophy is that easy things are rarely worthwhile," says de la Vega. |
by Ira Lippke
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This image shows the sleeping loft and kitchen area and a view into the backyard. "I love to reuse and recontextualize materials and objects. I also love efficiency and openness. I am big on fresh air, ventilation and light, so I designed the window placements for maximum light and crossbreeze," she says.
"The house was also designed for privacy," she adds. "There is only one small, high window on the street side that provides hot-air ventilation in the summer and a shaft of late-afternoon light."
Loft ladder: Pacific Industrial Supply
"The house was also designed for privacy," she adds. "There is only one small, high window on the street side that provides hot-air ventilation in the summer and a shaft of late-afternoon light."
Loft ladder: Pacific Industrial Supply
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by Ira Lippke
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| The sleeping loft is perched above the French door entrance like a cradle swathed with fresh air that comes in from one of three windows. De la Vega likens the resting experience in the loft to sleeping outside in the summertime. "I love the simplicity and efficiency of the house," she says. "It is cozy and open at the same time. It has wonderful light and feels like a haven." Wooden orange box: found at a going-out-of-business Western supply store |
by Ira Lippke
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The fire engine red locker is from United Airlines, which once gave away everything in its employee locker room; de la Vega found it on Craigslist.
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The only square footage added to the property's original footprint was in the bathroom.
by Ira Lippke
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Room was made for a full tub, now bathed in sunlight from an overhead skylight.
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| The industrial feel of the house reflects its proximity to downtown Seattle and the city's industrial resources. Exposed shelves, salvaged boxes and industrial lighting show de la Vega's penchant for repurposing vintage finds. The house is nestled within a culturally diverse area in South Seattle's Top Hat neighborhood, which has become increasingly attractive to artists, artisans and tradespeople. So Your Style Is: Industrial |
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by Ira Lippke
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| The steel Johnson solid sculptures next to the fireplace are original Michelle de la Vega creations. The bins holding the firewood next to the wood-burning stove are salvaged rusty ammunition bins from Pacific Industrial Supply, and the vintage midcentury lamp was found at the local Salvation Army. |
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| The French doors open up to the property's bounty: fruit-bearing trees and raised garden beds. |
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For de la Vega, living spaces inevitably become very personal spaces that embody her personal philosophy. "When people come into a space I inhabit, they usually get a sense of [my attachment to it] right away," she says. "The house also greatly reflects my resonance with simplicity, economy, beauty and reuse of things that were otherwise discarded or thrown away."
De la Vega now uses the minihouse as a vacation house and rents it as an artist's studio. Her next project is a larger house around the corner that she inhabits with her husband — a contractor.
More:
Cabin Studios in the Landscape
Creative Living in 600 Square Feet
Mobile Micro Living in Oregon
De la Vega now uses the minihouse as a vacation house and rents it as an artist's studio. Her next project is a larger house around the corner that she inhabits with her husband — a contractor.
More:
Cabin Studios in the Landscape
Creative Living in 600 Square Feet
Mobile Micro Living in Oregon
Ideabook updated on April 13, 2012.
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My little story (if you don't care best not to read further) I went through a major life overhaul, donating and tossing like a mad woman, kitchenware, furniture, clothes, was making daily goodwill trips for a few weeks. I seriously love having the negative space, and knowing exactly what I have, and where it is when I need it. I have never, looked back and said, "oh, wish I wouldn't have gotten rid of that," not once, even for things I hesitated about letting go of. The point is, we do not need nearly as much as we think we do. The next time you are standing in TJ Maxx with some mass produced picture, or random nick knack, try to imagine still loving it in 5 years, you probably won't, just put it down and walk away.
Knowing the negative health and environmental effects of wood smoke, I hope the wood stove is used sparingly, especially considering the pile of wood stored in the open in the back yard (never burn wet wood).
babyb: I love your story, and I totally agree with your comments about conscious buying.
@babyb-wonderful story which just proves that objects are just "stuff". We are often fortunate to have so many material things but the true unimportance of it all is only realized when it is gone. We all learned that lesson in New Orleans after Katrina.