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175-Square-Foot House Is Small in Scale and Big on Style
See how salvaged materials and eclectic decor make this designer’s personal home in Portland, Oregon, feel cozy and warm
With the help of her fiance, family and friends, designer Katie Andersen built this tiny house on a steel trailer specifically designed to handle the weight of a small house. “Technically it’s an RV, so we can move it in the future if we want,” she says. For now, Andersen and her fiance keep the house “parked” on a rented wooded lot in Portland, Oregon. Using mostly salvaged materials for the interiors and an eclectic collection of furniture and decor, this 175-square-foot house might be small, but it’s far from minimalist. “It’s maximalist on a tiny scale,” Andersen says.
The tall cabinet at the end of the kitchen counter is a salvaged piece that’s over 100 years old. All of the cabinet hardware, subway tiles and electrical outlets were also picked up at salvage yards and secondhand shops in the area. “This is the first time I ever laid tile myself; it was a bit of a challenge but I think it turned out pretty well,” Andersen says.
Shop for subway tile on Houzz
Shop for subway tile on Houzz
Andersen had intended to hang the salvaged door separating the kitchen and bathroom like a standard door, but after discovering there wasn’t enough clearance, she converted it into a sliding barn door that tucks discreetly behind a set of tall cabinets.
The white subway tiles with thick black grout lines continue into the bathroom. The floor is covered in small black hexagonal tiles. “I love the stark contrast of the white walls and the black floor,” Andersen says.
She converted an antique table into a vanity with a salvaged porcelain undermount sink. The exposed-bulb light fixtures above the window add a contemporary touch.
She converted an antique table into a vanity with a salvaged porcelain undermount sink. The exposed-bulb light fixtures above the window add a contemporary touch.
Andersen used a galvanized steel horse trough for the base of the shower. The trough can also be used as a bathtub, though Andersen says it’s a bit of a tight fit: “You have to sit in it like a Japanese soaking tub.” A shower curtain hung from refashioned pipes completes the scene.
Andersen’s father built the steel ladder that leads to the lofted sleeping area. The ladder can be removed, making room for the folding table attached to the wall to be lifted up to create a dining area. “We keep two folding chairs in one of the cabinets that we take out for dinner,” the designer says.
The sleeping loft has just enough space for the full-size bed and a pair of vintage nightstands that Macy’s mother found discarded on the side of the road. “It’s definitely a bit snug up there, but we make do,” Andersen says.
Andersen sourced a pair of paneled French doors from a former restaurant — one of them is now the front door and the other she turned into a large window. A vintage chair, small table, kilim area rug and an electric stove combine to create a quaint seating area at the front of the tiny house.
The exterior of the house is covered in cedar shingles that require no stain or other type of weatherproofing. The shingles also provide the classic, coastal look the designer adores. “I grew up along the Pacific Coast and have always loved the look of the shingled cottages common to the region,” Andersen says.
Not long after moving into their tiny house, Andersen and Macy built an outdoor deck that on warm days more than doubles their living area. The outdoor sectional is constructed of old shipping palettes that Andersen painted and then topped with new charcoal gray outdoor cushions.
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More on Houzz
Cool Ideas to Borrow From Tiny Houses
Could You Live in a Tiny House?
Look for an interior designer near you
Shop for outdoor sectionals
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Katie Andersen; her fiance, Austin Macy; and their cat, Charlie
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 175 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Parlour & Palm
The compact space features a small seating area near the entry, a single-wall kitchen, a full bathroom and a lofted sleeping area reached via a custom stainless steel ladder. Andersen and fiance Austin Macy are both “outdoorsy people,” she says, and living in their tiny home has encouraged them to spend even more time outside — “which is just fine by us.”
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