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Compact Cabins: Simple Living in 1000 Square Feet or Less [Paperback]

Gerald Rowan
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 5, 2010
The setting might be a sparkling lakefront, a cool clearing in the woods, a breathtaking mountaintop, or an expansive beach, but the dream of a modest retreat from everyday life often includes a simple little cabin. In cabin getaways of the imagination, the cares of the world recede, time slows down, and the day’s pace is set by leisure and quiet activities.

Compact Cabins presents 62 design interpretations of the getaway dream, with something to please every taste. Best of all, these small footprint designs are affordable and energy efficient without skimping on comfort and style. The cabins range in size from a cozy 100 square feet to a more spacious but still economical 1,000 square feet, and all include sleeping accommodations, kitchen and bath facilities, and a heat source. Complete chapters on low-maintenance building materials, utilities and appliances, and alternative energy sources supply readers with the options for living efficiently in small spaces.

For every design, readers will find floor plans with detailed suggestions for designing the space for optimal use. These plans are flexible; many feature modular elements that can be mixed and matched to accommodate a particular owner’s needs or hobbies. Features such as an outdoor fireplace, covered porch, or external storage locker might work nicely in several cabin designs. It’s all about enhancing and maximizing small spaces to suit individual needs and preferences.

Build small. In this time of uncertain energy costs, global warming, and tighter budgets, building small is a theme that resonates with second-home owners. Gerald Rowan shows readers how to achieve their cabin dreams on a small footprint.

Frequently Bought Together

Compact Cabins: Simple Living in 1000 Square Feet or Less + Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter + Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts: And Whatever the Heck Else We Could Squeeze in Here
Price for all three: $50.59

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 216 pages
  • Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; Original edition (February 5, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1603424628
  • ISBN-13: 978-1603424622
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.6 x 9.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Some of the designs in the book verge on the vacation-home look, but many are appealing in the way they play with the traditional presentation of a cabin. I was intrigued by the Micro Cabin at mere 162 square feet.” (Lou Ureneck, blogger “From the Ground Up” The New York Times)

About the Author

Gerald Rowan has taught art, ceramics, architecture, and graphic design for more than 30 years. He is currently a visiting professor in the art and architecture department at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He has a strong personal interest in “building small".


Product Details

  • Paperback: 216 pages
  • Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; Original edition (February 5, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1603424628
  • ISBN-13: 978-1603424622
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.6 x 9.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

The book has given us a lot of ideas as we plan to build our small weekend cabin. gturtle  |  27 reviewers made a similar statement
Chock full of great instruction as well. Jay  |  10 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
107 of 108 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Cabin Design Book I Own (out of 20+) May 5, 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As the title says, I own over twenty cabin books. This is by far my favorite design/floorplan book. It has 50+ different designs. The review about it simply being a series of identical designs with "expensive bump outs" and "no use of lofts" apparently didn't look at more than a few designs, nor read the actual text of the book. In the second half, the author addresses adding more floor-space cheaply by using lofts for sleeping areas. There are only a few designs with bump-outs, and if you don't like them, turn the page!

My favorite thing is the way the book is organized, the cabins are arranged in sq/ft. order as you look through the first half of the book, going from just over a hundred feet to almost 1,000 (but most are 600 sq/ft or fewer). Each design gets a floor plan and an elevation (exterior drawing), covering two pages per cabin.

The second half of the book gives excellent overview-level information about green building, energy efficiency, off-the-grid ideas, incorporating garages, RV-concepts, and even a few designs using shipping containers!

There is a great chapter on using modular designed 12' x 12' sections to create a mobile living space, whereby you can truck in your cabin, add to it as you can afford to, and even design your own cabin using 20 or so "modules" that the author pre-designed and included in the book (i.e. 4 bedroom modules, 4 kitchen modules, 4 bathroom modules, living rooms, dining areas, etc.). It's a really fun addition to the book.

This is not a book to go deep into any one subject, but it is an excellent overview for the new reader who wants a LOT of survey-level information on cabin concepts. And the 50 designs rank among my favorites for their creativity and individuality.
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66 of 70 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm glad I ignored the negative reviews. March 30, 2010
Format:Paperback
I considered buying this book on Amazon in 2009, but was dismayed by the negative reviews and so I skipped it over.

Fast-forward to 2010: I was having coffee at a physical book store (one of the major chains) last week and saw this book in the architecture/houses section. This book is LOADED with plans. I have no idea what some of the pre-2010 reviewers were talking about. Of course they're not actual house-plans they are FLOOR PLANS -- and they are highly detailed. That was enough for me, so I bought it on Amazon the following night -- can't beat free shipping and no taxes!

Virtually all of the pages are loaded with high-quality illustrations. The paper material is recycled and has a nice, rustic tan/brown quality to it. The ink is soy-bean based. The binding is solid and above average. If you have a habit of flipping through home-plans books and are dismayed by loose or ripped pages, you'll be very happy with the construction of this book. It's a high-quality, environmentally friendly product.

SO.... if you're looking for some great ideas on how to design a small house, this is perhaps THE BEST book I have found to date. Add it to your shopping cart. You won't regret it. I have bought dozens of home plan books and home-ideas books revolving around the them of "small". This is my favorite. It's one of those books you'll take to bed with you and keep on your night stand.
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47 of 49 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The best micro housing book so far February 13, 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
While recently there have been many books on micro housing this is the best. It is a book on the practical applications of the concept and not some architects exercise in the extreme with no real world applications. Many of the solutions in this book are adapted form the RV camper world. Also there are practical applications of alternative energy and gray water technology. While for most this represents a great way to do a weekend retreat it may also be the future of housing through out the world.

There have been a few reviews stating that this is not a plan book and that is true. There are no true construction plans. The floor plans are small and much like an RV. As a matter of fact much 12v RV technology is listed here. But the book is not intended as a full time living house book. It is a getaway and weekend house book. Though I still think the plans livable for the micro housing movement. Now some of the shapes are yurt like, Hexes, unusual geometry and the like but still very functional.
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55 of 62 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars fire safety a problem September 6, 2011
Format:Paperback
My history? I've lived semi-off-grid for the last ten years. Always been interested in house design. My dad (who wasn't) told me once that the way to look at a design was to see yourself living in it. Sounds good, even if sometimes the end product ends up different.

In the "ONCE WAS ENOUGH" category I'd put waking up with the 'flu in an upstairs bedroom--no bathroom up there. And coming a lot closer than I'd like to being trapped by a fire in a house with one door.

Plenty of instances here. And, I'm sorry to say, some plans make the fire hazards more likely. Fold down tables and pull-out sofas (assuming they are as shown, seats unfolding twice in one direction to form the bed) that, when unfolded, block the door and/or come within inches of a space heater or wood stove.

There is also an assumption that all you need to do for "solar" electricity or water is to toss a couple of panels on the roof, for the electricity stick a couple of batteries somewhere. In two designs "somewhere" is under a shelf inside the house. Generating flammable hydrogen gas.

More annoying than dangerous is a half-height water heater stuck in a corner behind--pick any two--under-counter refrigerator, sink with attached plumbing, or stove which may have an oven. There are good workaround solutions, NOT shown.

But the drawings are inspirational, a good deal of the advice seems OK.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Designing Your Homestead, With Caveats
Let's start with what this book is not. It isn't a catalog of ready-made plans you can buy at Lowe's or by mail order. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Kevin L. Nenstiel
2.0 out of 5 stars not impressed
Forgoing a complaint of cheesy toilet paper pages [ taking the "green factor to new depths] I think I just did . Read more
Published 4 days ago by Robert Paans
4.0 out of 5 stars nice
I found the book interesting, and enjoyed seeing how such small spaces can seem so large. Could have been a little more detailed.
Published 12 days ago by Dennis Stilley
3.0 out of 5 stars Good book for ideas
Great book to get some ideas on how to set your floor plan up and maybe a few ideas on materials you havent thought about yet.
Published 22 days ago by Andrew R Davidson
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Well thought out and doable plans. Can't wait to put them to work.
Published 23 days ago by Carol T
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
I'm only halfway through this book (I've only made it through the section with floorplans) but so far I love this book. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Kristopher
5.0 out of 5 stars Really, really great book.
This guy can draw the heck out of a cabin! I bought this book for some ideas, as I am planning to build an office in my backyard. I love some of the very smallest plans in here. Read more
Published 1 month ago by jeremy hill
3.0 out of 5 stars Wishing I could love it more
This book has a lot of ideas that the average person could afford. It was so nice to find a book that had traditional style cabin plans - and so many! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Liesl A. Schick
3.0 out of 5 stars lack of detail
This book has some really nice floor plans, but does not make plans readily available to buy. Still it is very interesting.
Published 1 month ago by BRYAN
4.0 out of 5 stars Small is better!
I really like this book, would like a few more ideas on different plans & designs, can not find quite what I am looking for, but this book has very good information & details.
Published 2 months ago by Pattypat
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