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Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts: And Whatever the Heck Else We Could Squeeze in Here [Paperback]

Derek Diedricksen
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 1, 2012

This Old House meets Wayne’s World in this zany guide to designing and building tiny homes

 

Derek Diedricksen has always had a love for small, modest houses ever since his father gave him the book Tiny Tiny Houses by Lester Walker for his tenth birthday. Combining his artistic abilities, wild imagination, and his passion for small houses, he self-published Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts, and Whatever the Heck Else we could Squeeze in Here in 2009. This book is a collection of Diedricksen’s creative/imaginative sketches for building small houses, shacks, cottages, and forts.

 

The sketches are accompanied with hand-written commentary, both instructive and comical. Derek’s main purpose is to get your creative juices flowing and encourage you to get off the couch and use your hands. Believing that specific building plans squash creativity, he avoids too many detailed instructions, giving you the chance to put your own creative spin on your very own small abode (even if it is just in your imagination).  


Frequently Bought Together

Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts: And Whatever the Heck Else We Could Squeeze in Here + Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter + Compact Cabins: Simple Living in 1000 Square Feet or Less
Price for all three: $45.72

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for the author's tiny structures
 

"For ingenuity, thrift, and charm, Mr. Diedricksen’s tiny structures are hard to beat.”

—New York Times

 

Praise for Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts
 
"Using salvaged materials and power tools, Diedricksen creates cozy living spaces filled with artistic touches that you would never expect to see in an average trailer or treehouse. He’ll create colorful patterns of blue and green glass circles on a wall by sawing wine bottles in half. He’s been known to incorporate pickle jars into his designs. That round window that looks like a portal on a ship? That used to be the window on a front-loading washing machine. It's Mad Magazine, meets This Old House." --Emily Sweeney, The Boston Globe

"If you like little houses as much as I do, then your friends probably think you're weird. The images and ideas in Deek's book are not only great porn for tiny house freaks like us, but they also serve to show your friends that there is someone out there whose fascination with the subject is even more perverse than yours." --Jay Shafer, Tiny Tumbleweed House Company

 

"Humble Homes... is great book, I really enjoyed it, and its packed with information much like the old Whole Earth Catalog." --Lester Walker (Author of Tiny Houses, and American Shelter)

“I was so wowed by this book. It's awesome. The information is practical and raw, and very unpretentious. The overall feel is so honest and authentic.” --Gregory Paul Johnson- President of The National Small House Society and Resourcesforlife.com

 

“Think: Wayne’s World-meets-‘This Old House’- in book form.” --Jon Kalish- NPR/National Public Radio D.I.Y. Host

 

“Deek brings the element of fun to the tiny house movement. He's obviously having a great time with his life, and his easily accessible drawings will inspire many a reader -- who would otherwise not have done so -- to pick up a hammer and saw and build a treehouse, a fort, a shack, or a solar shower, and realize "Hey, I can do that!" --Lloyd Kahn- Editor of Shelter Publications, and author of Shelter, HomeWork, and Builders of the Pacific Coast

 

"Amazing. This is a must have book for those that appreciate extreme (and wacky) simple solutions! Crammed full of what flows from Derek’s wild imagination, Humble Homes is part comic book, notebook, and alternative living encyclopedia all in one. Hand written and illustrated, virtually every page is crammed full of black and white drawings and notes that describe a vast array of ideas and solutions for simple living."  --Michael Janzen- Tinyhousedesign.com

 

"I would not be surprised if Humble Homes were to become a mini classic of its own within the surprisingly well-organized, and recently more and more in the spotlight, world of "tiny house" enthusiasts. The book reads like a demented Boy Scout's fantasy notebook of plans, and some of the designs are downright cuh-razy, but all in all, there's a lot here to get your own creative juices going. To sum up, the book is a lot of fun, and whets my appetite for future episodes of Diedricksen's “Tiny Yellow House” video series—I can't wait to see more of his off the wall designs come to life! --Katherine Sharpe, Readymade Magazine

 

"Derek’s book is a far cry from anything conventional. Deek aims to inspire with his ideas, ideas that may well earn his book a place in tiny house history. What he ends up doing is reconstructing the mind into accepting what constitutes shelter. Deek’s book is important not so much because it is another entertaining zine produced by an overly creative young person, but because he is both fed by a movement and contributing a large chunk to it with his mind bending, Houdini like acts of radically small, home-built shelters. --Amanda Kovattana- of Déjà Vu Construction (CA)

 

Humble Homes…” explores the possibilities of the small home ~ and is the single craziest, most unique book I have ever seen. It’s like MacGyver and Bob Villa sat down to make a graphic novel but made a catalog for Building 19 instead….all illustrated in a wonderful and crazy style." --Gene Higgins, The Worcester Pulse Magazine  

 

Humble Homes… is a hoot, an education, and an inspiration, crammed with Diedricksen’s designs. The book is obsessively illustrated with wacky cartoon or designs drawings, and is brimming with Yankee ingenuity, junkyard philosophy, and plenty of eye-rolling yucks. The funky energy of Humble Homes… reminds me a lot of Lloyd Kahns “Shelter” books, Malcolm Wells solar architecture books, and other homemade home books from The Whole Earth Catalog." --Gareth Branwyn, Make Magazine

 

"Simply put, if you are the type of person who walks by a pile of curbside junk and thinks “I could make something out of that” - then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!  Derek Diedricksen has put together a comprehensive collection of rather compelling building alternatives, combining his own building experiences with his creative imagination and excellent pen and ink drawing. Even if you never pick up a hammer, Humble Homes is a hugely fascinating journey from beginning to end." --David and Jeanie Stiles, authors of Cabins: A Guide to Building Your Own Nature Retreat and Sheds – The-Do-It-Yourself Guide

 

“Brilliant! I want to write a book like this.  But I can't.  Derek is my new best friend and he doesn't even know me.  He will though, by God. He will...” --Peter Nelson,

Founder of The Treehouse Workshop Inc. and Author of Treehouses of The World

 

"For me, each page of Humble Homes... is a m...

About the Author

Derek (“Deek”) Diedricksen was born and raised in Madison, Connecticut, and is a graduate of Northeastern University. After graduating from college he was a DJ at CBS radio station 104.1 WBCN in Boston. His comic strip, Slugs, not Hugs, has appeared in The Weekly Dig and Soundcheck Magazine


Product Details

  • Paperback: 104 pages
  • Publisher: Lyons Press (February 1, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0762771461
  • ISBN-13: 978-0762771462
  • Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a book that doesn't take itself too seriously January 23, 2012
Format:Paperback
I doubt in 50 years this book will be the anthology of tiny house building or anything of the sort. What I do think it will do though is spark a great deal of imagination and ingenuity towards sustainable living habits, micro-shelters, and tiny houses alike.

Diedricksen went to obvious great pains to think outside of the box all the while encouraging readers to challenge their own notions of how much space one actually needs to live. His sketches are great quality, they are colorful (even in black and white!!!!), and they are instructional. This book is NOT a How-To guide with every precise measurement annotated and documented. It is not meant to be though. It is meant to be a light read on a subject that often takes itself too seriously.

I fully recommend this book to anyone looking to see just what can be done, what has been done, and where there is still more work to be done in the micro-shelter arena!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow- fun, weird, unique, and LOADED with ideas... January 23, 2012
Format:Paperback
Tiny Architecture (something like 50-60 or so cabin, tiny house, shelter, and fort concepts), meets comedy and "Where's Waldo"-Like, incredibly-busy, artwork. Who'd think these three, in combo, would work? They do- and rather well. This is probably one of the more unique/bizarre tiny housing, small spaces and shelters idea books out there. Very eclectic- and reminds me of the old "Whole Earth Catalog". Not full out plans, but pages and pages of cabin creations and concepts.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Kathe B
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Now this is a carpentry book that is totally enjoyable! It allows the reader to learn not only about the possibilities of small house living but also fun retreats designed with their own imaginations sparked by the author's enthusiasm. This would also be a great gift to spark an interest in building or rekindle the love for! Love this book!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Too much doodling
I bought this book hoping to get a lot of information about tiny houses, structures etc. Instead I got WAAAAYYY too much doodling. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Snowyegret
5.0 out of 5 stars Deek's Brilliant
This book has inspired me in ways no other Tiny Home book has. Crazy drawings, creative concepts, fun to read, and makes me want to create my own funky fort. Read more
Published 1 month ago by oxford
1.0 out of 5 stars not hated; not useful
Were expecting several examples of storage and furnishing ideas for a 500 sq. ft. apartment. As we remember this book was a collection of drawings of outsides of unusual small... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Gary Battin
5.0 out of 5 stars Hold On To Your Hat and Your Hammer
There is a lot of literature out there about tiny houses but none as good as this little gem. First of all, it's laugh out loud and fun to read and there is not a mean bone in its... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Nicole D. Entremont
2.0 out of 5 stars I should have known.
I have become interested in small homes for a weekender place but this is way out there. It reminded me of a young boys doodlings to avoid homework. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Honeask
5.0 out of 5 stars This WILL be your Christmas present if you stay on my NICE list!!!!
I have a stack of stuff I'll grab on the way out, if my house ever catches on fire in the middle of the night, This book is in that stack! Read more
Published 2 months ago by JC
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read!!!!
This deserves a 5 star rating because this book is super creative and really inspires one to do one's own dwelling. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Saiis
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and helpful.
I bought this book for my son, who is always trying to design/build something. He is very inspired with the ideas - the simple living style is really appealing!
Published 2 months ago by pc
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Good gift for the person who likes creativity in housing, though I'm not sure I'll ever actually use it. Makes a great coffee table book - starts interesting conversations.
Published 3 months ago by Andi
5.0 out of 5 stars Adds quirk to originality to sense
This book is a brilliant antidote to too much vertical thinking. I don't know of anyone else working like him.
Published 3 months ago by R. E. Rodgers
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