Romance is alive and well in a tiny house
It’s Valentine’s Day and the media would have us believe that everyone is coupling up (not true). But how does that work in practice in a tiny house? Is there even room for romance when you have a family?
Couples who live in a tiny house know all about intimacy in all its forms – tiny house cohabitation has been likened to a ‘‘relationship bootcamp’’.
Francois Guittenit of Le Workshop lives in a tiny house in Napier with wife Sarah-Lee and three young children, who are being home schooled.
He admits there are privacy challenges within a tiny house, but these are offset by the benefits.
‘‘There’s not much time with just the two of us,’’ he says. ‘‘The kids are always around, but we do communicate a lot, and I think we strike a good balance.
‘‘Just as we try to have quality one-on-one time with each child, so we do for each other. We talk about our feelings and we encourage the children to do the same, especially if something is bothering them.
‘‘If we really want time to ourselves, we go out and exercise, either a run or a bike ride – that’s our together time. And we managed to get a full weekend away together when we went out of town for a half marathon.’’
Guittenit says a recent welcome present from his sisterin-law was an offer to mind the children while they were all in Auckland, so the couple could have a night away.
At this stage he says there is nothing special planned for Valentine’s Day.
The couple’s wedding anniversary is on January 6 each year, when the entire family stays at a friend’s place in the Marlborough Sounds. So they are always in a larger house with their own bedroom.
And living in such close quarters has not dimmed the couple’s enthusiasm for tiny houses – Le Workshop specialises in building them for other people.
Not surprisingly, there is plenty of chatter online about romance possibilities when you live in a tiny house with children.
Reddit users, for example, talk about soundproofing – putting in an insulated wall around that loft bed is one solution.
Most tiny house owners say while it’s not a problem with small children, it is more challenging when the kids are older.
Another New Zealand family living in a tiny house intends to expand. The couple say they will build a second structure when their two infant daughters get older. The new building will become their bedroom and the girls will share the loft.
And that seems to be a common solution on tiny house blogs. Some families go for two tiny houses, one for the parents and a bunk house for the kids, which some might say defeats the purpose of a tiny house.
Most often, however, bloggers say there are always times when all the children are away from the house and the adults have the space to themselves. And, of course, they can always book sleep-overs for the children.
Another comment suggests: ‘‘I get that part of the whole tiny house movement is embracing a level of discomfort, and maybe this is one of those things.’’