Tiny houses full of love
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?
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 for 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 present from his sister-in-law was an offer to mind the children while they were all in Auckland, so the couple could have a night away. The couple’s wedding anniversary is on January 6and the 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. Most often, however, bloggers say there are always times when the children are away and the adults have the space to themselves.
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.’’