The Carwyn design

So to make a long story short since I was a teenager I had a knack for designing spaces, but I never attempted to turn it into a career because I was afraid I would no longer have fun doing it. Well now with the tiny houses on wheels I discovered recently I can use that talent to help others see what can be done with such a tiny space. My first venture of a design is a family house I call the "Carwyn", which can house a family with up to three children (maybe four or five if you really like to live cramped).

Loft Rooms
My thoughts with this to maximize head space is to build a flat roof, and if it is necessary in colder climates with snow you may have to shovel it off on an occasion.  With the children's room I would make the twin beds fold up into the wall, by doing this you can allow for play space. Much of the spaces are made so there is some privacy for everyone even though it is small. I personally grew up in a house where all the kids had their own room, but our rooms were big enough for our bed a closet and a few of our things and I was quite happy to have my own space. One feature I added for the adult bedroom is the shelves to put books and maybe a small flat screen TV for unwinding from the kids, cause as any parent I know will say they just need some time to themselves.

 Living Room/Bedroom
 The wall  in the living room/bedroom is entirely one shelving unit built in with a fold down twin bed, which I figure if you can build the rest of the frame work for a house on wheels this will be easy. (I will post at a later time different ideas on how to design a wall like this) One thing I would factor in is that there is little room for a couch or chairs and if you let your kids watch TV on an occasion then I would lower the TV on the entertainment center because everyone can sit on the floor and you want it at eye level. This might be a place where you would want to invest in a nice cushy rug so sitting is comfortable for the adults and children have a nice place to play when weather does not allow for them to run free outdoors.

Bathroom/Laundry
One idea I liked very much that I have seen in other designs is you have to step into the shower to use the toilet, so this definitely saves space and a wrap around shower curtain can keep the toilet and entry dry. I also put in a washing machine (I figure a family with kids is going to need one) and linen closet, but I used the dimensions of my portable washing machine (those ones that roll and hook up to the kitchen sink) which is small and can be converted to stationary. I also hang up all of my cloths (indoors too because I live in an area I cannot hang outdoors) to dry because it saves on electricity and it saves on the wear and tear on the clothing. I put up shower curtain rods in my hallway and hang all the cloths on hangers and for linens I have a short line hung up to hang them with cloths pins, also I use a fan hanging nearby to assist in drying.

Kitchen
This space can be minimized a lot and I have a design below to give you an idea. The only thing that is not in the design is a pull out pantry which many "up scale" kitchens are using now and I thought was a good space saving device. Also I would put in a table that folds down from the wall so there is open space for the kids to play when the kitchen is not being used.

So as you can see the kitchen is fairly self explanatory, although what is not shown is the space to the left of the sink where you can put a dish drainer and extended cabinets all the way over to the pull out pantry you can see on the main design. I would also get a top for the stove and the sink so I could use that space for food prep. I put in a decent size fridge since kids tend to eat a lot and if you don't keep it cluttered a trip to the store once a week should be sufficient.  I and my daughter also do not drink lots of soda, juice, or other drinks so our huge fridge looks sparse most of the time, so I am going on this to gauge what is a necessary space for keeping cold things.

Outdoor Space
One feature that I do not have on the design that I would recommend for any family with children is if the house is usually stationary then build an enclosed porch where you can put a table and have more space for the kids to play.  I know that many people who have camping trailers in a more permanent spot do this too and it is such a convenient thing to have.

*Just to be proper and everyone knows that I am in no way a professional at this, so please consult one if you have no idea how to build anything.