Outbuildings
Great Escape: A Tiny, Off-the-Grid Hideout in the California Woods
Covered in bark and topped by a living roof, this 90-square-foot retreat hides on its California hillside
Looking down from the top of the hill, you won't see this tiny house at first glance. The 90-square-foot structure is tucked on a little ledge overlooking the Pacific Ocean, covered with redwood bark and a living roof to blend in with the coastal California hillside. The clients' main house is higher up the hill, but they wanted designer Alex Wyndham to design a special off-grid place for their teens.
The hideout's folding glass front doors and hinged side walls open completely, exposing the house to cool breezes and the ocean view. "You can watch whales swim by while lying in bed," says Wyndham.
"Usually when you go to a site, you clear the site. Ultimately, it becomes a detriment to the landscape," Wyndham says.
Wyndham seeded the roof with a mix of California poppies, silky lupines, baby blue eyes and several native grasses.
The living roof's native wildflowers and grasses add to the natural habitat for local pollinators. Eventually, the ocean wind will blow the seeds off the roof and spread them down the hillside.
The living roof works with the main house's design, too. "The slope is so steep, and the main house is above," says Wyndham. "A green roof makes it so you can't see the little house very well. It's just a little square of flowers."
More about living roofs
More about living roofs
Salvaged redwood bark covers the structure's walls. A nearby lumber mill had planned on burning piles of the leftover bark from felled redwood trees, so Wyndham snagged the material for free.
The bark acts like a rain screen above the interior plywood walls. Wyndham carefully cut 18-inch-wide pieces from the large slabs of bark, putting them side by side for a continuous, seamless look.
After installing the siding, Wyndham cut the back section of the walls at an angle, installing hinges so the walls can lift up and out for ventilation. When the walls are closed, a peephole in one wall makes for a clear view of anyone coming down the hill.
After installing the siding, Wyndham cut the back section of the walls at an angle, installing hinges so the walls can lift up and out for ventilation. When the walls are closed, a peephole in one wall makes for a clear view of anyone coming down the hill.
Here's a shot of the house in construction. Wyndham oriented it to optimize passive and active solar techniques. The structure faces southwest for a perfect sunset view. The roof overhang and a large nearby tree shade it in the summer. In the winter the house is fully exposed to the sun. The double-pane windows and 5 inches of soil on the roof help moderate the temperature.
The getaway is completely off the grid, lit only by candles at night. Eventually, Wyndham plans to install a simple solar panel and LED lights.
We'd love to see your creative getaway. Please post a picture in the Comments!
Next: More backyard getaways
The getaway is completely off the grid, lit only by candles at night. Eventually, Wyndham plans to install a simple solar panel and LED lights.
We'd love to see your creative getaway. Please post a picture in the Comments!
Next: More backyard getaways