ISSN 2631-326X
MAY 2021
A Tiny Home Made With Love
SPRING PRINT SPRING 2021
ISSN 2631-3251
Spring Print on Sale Now!
Un-tethered Living
Our Spring 32-page issue is available across the UK, mainland Europe and North America at:
www.newsstand.co.uk 01
MAY 2021
Contents Send Us Your Photos!! Are you living in a tiny house, a narrowboat, a studio or other small space? Your story can help inspire others to follow their dreams!
Email us at: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk
An Enchanted Place Too Good to Hide! … Page
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A Tiny Holiday Home – The Home That Can Earn You Money (A Tiny Living Promotion) … Page
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The Enchanting Forest … Page
On the cover: The Hobbit Hideaway in Moray, Scotland
photographed by Kim Fraser.
Published by: Tiny Living Productions Ltd Editor: Pamela Palongue Design by: Gilmour Graphics Email: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk
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An Enchanted Place - Too Good to Hide! Hide! -The Hobbit Hideaway is quite simply, a different world. It sprang from a beautiful dream, that was planted with a seed of hope, that grew into the magical tree called life.
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Some people want to live a different life, while others seem to find ways to actually make it happen. What makes the divergence in those two paths? One difference may be the clarity of the vision itself. Kim Fraser and her partner Mark Thomson, wanted to achieve creative freedom with an ethical and environmentally-friendly business. They have birth children and are also foster carers. So there were probably many excuses not to even start, and lots of opportunities to fail. But Kim saw her dream with perfect clarity… “My vision was of a unique and beautiful holiday home, with a generous dose of imbued magic, that would evoke inner peace and tranquillity. It would blend seamlessly into its natural surroundings…Inside it would be warm and snug. -A place that would make you smile as soon as you entered…” She wanted a round shape, which is a more ancient housing form, and it would be built of natural materials from the earth, with straw. “The round shape would bring people closer and give a sense of being ‘held’ whilst each individual area would be purposely thought out and filled with natural charm.” They knew it would be hard work, but the vision began to take physical shape in the summer of 2018.
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They engaged Sam Edge of Rocket Architects and Hartwyn Ltd, who are specialists in natural building. In addition to the professional builders, the construction of the home, also provided learning opportunities for people interested in the technique of strawbale building. “….We created a pop-up ‘Learning Village’ which consisted of a campsite…with living spaces for Hartwyn’s two natural builders, an apprentice, 11 students, a cook, a photographer and a filmmaker.” -The entire building process was documented in film by Dewi Robert, which you can see by visiting their website at www.hobbithideaway.co.uk Kim and Mark make their home near Aberlour, in Moray, Scotland. They chose the area because of the excellent education available for their children and the natural beauty of the area. But when it came to building the Hideaway, Moray provided the materials for the buildings as well. The straw, clay, stone and wood came from the surrounding area and were in plentiful supply.
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“ My vision was of a unique and beautiful holiday home, with a generous dose of imbued magic, that would evoke inner peace and tranquillity. It would blend seamlessly into its natural surroundings…”
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“ The round shape would bring people closer and give a sense of being ‘held’ whilst each individual area would be purposely thought out and filled with natural charm”
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The design of the roundwood henge that supports the roof adds structural stability to their unconventional build. The walls are constructed of straw bales and clay from the Earth. The home stays warm and snug in the winter and cool in the summer with insulation from Perlite, which is a volcanic rock used on the roof and Glapor for insulating underneath the floor. (Glapor is made from recycled car windscreens) The walls of the structure itself, have been coated with plaster with the exterior walls given an extra coat of lime-wash to protect against rainy Scottish nights. Even the paint on the walls is a natural clay paint. The beautiful mural in the living area happened very organically as well. An assistant producer from Hollywood who wanted to learn more about straw bale building came to stay with his girlfriend. While there, his girlfriend painted the lovely mural. Outside, a chicken sanctuary, a large garden and fire pit complete the setting, with more plans for future projects! The result is a home that is organic and breathes with life, both in structure and in function. They welcome both guests and individuals who want to do workaways in exchange for their stay in order to learn more about this healthy, organic lifestyle. Workaway volunteers get to stay in their own quirky, hobbit-inspired glamping pod.
Mark and Kim’s home is not a tiny home since the family consists of foster children in addition to their four birth children, but it is also constructed of natural materials and makes use of solar energy. Everything has been built with love and respect for the Earth. This creative couple met under very unique circumstances. Mark is a musician from Glasgow and Kim is a budding amateur photographer from Edinburgh. However they were both living in Hong Kong when they met each other for the first time. What a quirk of fate that two people who grew up less than an hour away from each other, would meet thousands of miles away in a city of 7 million people! The Hobbit Hideaway was a vision that became a reality, that’s now inspiring people in both large and small ways. Many people leave wanting to build their own natural home in the country, while others are vowing to get out and experience nature more and just live more simply. If you’d like to be inspired by a visit to The Hobbit Hideaway in Moray, you can book your stay through Airbnb.com This amazing little home accommodates up to six people. For workaway opportunities, visit www.workaway.info For more lovely photos of The Hobbit Hideaway, visit their website at www.hobbithideaway.co.uk
Our thanks to Allison White, Kim Fraser and Angela @ Lunasol Photography for their gorgeous photos!! .
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A Tiny Living Promotion
A Tiny Holiday Home –T he Home That Pays For Itself A tiny home is a great way to get away for a holiday. You can live with nature, and spend time with those people who are most important in your life. Far less expensive than a conventional holiday home, it leaves a smaller footprint on the environment. -And, it’s completely portable! Another important aspect of a tiny holiday home is that it can earn money for you. A well-placed home in an inviting setting can be let when you’re not using it. The house featured here was built by Master Tiny House Builder, Chris March of Tiny Eco Homes UK. They build homes based on your needs and your specific location and climate. Click here for more: www.tinyecohomesuk.com
– according to the Canal & River Trust, 26% of the
UK’s 33,000 boats are used as primary residences? – thousands of people in the UK are already embracing small-space living in studio flats, student accommodations, and small terraced houses? – there are over 80 shepherd hut building companies in the UK? – prices for a well-designed tiny house fitted with kitchen and bath starts at £26,000? – according to Popular Science, human beings are hard-wired to like tiny things?
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www.popsci.com/why-do-we-think-tiny-things-are-cute
The Enchanting
Forest Is there anything more calming and restorative than a forest? It’s an enchanted place that feels a world away from our daily lives that seem continually focussed on our computer, the beeping message on our mobile, or the latest terrifying developments in AI. The forest is cool and quiet, with only the sounds of a few birds, who have no knowledge or use of the electronics that so dominate our world. It’s as if the quiet of the trees growing silently around us, allows us to quiet our own minds too, and restores the ability to see beauty from a distance of more than ten inches away. Besides just conserving forests, we need to take the time to love and appreciate them as well. Our symbiotic dance of trading carbon dioxide and oxygen is more than just a chemical exchange. There is a deep and unbreakable connection between us and them.
When we find ways to build smaller homes, requiring less timber, we’re helping to preserve them. When we plant more trees, we’re helping them to thrive for future generations. When we commit to using responsibly sourced paper we’re helping to protect them. Small, individual commitments can have a massive global impact. The lives of trees and people are so interconnected, one cannot flourish without the other.
Enjoy our magazine. It’s printed on responsibly sourced paper.
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We’re not naming names... but a celebrity dog was recently spotted reading our magazine. -Tiny Living is fun and inspirational!
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