Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts: And Whatever The Heck Else We Could Squeeze In Here

I really enjoyed this book, however, it really isn't anything more then an idea book. You're not going to get a whole lot out of the drawings other then their basic concept. They're more cartoons then anything else, something I was slightly dissapointed in, as I was hoping for something a bit more technical (measurements are generally lacking for example). Still if you're looking for something to stir your creative juices, and give you some entertainment along the way this book certainly accomplishes that. A definite buy if you've got a younger teenager in the house looking for something to build.

I have been following the Tiny Home culture for many years. Someday hoping to have my own. I stumbled upon Derek Diedricksen on youtube one day a long time ago. I thought, that guy is crazy...and really cool ideas. I saw he had a book, and I wanted it. I finally treated myself to it a few weeks ago, read it cover to cover (easy read), then again, and again. I got myself a notebook to keep with it because it inspired ideas. This is not a "how to" manual, or and instructional guide. It's an idea guide. If you have kids and like to build things, get it. If you don't have kids and like to build things, or even think you might like to build something useful, or just fun...get it. You don't have to be a master carpenter to do some of these projects. I have found that the only rules that really apply to tiny homes are safety, security, and desire.(this has nothing to do with any legalities.) Size, place and materials are up to the dreamer. If you can dream it...build it. "Deek" offers insight, comedy and talent in his book. He also offers ideas from other Tiny Home builders and supporters. Recycling tips that maybe you hadn't thought of. While his sketches are of comic book style, humor as well the text is well worth it alone. It would be a much shorter book. I really enjoyed every page, and have made notes, dogeared pages for structures I want to use to help me design my own Tiny Home. I also suggest not taking it or yourself too seriously while reading. Feel like a kid reading that issue of the Silver Surfer that you love the best. Dream and then figure out a way to build it. He uses as much recycled/reclaimed materials that he can. Wine bottle windows? Very pretty. Rain catchment, solar showers, tin can uses and wicked cool tree houses to boot. Deek did, and seems like he's having a great time. I really think he tries to focus on the idea of have fun...be creative,reuse, be safe and relax. I enjoyed it very much. Maybe because I have a similar sense of humor, but I really think that it's a good time.

Who is this book for?This book is great for those who are looking to design (on a dime?) outdoor structures, particularly using salvage, upcycled/recycled or low-cost materials such as wood pallets, water jugs, wine bottles, etc. Everything from a writing or art shed to a kids' play areas, from an actual fulltime tiny house to a vacation trailer. This is not the HOW TO guide to carpentry or building construction, merely an overview on the different types of structures you can make for a certain purpose and what types of materials you can use to cut costs or improve the functionality of the space.What is different about this book?This book at first glance looks like a collection of black and white doodles in a comic book style presentation with usually one outdoor structure per page. i feel like this is both good and bad. I grew up reading comic books so I felt like it was an unusual but familiar way to present the material but I can see it being very busy to some who are not used to this kind of format or who need things outlined using tedious mind-numbing bureaucratic order. I feel like by not sticking to the usual book format the author's personality and creative ideas come across more easily and I got a better feel for how each structure might be used and I was able to take something away from each individual design. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and this book has a lot of detail in an easy to digest package.The only thing I would have wanted added would be more tips and designs applicable to actually 24/7 living in a tiny house or off grid.

This is NOT a DIY, How-to book! Derek does NOT promise to tell you how to build YOUR tiny house, nor does he give you the exact plans, dimensions, etc for one. What he HAS done with this book (that I love!) is show his humour & creativity. Derek is an artist that sees things in ways that not all can & that is what makes this book fun! This book is one of those concept books or a dreamers book. By that I mean that he has given us a view into his world, shown us his sketches, his 'ideas' & basically said, "wouldn't this be so cool?!" Some of these sketches he has built on his own land, some are just ideas that WE can take and run with. There is no reason you cannot expand on an idea and make it a reality or just a fun hangout in the backyard! But that is what is so cool about this book, Deek is showing us the reader that there is no limitations on the imagination. The only limitation is your own! Enjoy his humour, for he has a wacky one at that. I just couldn't help laughing when I read this. It brought me back to my childhood, the days of building forts with sheets and chairs, etc, when it was raining outside or building 'clubhouses' with neighbourhood kids & scraps we found!

Very inspiring not much other than loads of sketches etc though. Some dimensions or tips on construction techniques would help. That said it is fantastic.

Bought this book after seeing and building the one sheet plywood boat (video) - really love this book, has lots of great ideas and gets the creative juices flowing

Quite good, but a little hard to grasp if you are not familiar with the genre!Text to jumbled and wacky for the layman!

lots of ideas

Über YouTube bin ich auf dieses Buch aufmerksam geworden und Dank meiner guten Englischkenntnisse hat mich die Sprache überhaupt nicht abgeschreckt.Neben vielen Skizzen und Ideen findet man in diesem DIY-Buch auch einige Hintergrundinformationen zu der Idee, kleine Häuser zu bauen. Doch nicht nur Unterkünfte werden vorgestellt, auch Outdoor-Duschen und Toiletten kommen zur Sprache.Eines sucht man in diesem Buch jedoch vergebens: detaillierte Baupläne. Davon distanziert sich der Autor allerdings gleich auf den ersten Seiten, denn dieses Buch soll lediglich anregen, nicht anleiten.Und genau das gelingt den liebevollen Skizzen sehr gut. Das Buch inspiriert jedoch nicht nur, etwas zu bauen, sondern auch, darüber nachzudenken, ob man tatsächlich auf 200 qm leben muss, wenn ein kleines Häuschen mit 50 qm auch ausreicht.Einen Nachteil gibt es für alle deutschen Bürger: Die Bauvorschriften sind hier in Deutschland wesentlich strenger und darum mag nicht jede Idee tatsächlich umsetzbar sein - aber mit ein paar kleinen Änderungen sicherlich machbar.Einen Stern Abzug gibt es lediglich für die manchmal schwer zu entziffernde Handschrift. Im Großen und Ganzen kann man die Texte sehr gut lesen, aber hin und wieder fällt es einem doch schwer.Empfehlenswert ist es für alle kreativen Köpfe, die ein wenig bauen möchten, ausgediente Dinge nicht wegschmeißen wollen und nach Inspirationen suchen - und natürlich für alle, die Englisch verstehen.