4 nice sectional sofas for small spaces

If you are living in a small space, you will always be on the lookout for home ideas which are not only space-efficient but also stylish. Sectional sofas offer you a way to entertain guests as well the flexibility to use the amount of space you have. There are sectional sofas which you can use for large spaces as well as small ones. There is also a wide variety of selections in terms of designs, materials, colors and costs.

If you are living in a small condo or apartment, you would not want your sectional sofas to be the gigantic piece of furniture which occupies your entire room. To avoid this, you should consider the actual number of people which you will most likely entertain on a regular basis and then decide the amount of space you feel is cozy enough for you.

Here are some nice sectional sofas you can pick out for your small space.

Klyne Armless Sectional Loveseat

Armless sectional couches are optimized for small spaces. To add to this, this contemporary design does not sacrifice style with functionality. Its sleek appearance is perfect for welcoming friends. The cushion is available in different colours too. It can also be used as a bed, depending on the length of the couch.

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Modular Contemporary 3-piece Sectional Cream Sofa

Do you think a loveseat may not be enough for you and your family? You can check out three-piece sectionals. Three-piece sectionals are usually comprised of a right and left arm, plus an armless loveseat. Confirm the number of pieces to ensure that they will fit your allotted space. This three-piece sectional available on Overstock.com has steel legs for support and removable cushions and upholstery.

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BHF Slim Sectionals

What’s the first thing in your mind when you hear the word “sofa?” I bet you see a lot of cushion. While cushion is good when you lie down and relax, it does not really have to be so bulky. There are slim sectionals available in the market like this BHF-Slim Sectional which still feels cozy without too much bulk. Check out those which fit your space and style.

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2pc Reversible Sectional Sofa with Chaise in Ash Black Linen

The reversible sectional sofa design has become popular primarily because it allows buyers to exercise their creativity with the sofa. Do you easily get bored? Do you like changing the look of your house once in a while? Reversible sectional sofas may be the right choice for you. This sophisticated design allows you to change the configuration without needing too much help.

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When choosing the appropriate sectional sofa for your space, it is highly important that you know how many people you will normally be entertaining in your home. Having people stand up in a party is better than having unused space due to a very huge sofa. Check the materials as well. Some sofas are made of cotton, leather and other materials. You normally don’t change sofas very often so make an intelligent choice.

8 desks for small spaces ideas

Home or office space can be costly. As corporations cut back on expenses and homeowners strive to use their hard-earned money on more value adding products and services, even a small item such as a desk can be a big discussion point. A desk is where people usually work. What you would want to do is to still get the same value for your desk, but have it consume a little less space than what it used to. We compile a list of innovative, space-saving desk selections which you may consider.

Flat mate desk

This one does not only consume less space, you can even store it when you don’t need it. How about that? It is very slim but can still be used as a cabinet. Thinking of where to put your pencils, pens and other frequently-used supplies? How about putting small shelves in the slats inside the desk?

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IKEA Micke Desk

If you are basically using your desk as a computer stand, this desk may just be the right one for you. The surface is designed to only accommodate a laptop and a mouse. Its slim design also incorporates compartments where outlets and computer wires can be organized.

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Peekaboo Clear Console

As the name suggests, this desk design makes efficient use of the space that you may not notice that it is even there. The desk is made from thick molded acrylic which gives its transparent look.

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Helix Wall-Mounted Desk

Wall-mounted utilities are not new on the space-saving game. It’s fairly simple. If you cannot move stuff across your space, then why not pile them all up? This desk design includes the desk and two (2) shelves on the top.

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Modern Industrial Small Desk

This desk design mixes the old wood from the 1900s with the metal for the table legs. This is a made-to-order product so you can specify the size which works for your space. You can also opt to include compartments for your accessories.

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Broadway Black Floating Desk with Storage

This desk design allows you to optimize use of space as it is mounted on your wall. It also has side and top compartments where you can place pens, books, gadgets and anything you need to get your work done.

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Alameda laptop table

This desk design features simplicity and elegance. It is made of metal and sheesham wood straight from Vietnam. Given its size, it can be placed anywhere in the house without consuming a lot of space. It can even be used as a bedside laptop table.

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Quello Table

This desk features both a design which is both contemporary and minimalist. The surface is big enough to hold a laptop and a medium-sized book. You can slide the desk’s surface to open up a compartment for storing items such as documents and writing materials.

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Space-saving desk selections come in various designs, colors and prices. Check out our list and see if anything catches your attention.

4 free tiny house plans you can download right now

You’ve bought the idea of living in a tiny house. You have some money saved up which you think can be used to start building your own. But, where do you start? Not everyone has the time and the talent to create a house plan. You definitely cannot afford an architect so you are looking for some free plans which are easy to understand and are offered for free.

I searched the web for some tiny house plans and came up with these four. Three (3) out of these four (4) plans came from Michael Janzen’s tiny house website. Michael Janzen is an advocate of the tiny house movement and has been offering his plans and services to the public. His website, tinyhousedesign.com, contains vast information on how you can build your own tiny house. Aside from six (6) free plans, he also offers some small house plans for a minimal charge and a book entitled, Tiny House Floor Plans. The free plans were presented in such a way that non-architects or non-engineers will be able to make sense of it.

12×24 Homesteader’s Cabin v.2
This is the largest in the list of Michael Janzen’s free tiny house plans on his website. It is a 12 feet wide, 24 feet long and 12 feet high structure. The plan can be downloaded as a whole in pdf format or as individual images.

The 22-page plan contains detailed measurements of each portion of the house from the roof framing, right wall framing, left wall framing, left wall sheathing, back wall framing, back wall sheathing, cross section, front wall framing, front wall sheathing, and more. Even the measurements of the alternating step ladder and porch have been provided.

8×16 Tiny Solar House v.2
This tiny house plan was designed with cost and construction efficiency in mind. Want some more eco-friendly ideas? How about a composting toilet? This plan contains the material list as well as the approximate cost of each. You can spend anywhere from $4000 to $8000 with a house this size.

5×8 Tiny Market House v.1
This structure was made for temporary dwelling. You can use this as a promotional vehicle to showcase your products. The size of the house is enough to fit the space normally allotted for booths in outdoor trade fairs. The floor plan features a slide out display for easy stacking of the products. Since the intended purpose is for marketing, the insulation can be limited to the roof area to protect the products from overheating.

Harbinger Plans by Tumbleweed
Want something more permanent? Harbinger plan by Tumbleweed offers you a choice between a 310 square feet and a slightly bigger 404 square feet home. The additional space for the 2nd version can be used to fit a small bedroom. This 16’7” tall house will you cost you $26000 to $33000 in materials cost. The plan has specified areas for utilities and appliances such as full size range with oven, microwave, dishwasher, water heater and a fireplace.

These free plans are just some of the available plans in the web. Make sure that you check the plans before investing on anything such as materials. Challenge your creativity by modifying parts of the plan based on your budget or preference.

6 Youtube videos to watch about prefab shipping container homes

Prefabricated shipping container homes have been in the market for quite some time. They have lots of advantages which include lower construction cost, ease of construction and on-going cost savings. The lower construction comes from the fact that the majority of the house is furnished in a factory and is only shipped to the location when it is ready to be assembled. This is in contrast to the traditional house building wherein everything takes place on the site and the owner pays for daily labor cost.

Ease of construction is driven primarily by the fact that the container already provides the structure. Builders just need to add the insulation, electrical and plumbing provisions and other utilities depending on what the owner wants. Lastly, on-going cost savings is a major strength of this innovation in affordable housing. The eco-friendly designs can be integrated onto the house plans in a way that electricity can be derived from solar panels, water can be collected from raindrops, and wastes can be converted to fertilizer for a vegetable garden.

15 iconic residential eco shipping container homes
This video showcases the most beautiful shipping container homes in the world. From the Lakeside Retreat house in Sri Lanka to the Manifesto house in Chile, you will be left in awe of the ingenuity of the human mind.

Designer builds home out of shipping containers
In this video, industrial designer Debbie Glassberg took us on a tour of her shipping container home in Kansas City. She turned 5 shipping containers into a 2000+ square feet home with eco-friendly design. She continues to develop ways to make the home more sustainable, even creating a garden whenever there is available space.

The shipping container home & business: The new eco friendly way to live
From the simplest to the most elegant designs, this video encourages viewers to consider shipping containers as a new way to live. They come in different sizes, shapes and colors.

Converting an ISO shipping container into a livable and safe home
What about a mobile, eco-friendly home? In this video Robert Humble and Joel Egan features a way to live off-grib, free from the hassle and bustle of the city. The designers looked at it as a venue for them to share ideas they want to work on, much like a mobile lab. The unit generates its own electricity through solar panels and collects rainwater for laundry, bath and more.

A house built out of shipping containers
Why go for shipping container homes? In this video, Glen Donaldson took us on a tour of his home built in Atlanta, Georgia. Not only is his crib energy and space efficient, it also comes with a basement level where he can cave during emergency situations.

Global news – prefabricated homes by Mekaworld
In this video, Mekaworld architect appeals to the eco-friendly and budget conscious individuals with their offering of prefabricated homes made from shipping container. The total cost is expected to be around 32 grand, differences of which can arise on the material used for furnishing and other finishings.

4 Places With Tiny House Listings

The tinyhouselistings.com website offers a selection of tiny houses from all over the world. It also talks about parking, plans and buildings. Pertinent details about the properties are readily provided such as the size, cost, location, # of bathrooms and # of bedrooms. If you do not want to scroll over all the available houses, you can use the search box to filter by any of the available data.

With the expansion of the tiny house movement, more and more cities around the world are subscribing to the idea and even investing on it. Here are some places where you can found tiny houses for sale.

Ontario, Canada
According to tinyhouselistings.com, there are currently three(3) tiny houses listed for Ontario, Canada. All of these listings are below 400 sq ft in size and less than $200000 in price. There is a house with wheels and two(2) which are permanent built on location.

Washington, USA
There are more than ten(10) tiny houses for sale on this area. There are those which are built on secluded and private areas while some have found their way into the city. Blue Agave Compact Cabins, for instance, is located in Spokane, WA. It is priced a little less than $50000 with a total space of 144 sq ft. The unit comes with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.

California, USA
There are a number of choices in California too with choices starting about 120 sq ft in size. Some unique materials include utility trailers and cargo containers. One particularly interesting listing is a complete off-grid living system in Potrero Hill, California. It is a 200 sq ft geodesic dome which is offered for $2000.

Cayo, Belize
Want something more than just a tiny house? How about a sustainable mini-farm? There are four available tiny houses in the northeastern coast of Central America, all of which are less than 500 sq ft in size. All have built-in solar panels and water systems to allow you to live off-grid.

Hawaii, USA
The tiny house craze may have just landed on Hawaii with its selections of yurts, geodesic domes and off-grid tiny houses. The smallest on the listings is the Ohia Cottage which has 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom on a 119 sq ft of space.

There are not many websites which offer a wide selection of tiny houses like the tinyhouselistings.com. Some sources are blogs of people who have subscribed to the tiny house movement. There are also those general property websites which list much more than just tiny houses. If you are thinking about having your own tiny house, first decide on the location. If the area you have chosen has an active tiny house community which shares information about development of tiny houses, they will also have information about who are selling. If you think you are the first person in your country to think about tiny houses, then you can still visit the blogs of people who have successfully done it. You can opt to build your own or buy and transport one to your place.