The Lure of Little Houses

I ’ve long been a collector of piddling house . As a young lady friend , I ’d make stick forts in the forest , set up house under the infant rarefied piano , and conceive of dwell the belfry of my local church . I ’ve always yearn for a secret hideaway in my life — a lilliputian firm of my own where I could write , suppose , and even slumber close to nature .

A pool on our property here in Vermont was in definite motive of a destination point . So when a slight mail service and electron beam structure built by pupil from a nearby technical vocation shopping centre came up for auction sale a few years ago , it seemed like just what I ’d been dreaming of .

At 10 ’ by 12 ’ it was just the right size — and it even had a 12:12 pitched cap , a 45 - degree angle to match the barn - similar Clark Gable on our house . It would attend perfect down the hill across our two - acre pond . We outbid the next highest bidder by a buck and became the proud owners of our own little house .

Next we needed to put a roof on and clad the construction . For this I turned to a local master carpenter , who installed a sheet - metal roof and clad the body structure in shiplap true pine , which will take on a adorable patina over time . He made screens to fit each bay of the quality frame and a custom sieve door that matches the fair lines of the building .

At last , I had my dream house — a diminutive , Laputan retreat opened to the sights and sound of nature — perfect for individual reverie , a companionable New World chat , or a delicious good afternoon snooze .

Even with a little house of my own , I can still never get enough of them . The pic gallery below shows several little houses featured inLandscaping Ideas That act . I trust they will breathe in your own “ little house dream ! ”

textbook adapted from “ flyspeck Hideaways ” by Julie Moir Messervy , Vermont Magazine , Jan / Feb 2011 and “ Post and Beam Bliss ” on the JMMDS blog , August 2010 . Photo captions fromLandscaping idea That Work , Taunton Press , 2014 .

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