Thoreauvian simple living: unelectrified, timeless tiny home

Seven years ago Diana and Michael Lorence moved to a 12-foot-square home without electricity in the coastal mountains of Northern California. 
They're not back-to-the-land types- they're not growing their own food, nor raising animals-, but, like Thoreau, they were looking for a place where they could get away from the noise of society and focus on their inner lives.
For nearly 30 years they have lived in tiny houses, often in guest homes, though their current abode is the smallest and most fitting their needs. It was designed by Michael based on their experiences living in nearly 20 tiny homes across the country before finally settling here. 
They don't have electricity nor any other type of alternative energy (i.e. solar power). They don't have a refrigerator so they eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts. 
There's also no oven, but Diana says she doesn't bake anyway and she cooks their meals with their one cast iron pot over the fire. The fire is also their source of hot water, heat and light (in addition to candles).
The Lorences are a private couple, but recently they have begun to speak out more about their lives in hopes of showing others that options such as theirs exist.
Until now, the couple has turned down requests appear on video, not wanting to be categorized as simply another couple choosing to live in a tiny space. So I was pleasantly surprised when Diana and Michael agreed to let me visit their home with my camera.

Original story here: http://www.faircompanies.com/videos/view/thoreauvian-simple-living-unelectrif...

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• small home
• small house
• small space
• downshifting
• home size
• simple living
• simple life
• simplicity
• downsizing
• small house movement
• microhome
• tiny house
• thoreau
• emerson
• antoine de st exupery
• wordsworth
• innermost house
• life of the mind
• examined life
• unelectrified home
• unelectrified house
• diana lorence
• michael lorence
• northern caliifornia

[highcountrytimber]

You have your facts way off,there is no way to fit all of this house in twelve square feet! Twentyfour square feet maybe not twelve square feet.

[kirstendirksen]

@highcountrytimber It's 12 feet square or 144 square feet.

[highcountrytimber]

@kirstendirksen Your math is wrong 6 feet times six feet is twelve square feet not one-hundred forty-four square feet. Twelve feet times Twelve feet is one-hundred fourty-four square feet. Twelve square feet is the size of the average bathroom.

[kirstendirksen]

@highcountrytimber You're right, it's a question of semantics. She said 12 feet square which isn't normally how people talk about home size. It's much more common to say 144 square feet, but you're saying the same thing by saying 12 feet square.

[kirstendirksen]

To answer questions about water and firewood. The Lorences have running water because they share pipes with a working orchard, though they are without running water for about 8 weeks a year while the trees are being irrigated. During that time they use water they have stored in barrels.

As for the wood they use, it is waste wood from the orchard that would be burned by the farmers anyway.

[TheSuwai]

@gloverintl Do you think you actually like materialism or do you think you are taught into liking materialism? What symbol(s) does materialism hold? Does it symbolize happiness, success, wealth, etc.? How do you define happiness, success, or wealth?

[Foseman]

I would get sick of eating pot-o-veggies everyday.

[anthroclass]

@highcountrytimber 6 x 6 would be 36 square feet; 6 x 2 or 3 x 4 would be 12 square feet

[StarchildMagic]

I would love to have a place like this as a vacation home, but I don't think I could live in it full time. I'd go stir crazy without my computer and Internet access, lol. But this house looks like an ideal escape from modern life - be it full-time or just for a weekend.

[starfinder79]

kirstendirksen why do you think people get so worked up about the issue of small homes? The posts here are suprisingly agressive. I have encountered people from many walks of life in the small house or simple life movment from new age to christian republican to democrat. There dosen't seem to be a reason for a movment with such a diverse group of people in it to elisit such a response.

[almollitor]

@highcountrytimber Why is this so hard for people to understand? The house is about 12 feet long and 12 feet wide, or, 12 feet square (NOT 12 square feet.) for a floor area of about 144 square feet. If you add the porch and loft, the useful area is somewhat larger. A 12 square foot house would be 2x6 or 1x12 or 3x4 or something. (About the size of a doghouse.)

[ukoono]

I can see the attraction. Personally, the isolation would do my head in. But good on them!

[highcountrytimber]

@kirstendirksen No 144 square feet does not mean the same as 12 square feet. 12 square feet means 6' X 6' not 12' X12'. If tell me your home is 12 square feet it means 6'X6',Square feet is how we in the building trades tell the size of the structure. If you ever go to look at home real-estate is list in square feet in the US.