Skinny house in LA: affordable, minimal, modern home/office
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Simon Storey wanted to buy an affordable home so he bought the smallest and cheapest thing on the market. It was just 350 square feet and Storey wanted to fit both his home and office there so he requested special planning permission to double the height.
He has now squeezed 960 square feet on his 780 square foot lot (garage included) and has one of Los Angeles' skinniest homes. Storey calls it the Eel's Nest in reference to the super narrow lots in Japan (between 5 and 15 feet).
Storey kept the design a simple stack of boxes that reach the property line on three sides. Inside, he left it as open as possible, using small tricks to maximize space, like a sunken kitchen (that helps to define spaces) and floating stairs (that double as a light well).
Most of the furniture was hand-crafted by Storey, including wooden speakers. He has plans to outfit his dining table with wheels so he can make space for dinner parties by wheeling it out to his small backyard deck.
Cameraman Johnny Sanphillippo also films for the site Strong Towns: www.strongtowns...
More from Simon, including roof photos: anonymousarchit...
Original story here: faircompanies.c...
There is a roof garden/deck. Due to camera trouble, the footage was ruined, but there are olive trees and plants and some decking up there. If you want to see photos of it go to the link in the text above.
This is possibly the most relaxed homeowner I've heard in some time.
I love it. Two bedrooms, garage, living room and kitchen plus garden in such a tiny space. I am amazed.
I love all the fair companies videos!!! I actually was in LA and randomly ran into this block and found this house! it was so surreal!!! This is exactly the kind of intelligent, thoughtful living space I wish to build and design! Thank you for all the quality content!
I would have Closed the garden space and made it a semi open extension of the living room with tilted glass panels , a small fraction of that space could still be open, like an inverted plant cage,we're in the cage and the little plant in the corner is actually outside . Loved what he did with the stairs and how he customized almost every appliance/shelving, the house still feels warm thanks to all the wooding.
I really like the possibilities this house represents, and that the architect/homeowner was willing to defy convention at times. The space reflects him and his desires. Also thank you for the link to the roof photos -- I was intensely curious about it.
In LA, the houses are far more expensive. This was a steal at $120k... good job. I like it.
Even in low income areas, you'll be looking to pay around 350-450K for a damn house.
+Cali with 1-2 bedrooms -.-
I'm pretty sure 120k was just his renovation budget. That was the amount he spent AFTER purchasing the house.
Yes he said his budget to add the upper floors was120k
pop
15' wide isn't so bad. Most people expect so much out of a house these days. Many people grew up in 2/3 bedroom, 1 bath houses that had one living space around 12 x 15/16. and even owned a piano. We all just made it work. This is really a nice use of a tiny lot.
oh,wow...i have always wanted to see more of this house. I'm such a fan of it. been saving pictures of it from the internet and apps. i just adore it even more now than ever . great work Simon.
This looks like a typical size house on the east coast in ny, nj, pa etc... The only unusual thing about it, is it doesn't have hundreds of similar houses around it.
My husband and I bought a small beach front property in the Philippines and I've been watching videos for some ideas, I am thinking to build our little house this year so this channel really is a big help for me.
After looking at hundreds of tiny and 'smaller' home builds this one is near my favorite. Go to the link above for more description, floor plan, great photos and the amazing finished roof.
This house is small, but the kitchen, shower, bedroom and appliances are not mini. Also there is access to the garage without going outside. Nice. And for the people below that were concerned about it, the bedroom has curtains))
How does he access the roof
Backyard wins... perfect house 👏
I would put a deck on the roof and make that an additional living space. Nice house I love it.
I said the very same thing...maybe a spa or bbq on the roof top terrace...additional the bottom patio, sloped area to the barren side of the avocado tree has room for a vertical water feature, or bamboo, but I love the avocado tree...
Always depends on neighborhood and/or county regulations!
The staircase leading to a roof deck would cut into bedroom or office space so I guess that's why he decided against it. Possibly cost and building code considerations were factors as well.
I think there is one already. There are plants on the roof.
@@jameswarhol442 check out the link in the description. Go to his site and look at the photos of the roof deck. Not sure why it's missing from the vid...
Lovely home! The view at top is amazing! And I love how the pics show the skylight in the shower so warm and welcoming ☀️
Decking on the roof was great. Want to build one myself now. Using the shipping container's & Concrete garage/foundation idea. Thanks Kirsten for all of your videos!
Not cramped and far from a “simple box”! Beautiful place. Nice work!
I love this house. From the outside to the inside. Amazing view right down the street. But the whole time I was waiting to see the roof!
I really like the design of this house... the big windows, the small pocket...etc. so minimalist.
I love the idea of small homes because they are not only enough if u want simplicity but also more cost effective as well & in the future i would love to build a small home like this because i think it would be so much better to do
Cost effective is the reason for change, and natural organic design.
I am ADDICTED to these tiny homes:concept. I 'jokingly' with a touch of serious asked if I could have a shipping container for a house on my parents property and my Dad was like 'No' but you can have the shed and I was like 'ooh bed loft' :) So thanks again for your lovely videos Ms. Kirsten Dirksen! The homes are truly crafted with love and the people and their stories are generally sweet altogether too!
Shannon
I really like this house... simple layout, clean design and bunches of neat tweaks, like the window-doors, the self-designed dimmer-switch, etc. Really cool :)
I'm sold! I've lived in L.A. my entire life and I've always thought that home ownership was something so far reaching. But this feels like something actually attainable, and I love the space. As a single woman it's just the amount of space I'd need, well except for a bigger closet. lol
i mean its a pretty big house to be fair. not that skinny- much wider than most terrace houses
Barnesi94
where is this located?
Barnesi94 I know right?! Its not a tiny house but an actual 3 story. I don't personally see him only spending 120k in building it at all . labor, materials and permits alone in Los Angeles is expensive.
its 3 shoeboxes stacked. you cant keep cramming ppl in these small places
@@toreyfusky
640 sq.ft. of habitable space is small compared to the American average .. but is perfectly reasonable for his needs
Anything is possible. Amazing Simon.
I’m considering doing this type of projects in Long Beach CA a lot of tiny lots are sold under $170k per lot some as low as $120k investing and built homes like this truly brings value to the neighborhood and your home 🏠
Finally, a small house I would love! Gorgeous, Simon. Only an architect could come up with something windowless on the sides, yet so glassy and light from the front. For a shoe "cubby" in the kitchen, couldn't you remove the board on the raised floor and tuck them under? I think this house should be how we all live in the future (except the elderly, who can't do the stairs). Bravo! Another spectacular Kirsten film, too.
Nice and cozy! I liked that backyard with live trees and grass are still there. Good job! Thanks for video Kirsten!
That window view is amazing!!!!
Nice color block👍 dark grey, light grey, orange!
I love it. The outdoor space is beautiful too.
I normally don't like box type houses, but this one is attractive both outside and in. I really like it!
The way he maximized that space is actually really impressive. I love the idea he had for his stairs.
I am just amazed why they did not show the roof. I have checked the website and it turned out that there is a staircase leading to the roof and it is awesome up there with the trees and wooden floor and a bench. Simply love it!!!
A favourite. Great urban design.
Love it.
..I love this place. The look is very 1960/1970 Scandinavian. Good work fella. Good design.
Meanwhile in The Netherlands, half the country is living in rowhouses this size. With families and all working from home... Completely normal.
Checking in from London. Somewhat the same here with our townhouses.
This isn’t big enough to live in though. Look how tiny it is! I don’t even see a closet downstairs and I haven’t gotten to upstairs in the video yet
Fuck the Netherlands!
It's amazing that in the US this is a being seen as a 'different' and 'small' 'design'-house, while in Europe we think this is pretty normal size- and designwise...
We have more room for bigger houses here especially outside of the dense cities. Be that as it may, an average sized house in the midwest (city or not) is about 1,200 sq ft.
@@HomesteadingWays I know, I live in the US half of the year (Pittsburgh) and have a house in Florida too...
It makes a lot of sense that's how these cultures differ. The US has only run into the density issues cities face the past 100 years, with the only outlier being New York City for 150 years. But that pales in comparison to the several centuries many European cities have faced the same issues. Affects how cultures responds to industrialization.
Reminds me of a modern Japanese house on the outside. I dig it.
A lovely build. Nice use of space. My inner Sydney loft apartment is only 13 feet wide (4 meters), so this house looks fine to me! Love that little courtyard at the back. It's great to have an outside space with a bit of nature when you are in a small space. (I have an open deck - saves me!). The design is very smart on the outside as well. Clever wooden windows with that railing. We may all need to learn to downsize as people have done in a crowded Europe for centuries, we may all need to have smaller footprints. Love it! Not Living Large, Living Smart.
Me, my husband and our cat live, in the north of Italy, in a 270 square feet apartment, without balcony and for sleep we have sofa bed (and when we will have kids we will have to move to a
bigger apartment) so this "tiny" apartment with TREES ON THE TERRACE show in the video is GIGANTIC. O_O
Sticazzi
Hope you have moved to a nice big house by now.. I wish your family a very happy life🥰🥰
Very interesting project. the nicest work always comes from budget builds
I wish it was painted whit so id look like a nintendo wii
carson robinson lol
Yeah he blocks the view and then puts no windows on the side of the house that has the view. What a moron.
@@bossHogOG If you had watched the video you'd know that he can't put windows on the side of the house.
Fantastic living space, great use and design, just not the dimmer light, I would just bump into it and knock it off. This is the type of place I would love to have. But not crazy about the neighborhood.
nope, never cross my mind...
Beautiful, well done. I would live there perfectly. Is so well designed, looks so cozy. It has a garage and garden, perfect for the city. I love it !!!!
Wow! Absolutely awesome. I doubted the kitchen till I actually saw the drop down. Brilliant design - especially with the heating being able to come through the "wall". If you lived here in NZ (still? You sound Kiwi!), hubby and I would ask you to design something for us. Sheer brilliance. Thank you for sharing your home.
Laneway houses are a thing here in Vancouver. We need more like that. I like this house aside from the black paint job.
I remember this house being covered in a story in the LA Times, it is an interesting little puzzle box.
There are still thousands of small homes and bungalows around the city, especially in the hillside areas, so lots just like this are not uncommon, its just that many people cannot fathom living in something this compact so they buy multiple lots and build McMansions, its refreshing to see something like this that actually works on the original lot
Do you remember what neighborhood is this? It says he went through variance to double the height limit. It looks normal 2 story height to me.
He did a fantastic job with that space.
It takes an architect to make something like this work with a limited budget and a limited space and have it still be functional and aesthetically pleasing.
His space is rational but quite personal too. This is a wondeful example of how requirements shapes the actual object.
I love this - I could live here very happily.
Very nice. Love the iron fence/gate across the outside doors.
my fave video/house on this channel
BRAVO!!! You are a God given artist!!!
Very nice. I love the long views up the street & the sunken kitchen.
5:30 I love the floating stairs.
I like the house a lot !! Great use of space but my only dislike is those massive windows .. I would like to have 3 narrow windows that actually open for fresh air . Great idea and love the concept .
Giovanni Berardinelli Fresh air in Los Angeles?
***** LOL
+edheldude lol. I smelled the rancid right when I got off the plane xP.
I love it! I'm crazy about the view. Lots of these types of homes in the five boroughs of New York
I love it!! Have you seen all the small homes that are on wheels that people are building? You have a castle!!!!
LA really needs to start thinking of making small apartments to help with the cost of renting out here. It's getting so high for crap.
How about stop proving sanctuary to illegals? Lower demand on housing = lower prices.
i agree, fuck xenophobic bullshit..the real enemy is exxon kook in charge of the EPA, sexual assaulter president, bad music on the radio, that "thunder...feel the thunder...lightning..and the thunder.....abcdefghijklmnop" song...like I'm supposed to hear this shit and go "oh my god...my life is changed for the better" and then see it in an iphone commercial the next week...what else....everything but illegal immigration bullshit...I welcome everyone to this country stolen from native americans and made strong on the backs of slaves and immigrants...I'm irish...110 years ago it was me...so fuck the haters.....my wave...my state...no one is illegal....borders are imaginary
josh
singer in the band blade of grass
fuck you trump! eat a d_ck!
(duck)
@@foxycockvideos your logic is the exact reason most big cities in california are slowly becoming communist dystopias. You ever wonder why millions are fleeing your shithole state? Look at the state of San Francisco.. it won't be long til LA is the same, San Diego isnt far behind. Your uneducated policies based in feelings instead of facts are slowly rotting your state away from the inside out. California has become a like a cavity to the USA. Its rotting away in self indulgent echo chamber factless logic where feelings and being offended are a commodity. No responsibilities, it's never your fault for why your state sucks now. You look at the country and its actual citizens as enemies against your little fantasy land. You need to pull your head out of your ass, put down your phone and get a taste of actual reality before it's too late.
@@foxycockvideos You need jesus.
@@bradhargis2261 So do you.
Good job. Pretty inspirational!
I could easily live in this wonderful space. Thanks.
I have a small lot home in LA, it is really the way to go here
What is the width? Does it mean you need HOA for small lot community?
This is very helpful, as an architect i often design for small spaces for instance 36m2.
Also for kirstendirksen, if it's possible I would really appreciate if there are two measurement system, metric and international maybe as an additional inforrmation for us to imagine the size
Metric IS international. Imagine harder.
@ricardo sanfernando what drugs are you on, and where can I get some?
@avan job about 4 of them if they don't sit or lay down.
@avan job
387 sq.ft.
You can convert yourself Instead of making demands...
this is great, I actually had to do a precedent study on this home for my live/work project in school :D
Great living space! Going up is definitely the answer.
i liked the balcony idea
I like the little garden, stairs and sky window .The apartment elegant quarters
I like the bathroom, just simple.
This place is fanrtastic. Great work.
me habría encantado ver el jardín de la azotea... La casa es preciosa. Cada dia veo mas ejemplos de luz natural para el espacio de la ducha, simplemente genial.
That yard really pays off for the children. Great exercise and learn about nature.
It really didn't seem so tiny. Nice!!
Bet the neighbours are thrilled!
I LOVE this home, it's so neat and perfect for 1.
Wow it looks beautiful - really like the wood.
I want a box like this to live in!
You are absolutely right. The UK has the smallest houses in the Western world. You don't say if you are in Scotland, but the standard of housing in Scotland compared to England is very poor. I have a flat that is approximately 700sq ft, and we are a family of four. And there are lots of families in much smaller homes, too!
I honestly see this as a game changer especially in expensive stages around America. Where even the land is expensive. If I could have a thin townhome with garage and a few rooms I think anyone would take that absolutely.
Very well thought out. I’m glad the owner is pleased with his design. I wonder if he can use the roof as a observation deck/ entertainment space, or if the building code will not support it.
that view down the street-nice
Lovely, I bet the neighbors are jealous!
I love the light above the shower! I think i'll do a complete skylight above mine now! I think these really modern buildings are a bit too much though (over designed) if I do something similar I think i'd have to bring in traditional windows (art deco perhaps) just as a traditional house looks great with very modern windows and paint finish. it's about balance.
Really great ideas! You are awesome!
I love your idea I have a small 2 bed room that looks like crap. thanks for the idea
New York City need house like these. Small yet reasonable price. TFS.
Im not usually a fan of modern, but this is very nice! :) I really like the small backyard to :_
This house is like 5x bigger than my tiny apartment it's so big
my apartment also the downstairs section is my entire apartment a lot bigger with the garden
Aaliyah Canterbury rich people 😊
SAME
LOL....my one is around 1600 sq ft, I am selling it 85,000 dollars
I love the windows and the bathroom.
That was a beautiful and a very much practical house.. Maybe change that table into a round one (that would save up space and look aesthetic) and the black rug into a light colored one to lighten the mood up.. Otherwise it's perfect 😊
My apartment view from our dinning room looks down the cobbled street, the front overlooks the harbour. Yours for a million 😂
Very nice design. Love ur design.
Like it. Miracle to have a house that nice for the price in LA.
Love house building up, I would probably add a modern Japanese steps, it'll add more room
love your video , keep up the good work . thank you
"Everything is measured in treads and inches" lol. I used to build hardwood curves, everything is measured in inches down to 1/16" and in Millimeters for stairs featuring or partially made of glass.
Super creativee !! Love it..
future homes in LA or what? I really like it
Love this house!!