Rise | We've Done the Research
A Tiny Home for a Perfect Retirement
The economic and ecological benefits of tiny homes appeal to many different people from all different walks of life. RISE recently sat down to talk with David Hill, an (almost) 65-year-old retired marketing and fund-raising executive who recently built a beautiful tiny home in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Northeast Alabama. Below, we share some of his insights on how his transition into a tiny house in a beautiful rural setting has made for a perfect retirement home.
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Have there been any challenges that come with transitioning into a tiny home?
Downsizing was not a challenge for me, but finding out, over time, that I need even less than I thought when I moved into the house has been a boon! Some folks might worry that you can feel closed in by a tiny house’s size; I took care of that by having 15-foot ceilings and 20 windows in the 28-foot space. At times, living at BranchHill feels like a cocoon (or a porch), given the natural light and its warmth; it also stays cool, because Timbercraft Homes are exquisitely insulated.
Do you have a favorite part of your home?
Its’ size. A lifelong friend, when I first told her of the project, said: “I am so glad you are doing this, David. You talked about a cabin in the woods when we were teenagers.” Also, my necessary customizations, and Timbercraft’s team’s ability to design the house around them. My antique oak roll top desk and soaring 12-foot book shelves surrounding it are the biggest single feature, but designing room for family antiques and hand-wrought pieces—not to mention using antique wood from a family friend’s long-ago-deconstructed farmhouse on the open kitchen shelving and handmade items from family members—makes BranchHill one big hug. I wanted my home to feel like a cabin, but not to be “rough-hewn.”
Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
