Measure twice cut once — North of Normal

I'm sure many of you have heard of the carpenter's phrase: "measure twice, cut once." Well, that is exactly what I have been doing all month. Actually, more along the lines of measuring 12 times, changing my entire model a handful of times, switching window brands, locations, and sizes daily…you get the idea. I have changed my mind a lot. Changes come after discovering new design elements to consider, trimming away excess, redesigning interior areas, and changing windows sizes, etc. Each minor change causes a cascade of variations as well as design inconveniences throughout the rest of the house, so you could say I have been finding a perfect balance. A fine line between structural integrity, maximized interior space, and most importantly, function.

With the interior generally sorted out I was able to determine window placement and sizes. Orientation and size have been the hardest decisions to make and what I have changed my mind about the most. I have now settled on Pacific Design windows and chosen all of the corresponding sizes and styles. This has allowed me to finish my structural plans and solidify the framing of the house.

I have also figured out a simple way to hide away my bed using piano hinges, adhering to the lightweight, simple mentality of the rest of the house. This area will function as my bedroom, closet, and office in the rear of the trailer. Recently I also bumped out the upper frame in the front of the trailer (below) to create an area to fold a front porch into. It will also provide two pillars to act as hinges for the side walls of the semi-enclosed porch. The extension will provide 8 square feet extra of loft space, which makes a huge difference in such a small space. The front porch, shown below in a rough model, will function in a few ways. First, it will cover the tongue of the trailer when parked, making it look more like a home; second, the walls will fold in to make the trailer a bit more aerodynamic during travel; third, it will create a nice covered entry and bike storage area. Next up is framing the walls!