This is the design on which Tom’s studio cabin, in Anasazi’s Rubicon, is based. I’ve seen a lot of “tiny house” designs out there, in books and on Web sites, but those of similar size never seem to be laid out optimally, in my opinion. This started as an attempt to explore what I would consider optimal: a small footprint that nevertheless contains a queen-size bed, a working studio, and sufficient room to entertain a handful of guests.

There are a lot of small nuances that went into various details. The sliding-glass doors and palladian windows are extra-wide, eight feet instead of six feet, for expansive views, ventilation, and access. The wall behind the bed and worktop is blind, to prevent light coming through windows to fall on computer monitors and create glare. The television—flat-panel, of course—would hang on the wall in a position that allows it to be seen from the couch, the working studio, and the bed. Since it is not in another room, the bed would be a four-poster without a canopy, with curtains to create a semblance of separation and privacy. The kitchenette counter facing the main room would do double duty as a breakfast counter. There is only one swinging door, a lightweight louvered leaf for privacy on the toilet stall.

Schematically, it breaks down into eight “blocks”. Two of them are the exterior porches; the other six are the interior spaces, arranged in a two-by-three grid. On the drawing, left to right and top to bottom, they are kitchenette, bathroom, dining, living, sleeping, and working spaces. Exterior access is through the middle two spaces, living and dining, which creates the best traffic flow.