Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. Their housing is funky and habitable, yet small.
I like small funky houses.Why? Because if you find the right one you can transition it into a warm cozy cottage. Unfortunately, the house in the photo above is not for sale right now. But it would be an ideal candidate to turn into a hobbit place that I could move into.
I think the angular jutting out of gables and shed roofs adds a playful feeling to the place. It is probably only one room on the first floor with a small add-on mud room and kitchen. The upstairs is probably one big bedroom. I would guess the entire house has about 500 to 600 square feet plus or minus. The porch although sagging a bit could easily be repaired.
What would I do if I could live in this house? First I would paint the exterior all over with a dark leather brown paint and replace the front door with an old door painted a dark eggplant. I would put some shutters on a few of the windows, probably a dark pumpkin color? I would plant a wild patch of various sunflowers and tall golden cosmos around the house -- hundreds of them and just have a dirt path winding through them to the front door. I would put two old metal chairs on the porch (painted a dark eggplant) and invite a good friend over for coffee or tea. I would swing a circle of natural wood fencing around the whole place.
I would have my grandchildren call my lttle place -- the hobbit house
Do you ever fantasize about what kind of house you would like to live in?
I just did about this house. Being retired, I would like somewhere to live that is easy to care for and sweet to enjoy. I do like the house I live in now but it requires a lot of work to keep it in shape. Too much for this little lady.
Maybe in the future I will find a place like the one in the photo and trade out this house for a cozy hobbit sized house. It might not be in Middle-earth but it would hug Mother Earth.
I think about things like this when I find a funky, unique older house. Fun to dream. I like the look of smaller houses like this, but I do like a little room.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat post! I think I would keep the house white or paint it yellow. It has a very unique shape, all it needs is a little TLC.
ReplyDeleteFarmchick -- room is important when you have a young family. Like you, I raised my children in a large old farm house at one time and it formed some of their fondest memories of their childhood.
ReplyDeleteIts fun to dream of some of the old houses. They can have such possibilities.
-- barbara
Janet -- Sure doesn't cost anything to size up a house in your mind and figure out what you would do if you lived in it. I love old houses. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteI have a fantasy about finding a nice little town and owning a wee cottage and perhaps having a little book/coffee shop -- it's just a dream. The cold reality is that it will not happen. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteKay -- There are always possibilities in one's life. A dream can become a reality. Sounds like a great idea. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteI'm with you; I love small, cozy places...places that have a bit of history and character...even if it means they need a bit of work or are a little grotty in spots.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you posted this in terms of hobbits. This week, I was reading about hobbit-style play houses, which I thought were brilliant and of course, immediately wanted to build one (someday) and started planning how I would decorate the inside!
What a cute little twee house!
ReplyDeleteYes, I could see it painted in those colours and it would look great :)
Hello:
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely enchanting little house and one in which, we have no doubt at all, Bilbo Baggins would be most comfortably at home. Your ideas for 'improvement' sound perfect, and we love the thought of the hall door painted the colour of aubergines. What fun you would have!
I loved this post Barbara, especially how you ended it by saying a small house would hug Mother Earth. I must disagree with you though when you commented to Farm Chick by saying that people with young children need bigger houses. Children don't need what is found within a house so much as what is found in the natural spaces around them. I grew up on a farm and it was the land around the farm I treasured not the home itself. Kids today need to get outside and have enough freedom in their schedule to tumble around and explore. To become in touch with Mother Earth and discover why we need to work to save her.
ReplyDeleteDelightful fantasy. I often look at some of the tiny house in my area, usually built for summer occupants, actually, and think how cozy they might be. I haven't mentally painted and landscaped but you might have inspired a new area of fantasy for me. [as if I don't fantasize enough!]
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday when we drove to brunch, I looked at all the small places that remain here in our urban county. Little places are perfect and i could livfe in one ina heartbeat. I would love to see your cottage after you fix it up. The first thing I would do is get my SIL to fix that roof over the porch before it comes down on my head. Dianne
ReplyDeleteI love small spaces too, much better than big McMansions.
ReplyDeleteBilbo would love it, for sure.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
ReplyDeleteI can see you sitting on the porch one hand clinging tightly to Elijah Craig. Hey, Ya are from Kentucky. One must appreciate bourbon. I had a friend that would tell his grown children all these stories about their grandmother that was still alive spending the evening with Elijah Craig. She was in her nineties at the time and the grandkids ears would perk up about her spending time with this gentleman they assumed. He kept them going for a couple months before the kids figured it out. I like all the additions on this house.
A charming, hobbitish cottage is absolutely a fantasy of mine, too! (If we can ever sell this place, two such cottages - one a fixer-upper and one already done - are for sale in town and on our radar!) It seems you've been thinking about what you'd do if this place were yours for a while, you've got a lot of details figured out! It may not be on the market right now, but have you considered approaching the owners about the possibility of buying it? You never know! I can easily picture you in a place like this, with the pretty changes you'd like to make. I know the house would be thrilled! :-)
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Hobbit Houses, check out this amazing place in Wales!
Rose -- Hobbit-style playhouses -- for children or adults? Laloofah has a great link in the comment section of this post on an actual hobbit house that someone built. It is a well done article and worth checking out. It might inspire you to tackle a hobbit house of your own. thanks for the comment Rose -- barbara
ReplyDeleteJayne -- These old tiny houses are slowly disappearing here. Just this summer I saw two torn down for the land and last summer one torn down and a very large McMansion built on the property.
ReplyDeletewhat's the status of old small houses in your land?
Thanks -- barbara
Jane and Lance -- For now I will just fantasize as I pass tiny houses. The housing market is very slow here so I will wait till things improve to move. Hope there will be some available when I make the leap. Glad you like the colors -- earthy -- funky and fun I think. -- Thanks for the comments -- barbara
ReplyDeleteDarcy -- Yes, you are right. Children do need lots of fresh air out in the open spaces -- to tumble and find snakes and get muddy. Maybe the parents need the space inside to escape the antics going on outside. Just joking of course. Thanks for the comments Darcy always appreciate you stopping by -- barbara
ReplyDeleteJune -- Small houses have always been a fascination for me too. When I was about six or seven my friends and I found a tumble-down tiny house in a field by where we lived. We would visit it occasionally and envision how the folks that once lived there used the house. I think that was the beginning of my interest in houses especially small ones.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that the tiny summer places near you are vintage as they seldom build small anymore.
Nice that you stopped by -- barbara
Dianne -- I imagine that -- like so many other areas == small places are becoming rare. Land prices, especially in urban and suburban areas are usually quite high. So tear down the small and build the big -- the mantra of the building trade.
ReplyDeleteI can understand the economics of the tear down mentality. Perhaps its the cultural mind-set about housing that needs to change. Now how did I get off on this toot.
Thanks for stopping -- barbara
marciamayo -- I'm with you as are many folks in this country. Wonderful things can happen in small spaces! Thanks for the comment -- barbara
ReplyDeleteBirdman -- Yes Bilbo would love it! -- barbara
ReplyDeleteLaloofah -- I checked out the amazing place in Wales -- it is truly AMAZING. What beautiful craftsmanship. I really thank you for sending the link.
ReplyDeleteUntil the housing market improves around here I am sitting tight. For now I just collect thoughts about how I would go about making this transition.
I have thought about approaching the owners when I reach the point of possibly selling. Also, I keep my eyes and ears open for other small houses.
Nice that you have some houses in mind for when you sell yours. This market is terrible but I have hope that it will eventually crawl back.
Thanks for the link and comments -- barbara
Grampy -- I've learned something new about Ky from you -- Elijah Craig bourbon. I had no idea who Elijah Craig was and had to look it up on Wiki. I'v only lived in KY four years and I'm still learning the folkways. That is what is so wonderful about KY it is beautiful, colorful, intriguing, historical, and full of friendly folks.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty good story about the grandmother -- she probably lived until her 90s because she took that medicinal -- Elijah Craig
Thanks for the good story -- barbara
I want your hobbit house, but with an extra room or two. I love cave-like houses, but I am a big person with a lot of absolutely essential stuff which needs to come with me.
ReplyDeleteFrisko -- if the house expands too much it no longer is a hobbit house. May i suggest a small storage shed for your extra essentials (ha ha).
ReplyDelete-- barbara
Hmm, I love your vision. Your brown house with pumpkin shutters and wild garden sounds sublime. Thanks for sharing your imaginative remaking of your hobbit house.
ReplyDeleteI'm not at all surprised but am nevertheless so glad you enjoyed it (and am wondering why I didn't think to share it sooner!)
ReplyDeleteI know all too well what you mean about this housing market. But I love that you're enjoying dreaming about your "someday digs" in the meantime. As astrologer Caroline Casey says, "Imagination lays the tracks for the reality train to follow." :-) I hope things recover sooner than many think, and that you're soon blogging from - and about - your Hobbit house!
That is a nice looking house, I like your idea of painting it in those colors, it will look good either way.
ReplyDeleteToyin -- Thanks for the comment and visiting my post -- barbara
ReplyDeletethat is a cute little house... :)
ReplyDeletealways been a fan of small homes...