Smallist

FlatWire eliminates unsightly bulges and wallwarts by replacing power and speaker cables with ribbons. They can’t do 120 AC yet, but it sounds good for those low wattage DC light installations, or speaker wire. You glue ‘em right to the surface of the wall, then spackle, sand, and paint over them. The result is invisible when properly installed.

It’s a great idea, but I think the key phrase there is “when properly installed”. You might want to try a test run in the basement rec room before turning your attention to the master suite.

Via Freshome.

Nothing new here really, but SFGate has a writeup on Tumbleweed houses, and their founder Jay Shafer. Plus some great pics. His site is here.

The underwater park below doesn’t allow alcohol. So via the logical procedure (p->!q) -> (q->!p), we can assume that this beer can room doesn’t allow aquariums. It looks very comfy inside. The price is 4,000 per room and a minimum order of 54 cans, or 9 six-packs. And you can customize it with your own logo, so teetotalers can sleep in a giant can of V8. Not sure why they call it a penthouse though; seems more like a garden apartment to me. Via Springwise.

On the topic of tiny hotels, Jules’ Undersea Lodge is worth checking out if you’re ever in Key Largo. Since it’s in a lagoon, “underwater” is a bit more accurate. You can even get married there. I’ve never been inside this thing, but I’ve visited the undersea park, and the hotel is quite close to the surface, so there’s no risk of the bends. Unfortunately, that also means you won’t get nitrogen narcosis, and since no alcohol is allowed, you’ll be sober for the duration of your underwater stay.

Hotel Móvil can be trailered to any location and set up “en solo 30 minutos”, presumably Castillian for “after watching a broken web video of hydraulic legs descending to royalty-free techno.” It has a 50-person capacity, split over 11 rooms, and can be rented for 8,000 euros per weekend. That means if you get 49 of your friends to pay 82 euros a night, you sleep for free. Assuming they don’t mind sleeping five to a room.

I’m not sure how bunkbeds and wood paneling can be called 5-star, however. And if their website is any guide, you can also expect loud piped-in music, blinking lights, and horrendous layout. Still, it’s a neat idea.

Via trendhunter.

Sorry mom and pop. Home Depot is creating smaller stores, to get around zoning difficulties, and to fit into the available nooks and crannies of smaller neighborhoods. They may be more profitable than the big stores, since they’ll be dropping lumber, an item requiring lots of square footage and producing little profit.

Apartment therapy demonstrates how to use the space UNDER your kitchen cabinets.

At $111,000, the Loft Cube is a little pricier than the toy Colonials and gazebos below. But man is it gorgeous. If you have roofspace, the money for installation by freight helicopter, a way to get utility lines to the roof, roof railings, and certification that the roof can withstand the weight, one of these babies can be yours.

Via Uncrate

Here’s a bunch of tiny rooms for your backyard. Or if you’re brave and have a good real estate lawyer, just buy a plot of land and live out of one of these. Bathrooms and kitchens, who needs ‘em?

Via Apartment Therapy.

I could swear I’ve seen this before, but the micro compact home deserves a mention. My favorite feature has to be the antenna, which gives the whole thing an Alfalfa look. And next to a smart car, it’s the Smallist dream writ, uh, small.

You can buy one for as low as 25,000 Euros, but you’ll need to buy the land yourself, and you’ve got to deliver it in geographical Europe. As opposed to the Europe of the mind, which I suppose includes Busch Gardens, and parts of Epcot. But they do plan on bringing these to the US.

Via Apartment therapy.