Tag Archives: housing

Is This the Solution to the Housing Crisis? YouTube Series Spotlights Chic, Compact Abodes

Posted on by
Reply

I received invitations to experience the homes of an architect in Buenos Aires, a Vogue designer in Hong Kong, a community organizer in Sydney, and a writer in Paris.

In reality, I spend my time watching episodes of “Never Too Small” on YouTube. Never Too Small is a media company that produces magazines and online documentaries focused on “designing and living with small footprints.” For me, “Never Too Small” equals “the source of my favorite TV shows.” I enjoy watching while snacking on toast.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xfXMoGmb74w?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="NEVER TOO SMALL Paris Architect’s Micro Apartment – 31sqm/344sqft" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

New episodes are released every week, totaling over 100. Their duration, usually under 10 minutes, is just right. The calming visuals of historic architecture and busy urban streets exude charm. The gentle background music envelops you like a warm bath. As you dive into these videos, you realize you can’t have just one; suddenly, over 100 episodes feel like just a handful. It’s reminiscent of that moment when you first taste chocolate and are told it’s simply an “occasional” treat.


At its core, this series aims to illustrate that one doesn’t need a grand cathedral to feel comfortable as a human being. This appeals to the Australian mindset, often suggesting that without property—taking up a day and a half of each day—we might as well be dead. (Just blame Banjo Patterson or McLeod’s Daughters.) Even a participant in “Grand Designs” hinted that his fixation on grand Aussie homes was somewhat rebellious! He might not have used those exact words, but you get the drift. Rarely do we see people worldwide transforming tiny townhouses and pint-sized apartments into remarkably cozy homes—more so than the dreams spun by the girls from McLeod’s.

Now, I’ve come to love the concept of “too small.” I adore compact spaces. I dream of curling up to the 16th, slipping into an envelope, and surrendering myself to a petite mail slot belonging to a small beret-wearing rabbit. That said, I must admit: some of these dwellings don’t feel small at all!

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/daL7TkzyW7k?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="NEVER TOO SMALL 24sqm/258sqft Micro Apartment – Boneca" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

“Is this small?” I sometimes ask my partner while enjoying toast. “Is this truly small?” he returns, as we both get lost in the ambiguity. Which one is “smaller”? Is it simply a trick of perception? These spaces even feature courtyards!

The viewing area—so crucial at the start of each episode—is undeniably charming. “I live in a tiny house, and I don’t complain about it,” you might think, but do you have a Wes Anderson-inspired décor? Or perhaps a community library with great ventilation? What about a cabin where you can sleep under the stars (while still in bed; after all, you’re not a caveman)? If not, then these diminutive homes are uniquely special.

Skip past newsletter promotions

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/CkBDPMJwyGU?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Sydney Architect Designs Adaptable 3m-Wide Terrace House, 60sqm/646sqft" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

It’s intriguing how these spaces evolve. (It’s disheartening when an owner describes their previous space as “monotonous,” as it resembles their current apartment closely.) The bus is often the first to go, and I find myself in the way. If they enjoy dining out, the oven might also be sacrificed. Occasionally, there’s neither a bathtub nor an oven, but rather a climbing wall instead.

The hosts are always impeccably dressed, stylish sneakers on their feet, engaging in fascinating activities. Even their pets seem to have a deeper understanding of life (you can just tell by the raised eyebrows). “When hosting dinner parties, we pull out this custom bench seat to accommodate 8-10 guests,” they boast. Can you imagine being someone who hosts a dinner party? Picture knowing 8-10 people!

The renowned writer, scientist, and sage Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once mused about life’s complexities. Yet, I find tranquility in observing others’ clever homes via video. We’re all just a recycled wooden dining table or a small piano away from pure bliss. Let’s not shy away; embrace the beauty of being too small.

Source: www.theguardian.com

New Way to Navigate the Housing Crisis: Join a Facebook Group Celebrating Retro Australian Homes and Culture

Posted on by
Reply

One of my favorite Facebook group members is someone who shares a dislike for white paint.

In the comments, people discuss old houses from the mid-century era that have been painted white. Some debate whether they can undo the damage caused by previous owners. The focus is on the “incredibly destructive act” of whitewashing these homes, with a link shared to a house that is currently for sale. “I scrolled past three pictures and had to stop,” reads one of the 80 intense replies.

“Unbelievable destructive act”: A white-painted trend that surrounds the beauty of the Middle Ages. Photo: facebook / meta

These are my people and we belong to a retro house for sale group in Australia. This group is dedicated to sharing links to houses from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s (or earlier!) that are currently on the market. We also admire well-maintained vintage beach houses while mourning the tragically renovated interiors that have lost their charm due to new colors.


I may not know what this group is all about, but now it occupies most of my scrolling time and mental space. I find great joy in eavesdropping on discussions about old houses, connecting with strangers over a shared passion. The allure of retro pastel bathrooms and wooden paneling is like a free fashion show. My current favorite discovery is a church converted by Welby. It has a ghostly appearance and sits on 5 acres of land with aging houses around it. In Teac, Victoria, there are remnants of a cult commune or “church-based community” with a “rich heritage,” as delicately put in the listing.

But my obsession goes beyond curiosity. It’s no secret that the Australian housing market is tough, but within this Facebook group, dreams can flourish. I share links to remarkable properties with the group chat, envisioning myself repairing and restoring them.

“Church that looks like a ghost that looks like a ghost” … or a fixer upper that is perfect for this housing crisis. Photo: Realestate.com.au

I skip over listings in pricey Sydney suburbs that are out of reach and focus on fixer-uppers outside the city. I imagine a different life that could have been mine if I had bought one of these homes.

Could I live in a town like Kyogle, NSW, with a population of 2,751? Or perhaps Mount Barker, South Australia? But most of all, I dream of Tasmania with its retro mysteries, affordable prices, and proximity to the beach – if only the water temperature were a bit warmer.

“Can I live in Kaoguru, New South Wales? Population 2,751?” Photo: facebook / meta

This charm is on borrowed time. Retro houses in Australia continue to dwindle as money often triumphs over taste, leading to the demolition of older homes in favor of newer, cheaper options. I witness this reality daily. Despite the construction boom near my beachside Sydney neighborhood, I long for the stories that old houses hold. However, online, I maintain hope that one of these houses can be mine, exchanging thoughts and ideas with others in the group.

www.theguardian.com

UK tech startup secures £5m funding to eradicate hazardous mould in social housing

Posted on by
Reply

An innovative British startup focusing on technology to prevent cold and damp in rental homes has received new funding to expand its operations. This comes as landlords are now recognizing the importance of addressing mold issues in older social housing units.

Switchey has raised £5 million, with existing investors AXA IM Aults and Octopus Ventures each contributing. The company aims to use this funding, combined with a previous investment round of £6.5 million led by AXA, to install its technology in 1 million UK social housing units.

Switchey’s technology, utilized by over 130 social housing providers, monitors humidity, temperature, and pressure to prevent mold, lower heating costs, and enhance communication between tenants and landlords.

The quality of social housing has been under scrutiny following the tragic death of a two-year-old who succumbed to mold in his rented flat. Switchy’s CEO Tom Robbins stated that there is a growing demand for improved housing standards, prompting landlords to seek technology-driven solutions.

The company aims to address the disparity in access to cost-saving technology, particularly for those struggling with heating bills. Switchey’s equipment has already made a significant impact, helping families living in unsafe conditions due to damp and mold.

In addition to reducing heating costs and improving housing conditions, Switchey’s technology contributes to environmental sustainability. The company is part of initiatives like the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund to promote energy-efficient solutions.

Revenue at Switchey has doubled over the past three years, reaching £10 million in the last fiscal year. While focused on scalability, the company remains committed to its social and environmental mission.

Skip Newsletter Promotions

Edward Kieran, a partner at Octopus Ventures, highlighted Switchey’s focus on social housing and environmental impact. The company has achieved B Corp Status and counts AXA as its largest shareholder.

Founded in 2015 by Adam Hudakowski and Ian Napier, Switchey has connected 35,000 devices in homes to date. The company aims to reach a million homes over the next five to ten years as a tribute to Napier, who tragically took his own life in 2019 but played a crucial role in shaping the company’s vision.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is a comedian my only hope to escape my unlivable “boys room”? | Housing

Posted on by
Reply

Snowboard boots on the kitchen table. A handle in the bedroom. And clothes are everywhere, and there's no system for determining which ones are clean.

These are just some of the sights that will tell you you're in the boys' room. It's a bedroom with little form or function, inhabited by a grown man who doesn't give much thought to either concept. The interior is usually made up of random trinkets, like your favorite old skateboard on the wall or your childhood action figures on the windowsill. Sneakers and trash are often so dense that it’s hard to see the floor. The thing about furniture is that there might be some furniture. Otherwise, the resident sleeps on a bare mattress placed directly on the floor with one pillow and an uncovered comforter.

To an outsider, it may seem immature and even unkind. Now, comedian Rachel Coster is exploring this phenomenon in her TikTok/Instagram series. boy room.

In every episode, a man in his 20s or 30s living in New York City offers his bedroom for anthropological research. Coster walks around the room and asks the boys questions about the decorations.

“What's that over there?” she asked Luke, 24, pointing to a dirty container next to a step stool. “It’s a bottle of bleach,” he answered.

“What's with the hat?” she asked Jerome, 32, pointing to the baseball cap under the bed. “That’s a cat’s hat,” he explains.

Some videos go in an even more surreal direction. One video features a windowless room with residents' nicknames painted on the walls, like something out of a horror movie. Another boy is wearing a nightcap and has an empty condom box taped to the wall.


Rachel Coster investigates a phenomenon familiar to many who have dated in New York. Photo: Provided by the gymnasium

Koster then offers some very practical tips for improving your space. “My vision for Blake’s room is to install a trash can for him,” she suggests. “Place all clothing on the floor on readily available racks.”

The boys in question are mainly Although he may be a little confused when he receives attention, he is sincere and likable. One commenter on Instagram said: “Blake seems like a really level-headed person. I think we have a lot in common.”

The idea for the boy room came from a friend of Koster’s who said her room “scared every girl I’ve ever taken.” She said she could help fix it within a few hours. In just her five weeks since the show began, Koster’s most-watched video has been her 2.7 million views on TikTok, and her Boy Room followers have surpassed her 121,000.

Perhaps it’s because she finds such a rich theme. Socializing, especially dating, means being exposed to a wealth of unknown homes and lifestyles. Family life of young people special scrutiny. For example, on TikTok, users canThree typical boy apartments in New York City” (the eldest of the siblings, the “dad has money” guy, and the guy with the fireplace that will hurt your feelings).Natural things in my boyfriend’s apartment” (e.g. a fire hydrant that has been recalled for some reason).

Why on earth is the men’s room the way it is? Coster theorizes that while girls are raised with the expectation that they will one day take care of the house and “look out for each other” when it comes to cleanliness, “that’s not the case when boys go to each other’s rooms.” I’m wearing it. ‘Hey, hey, why don’t you have more than one pillow?’ And, of course, there’s the relentless advertising, she says, ‘Men are sold on ‘you have to be stronger.’ You need focus. You have to be hardworking.’For girls, “You have to be beautiful, you have to be clean, and your house has to be clean.”

My lover, who was probably trying to send a message, warned me about the boy room first. She’s only just turned 39 and I’m just a boy, with a room where I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that I’m eligible to be on the show. Since I live on the other side of the country, Ms. Koster kindly agreed to do an evaluation via video chat.

Her first question was how to get it across the bedroom since there is a TV stand at the foot of the bed and together they take up the length of the room. I explained that I would have to climb over the bed to get to the closet. “It’s amazing,” she said. “And all your clothes are shoved in storage shelves,” she said of the boxes in the closet where I stuff my clothes (I don’t have a dresser, but I do have storage shelves, so there is no need).


Some of the posters in my room have not yet fallen. Photo: The Guardian

She also took note of my pile of keepsakes (which used to be filled with keepsake bags). There I keep things I can’t bear to throw away, like postcards, the magic wand from my Halloween costume from seven years ago, and a brochure from a hang gliding museum in Texas I don’t remember visiting. Her grandfather’s electric chess set is also on the mountain. “Yeah, that’s where he wants to be,” Koster said. “How long has it been sitting there?”

“Maybe it’s because I moved here a year and a half ago?”

“So how often do you look at them and say, ‘Wow, thank God I have this ‘Hoppy Easter’ card?”

Coster “loves tossing” things he doesn’t normally use. “I’d rather have noise-cancelling headphones than a million letters from her parents,” she said, adding: “Maybe if my parents had died, I might have felt differently.”

She also suggested putting memorabilia in a chest, or at least organizing the pile into smaller piles. “You’ll find that there’s a better shape to it than just putting it in a lump in the corner of the room.” Her other key advice was to put back posters that had fallen off the wall, but the theme I thought it might be a good idea to change it a little. I suffer from a condition that could be diagnosed as extreme Anglophilia, and the poster included her two maps of Britain, a vintage tube ad, and an overhead view of London. Masu. She said, “I’m going to introduce France or some other white European country to get you excited.”


After all, the boy room is for boys. Photo: Provided by the gymnasium

Actually, I already have a discarded poster from France, but the simplicity of her other suggestions made me want to take action. I did it the next weekend, reupholstered the posters, and got rid of some of my worst memorabilia. Two monocles with broken glasses.

Koster understands that getting rid of things can be difficult. “I don’t think sentimentality and peace of mind really go together, because if you’re always thinking about the past and always trying to protect things, it’s really hard to stay in the present.”, it is also rewarding to correct your posture. “When I wake up in a clean room, I feel completely in heaven.”

Boy Room has plenty of jokes, but what sets it apart from your standard internet troll is its underlying warmth. Yes, we’re laughing in the boys’ room, but Koster works with a small team that includes a director, cinematographer, and editor. sexy damion, very much on the boy’s side. she told one of the boys’ room customers. “This has nothing to do with your personality. You’re nice. You just don’t know what you’re doing with your space.”

She, and by extension we, simply want what’s best for these men, starting with their ability to move from one side of the room to the other without tripping. “My true wish is that if possible, everyone should love themselves enough to value their own space,” she said.

Source: www.theguardian.com