Читать книгу Knitbook: The Basics & Beyond - Chris Schapdick - Страница 5

I first met Chris Schapdick at the bustling New Jersey Tiny House Festival back in 2017. There, my partner, Christian, and I were among thousands of attendees who toured Chris’s first tiny house on wheels. Although the overall design was familiar, from the moment we walked in the door, we knew his home was special. The way Chris brought the space to life was spectacular. It was no surprise that he ended up winning the Best Tiny House award at the event.

Over the last several years, Christian and I have toured hundreds of tiny homes across North America as part of Tiny House Expedition, our documentary and community education project. The diversity of tiny house designs we’ve seen is mind-blowing; the quality of each build, and reasons for building, vary greatly. However, one commonality, especially among DIYers, is that tiny homes act as self-portraits of their owners. By that, I mean they showcase all the best aspects of the builder’s personality and style. Even slight imperfections add genuine character.

Overall, there’s a special kind of intimacy between the builder and the structure that is so enchanting. Of course, this is in addition to the endless charm of a movable tiny home that you can take almost anywhere. I can personally attest to that addictive quality. In fact, Christian and I have traveled 55,000 miles with our DIY tiny house on wheels over the course of four and a half years.

During our travels, we’ve had the great pleasure of touring several of Chris’s tiny house creations at festivals across the East Coast. Each one is unique and full of personality. This is no surprise, knowing how truly vivacious Chris is. Both he and his homes on wheels always make me smile.

Perhaps what makes Chris’s work so memorable is his creative use of materials, as well as artistic, aesthetically pleasing detailing. For instance, in his first tiny house, he used an antique ship porthole as a window in the front door—an appealing and inventive choice. But it also provided a practical use. And Chris’s exceptional designer chops aren’t just for looks. He is a skilled builder who fuses beauty with functionality throughout all his tiny houses.

Best of all, for you and your reading pleasure, Chris is a master at creating engaging and easy-to-follow how-tos for beginners. What’s more, like me, he is a total tiny house nerd passionate about sharing the power of small spaces with the world. If you read his first book, The Joy of Tiny House Living, you know what I’m talking about. The man makes you fall in love with living and building tiny.

Enjoy journeying into the wide world of tiny houses with one exceptional human and learning how to build your own unique masterpiece!

—Alexis Stephens

Tiny House Expedition cofounder, Living Tiny Legally documentary series codirector, webmaster of TinyHouseBuild.com & TinyHousePlans.com, and YouTube channel creator, www.youtube.com/tinyhouseexpedition1