A Minimalist Design Thread

[Minivanmotoman]

Here's an interesting video discussing design, usage and fabrication. Why and how he built his van for his needs.


Discusses many themes similar to why this thread was started and to get the thinking process going.

 

[RoamerRV428]

cool vid.
I liked he said I want 14 days on BLM land and be sustainable so he built just around that and made it happen for himself. great.

 

[Firebuild]

I honestly thought this thread was going to really piss me off, but it turns out it has not.  When the word "minimalism" is brought up, what usually gets discussed is 1) frugality 2) functionalism 3) how superior people who have less stuff are, and 4) How detaching from things makes you really zen.  None of which is actually minimalism. But I am pleasantly surprised by the opportunity to hear people thoughtfully share their process of choosing what to live without. 

I'm a maximalist, and always will be, no matter how small the space I'm in. My eye craves colors and ornaments and lights and textures. There's a lot I would give up to have things around me I love to look at, but I think I've figured out how to have that AND a toilet, AND a shower of sorts. 


I recently showed my bus to a guy who is helping me install my solar. His first comment was about how much more storage space I could have if I would get rid of my antique furniture and do built-ins instead. He also told me if I gave up my wall of art (I have a bunch of colorful paintings etc. screwed to the wall above the cockpit) he could tear it out and give me some more storage, shelves 6" to 8" deep.  That puzzled me because I couldn't figure out what I'd want all that storage for. Storage is for hidden things, and I don't own a lot that I'd want to hide, beyond what already fits in the storage I have, except for the 20lb propane bottle I just got, which won't fit on a 6 inch shelf anyway. Plus I'd have to give up my art and my 1820's possum belly table. I'm all set, thanks.

 

[Dingfelder]

Prioritizing antique furniture -- often heavy, bulky and delicate, as well as not necessarily the easiest to secure safely, all things I would try to strictly control -- strikes me as bizarre and pretty funny, but it's your right to have it and love it just as much as it is my right to laugh or roll my eyes. Good for you that you found a sustainable way to make yourself happy.

My own quirk is lots of cooking implements, which someone who cooks less would probably find somewhere between unnecessary and useless, maybe even foolish. And for every person who has a pet, there's another who thinks she's crazy for having one. Oh well.

 

[Cammalu]

This ones for you firebuild since you like over the top. This is in an Airstream

 

[Firebuild]

Prioritizing antique furniture -- often heavy, bulky and delicate, as well as not necessarily the easiest to secure safely, all things I would try to strictly control -- strikes me as bizarre and pretty funny, but it's your right to have it and love it just as much as it is my right to laugh or roll my eyes.  Good for you that you found a sustainable way to make yourself happy.

My own quirk is lots of cooking implements, which someone who cooks less would probably find somewhere between unnecessary and useless, maybe even foolish.  And for every person who has a pet, there's another who thinks she's crazy for having one.  Oh well.

Well I guess it's your right to laugh and roll your eyes, but never having seen my very well secured rig, and noting that no one has rolled their eyes at anyone else's priorities (at least not out loud), I'm not sure why it's a right you feel the need to exercise! My cooking supplies consist of one pot and one pan, so I guess we are opposites.  

The possum belly has two huge top drawers that hold my substantial set of tools, and two rounded, deep  lower drawers that hold linens and all kinds of other things. The oak dresser has big flat drawers that are perfect for my work. All are bolted to the floor AND the wall, as well as secured with ratchet straps when I'm traveling any distance.

 

[Firebuild]

This ones for you firebuild since you like over the top. This is in an Airstream

I've seen this, and I LOVE it!

 

[Dingfelder]

That's very cool, Cammalu!

Fire, don't take it personally. As you say, I haven't seen yours ... and as I point out, I do things that other people find doesn't suit them at all. I think there's actually a pretty big divergence on whether or not a pet is a good idea, and whether or not cooking is important, much less doing it with some variety or having much to do it with, in, or on.

There's nothing wrong with being an individual! It does take a thick skin though.

 

[RoamerRV428]

everyone sees 'anything' and comments first that they would do this...or that...it is human nature to say exactly what one likes, desires, would change.

We all hear it every single day, a million times, the old 'if this were me' but hey it ain't you LOL

but we get thru it. we listened, nod, give the deep thought Hmmmm….then do what the hell we want as we see fit

 

[Firebuild]

We all hear it every single day, a million times, the old 'if this were me' but hey it ain't you LOL

No argument at all with the"If this were me's" or the "personally, I would..."'s. There's a difference, though.

Fire, don't take it personally.  

There's nothing wrong with being an individual!  It does take a thick skin though. 

 I don't think it takes a particularly thin skin to react to someone going out of their way to verbalize an eye roll, and to being the only person on the thread whose perspective gets called "bizarre." But it's OK, my antiques and I forgive you.

I'm not going to get into why antiques are less delicate than many other setups, other than to mention you have to be doing something right to make it to 100+ years.

 

[Riverman]

I've looked at about every type of vehicle to live in, and what works best for me is a cargo trailer.

My 6x12 cargo trailer weighs 1200# loaded. I can stand up in it, walk around, tow it easy with a 1/2-ton pickup truck, and it only cost $2000 new for the basic trailer.

I have A/C, propane heat, generator, solar, comfortable single bed, TV, wifi, long range cell antenna, a laptop desk, and a potty.

The only disadvantage to me is running from the truck to the trailer when it is raining hard.

I can't find anything else that's this nice and brand new for $2000, plus updates. (a few at a time).

Minimal living to each person is different..... we have to go with what makes us happy.

 

[Dingfelder]

I think it's fantastic that you can get something like that and equip it properly, and all the more so that you can get started for such a low price.

 

[Dingfelder]

 I don't think it takes a particularly thin skin to react to someone going out of their way to verbalize an eye roll, and to being the only person on the thread whose perspective gets called "bizarre." But it's OK, my antiques and I forgive you.

I don't need forgiveness and didn't ask for it. Enough already.  Lighten up, Francis.

 

[Firebuild]

I don't need forgiveness and didn't ask for it. Enough already.  Lighten up, Francis

Well I guess thin skin runs two ways. Happy New Year!

 

[Firebuild]

Has anyone seen this Netflix series? 



Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

I love her because her approach is not the generic idea of getting rid of things in order to be minimalist, but instead is about surrounding yourself with only items you cherish, and tossing the rest.

 

[maki2]

Just say something such as......that sounds like an interesting space instead of judging everything against what you want for yourself. Your appreciation of the world will greatly expand if you quit judging everything you see based on what you like and start seeing it from the other person's perspective.

If you can manage to have a functional interior that includes antiques then it will be an interesting space. But so are rustic spaces done with pallet wood and so are spaces with custom cabinets, and ones with lots of art, or technical equipment, or a gypsy vardo or sheep herder's wagon etc. Even the start of a bare bones setup with a pallet on the floor and some boxes of supplies are also interesting in their own way because of their minimalism. Airstream or a homemade wood truck bed camper, they are both interesting. Of course the build I am working on is also interesting.

 

[Firebuild]

If you can manage to have a functional interior that includes antiques then it will be an interesting space. But so are rustic spaces done with pallet wood and so are spaces with custom cabinets, and ones with lots of art, or technical equipment, or a gypsy vardo or sheep herder's wagon etc. Even the start of a bare bones setup with a pallet on the floor and some boxes of supplies are also interesting in their own way because of their minimalism.  Airstream or a homemade wood truck bed camper, they are both interesting. Of course the build I am working on is also interesting.

I agree 100%.

 

[RoamerRV428]

I am learning to stop the 'but'.

You know, the 'you have a beautiful face, just lovely, BUT......' then comes the ********. You could lose 50 lbs and be so much prettier! Back handed slap in the face.

'Your performing your job well, BUT you are getting no raise cause we feel you could do better and re-evaluate you in 6 months. FU right? LOL

Your new back deck is wonderful and useful, BUT why in the heck did you choose this flooring and not get this better one that will last longer, was cheaper to install and had better coloring options? In other words you were an absolute idiot choosing your own new back deck to build.

omg guys we hear it all the time. LOL

I think I will change how I phrase my responses, it is good to get some new thinking happening from threads like this in a way. A good thing to help someone change maybe in how responses are written. cool

 

[Minivanmotoman]

Exactly, instead of being judgemental and critical of others ideas and choices, one purpose of the thread was to assess and then reassess objectively your needs and how to plan a space through design. Not to say there was one way to do it.
The other purpose was to share efficient design ideas that we're functional and improved over traditional RV/ van design, layout and include personal preferences and needs.
Don't focus on the word minimalist which was the descriptive adjective in the title. The main noun was Design.
In hindsight, should have used efficient design for Max space utilization. It wasn't to preach minimalism living mantra and philosophies or to make anyone drink any Kool aid but to develop a dialogue and exchange of design ideas for efficient builds.
And in that vein, by practice, discovered that for my size, a 28" wide center aisle was good for room and space. Fyi, your mileage may vary of course.

 

[Firebuild]

Don't focus on the word minimalist which was the descriptive adjective in the title. The main noun was Design.
It wasn't to preach minimalism living mantra and philosophies or to make anyone drink any Kool aid but to develop a dialogue and exchange of design ideas for efficient builds.

I think you succeeded in creating the thread you envisioned, whatever the title; as I said I was really enjoying seeing everyone state their own priorities. The reason I said I had initially expected to be pissed off is that, when a thread has a title like this one, I often end up feeling like I'm doing something "wrong" because I like things fancy schmancy, but I felt safe to state that preference here because everyone's decisions were being respected, and it didn't devolve into a "You shouldn't do it that way" or "You should do it my way" conversation.  

The reality is that efficiency doesn't have to look any particular way aesthetically, and people who enjoy visual extravagance or hang on to personally resonant mementos are not inherently less spiritual than those who either don't have that preference, but I still think we're more alike than different.