Tiny house - Shipping Container Office and Commerce building

Shipping Container tiny Office Building

Roseau, Dominica the "Nature Island of the Caribbean"
1-27-2020

Click on photo to enlarge

Gaynell Larsen ham radio
operator J79WWW
with good coffee.

During our "Ham Radio Mission" to Dominica we visited a very interesting application of using Shipping Containers to make a small commercial building  in the capital Roseau. The design and construction was really excellent. It looked a little out of place along the old buildings on main street. It has a great little coffee shop in one corner. The coffee was good and the price very reasonable.

The  coffee shop is tucked into about 1/3 of a 20 foot container at ground level. The building is constructed from 3 containers.

The interior of the small coffee
shop in the right side of  lower
side of shipping container

Coffee shop menu

The interior of the shop is small but well equipped.  The shop also is a wine shop so you have lots of choices.

The menu is in Caribbean $.  About  40 cents in US currency. You can get in town delivery for about 80 cents US.

Small office and retail space building
made from 3 Shipping Containers
in Roseau, Dominica.

You can see here a clever idea - the top container extends over the coffee shop and provides the roof area. A small garden and seating area is built in front of the coffee shop.

The other sections of the are small rental office spaces and a small conference room. It looked like about 6  offices were available and all done very nicely with A/C.  You do not need heat on this beautiful Caribbean Island.

Small office and retail space building
made from 3 Shipping Containers
in Roseau, Dominica.

Looking back at the coffee shop where you can see the top container being used as roof for front of the shop.

The railing you see over the container is where a small outdoor seating area was made with a roof overhead to be used by the tenants and their guests.

Small office and retail space building
made from 3 Shipping Containers
in Roseau, Dominica.

The deck and seating area described with the photo above.  It is nice with room for a dozen or so people. This  also provides the access for the 3 offices on this level.

Small office and retail space building
made from 3 Shipping Containers
in Roseau, Dominica.

Looking off the back side of the deck we can see the other offices in level one and two.

Small office and retail space building
made from 3 Shipping Containers
in Roseau, Dominica.

I could not actually get in the offices but took this photo through the window of the door  and you can see it is very attractive.

One of the main streets in
downtown Roseau ,
Dominica - The Container
building is just to the RT of
this photo.

The whole country of Dominica is small 15x30 miles in size with a population of about 65,000.  The capital Roseau has 15,000 people.

Look carefully and you will see a typical Dominica tiny house just over the roof of the while auto. The streets are very narrow and with autos parked on both sides there is barely room for one car to drive down the street. Look closely and you will see the ocean at the end of the street.

The island is still recovering from hurricane Maria in 2017.

We have visited the island 32 times in the past 23 years.  Our purpose has been to help with Disaster preparedness communications.
See Blog "CLICK"


Video of Downtown Roseau "CLICK"

Cobblestone  walkway
in place for  hundreds
of years in Dominica.

The island is a mix of old and new buildings. The island historically over the past 300 or so years was dominated back and forth by the French and  British.  Most recently it was a a British Colony and the dominate language is English.

In this photo you can see some of the cobblestone sidewalk that has been in place for hundreds of years.

Port Roseau in Dominica.

Dominica is the nature island of the Caribbean and has many beautiful water falls, hiking trails, hot sulfur spring bath pools & great Caribbean food - my favorite food!

You can see in the photo a cruse ship in port at Roseau. The ships  make a 9 hour day stop, however, they are an important source of income for the island folks.

David Larsen
 Blog Author

"by David Larsen"  Chantilly Farm owner, Computer Historian, and amateur radio operator -KK4WW   & N4USA .  I work out of one of the Tiny Homes at Chantilly Farm. A great place to work if you like the to be out in nature. I am 81 and ready to sell Chantilly Farm - I have a few more  projects I would like to do - if you have an interest to know more give me a call. 540 392 2392

Tiny house Campground Micro-Cottage rental

Tiny House Campground Micro-Cottage Rental

At Chantilly Farm  Floyd, Virginia

Micro-cottage at
Chantilly Farm Campground

The micro-cottage is a very functional weekend camping cabin for two. The cottage is insulated - heated in Winter and Air Conditioned in the Summer.  It has beautiful woodland as backdrop with a great mountain view out the front.

Here is a good view of Chantilly Farm from from an overhead drone. Look close and in the upper left when video is starting you will see where the Micro-cottage is located - it is not much more then a small white dot.

Micro-cottage at
Chantilly Farm Campground
side view

The cottage is Micro - about 10 x 8 feet.  Still it is very functional inside and many features outside - picnic table - Fire pit - water hydrant - outdoor lighting - short walk to bath house - nice flat area for tent and AC power.

Here is a little video of the Micro-Cottage.

Group camping using the
micro-cottage as the
hub of activities

Here is group of about 10 with most sleeping outside or just coming for the day. This was an amateur radio field day event with lots of socializing, grilling and eating.


Here is my Tiny Home Video Blog Channel.

Inside food preparation area
in micro-cottage

Inside the cottage is equipped with small refrigerator - Microwave - cabinets for storing provisions. Small table that can be used inside or outside - two metal chairs and two camp chairs.  A nice view from the windows inside looking toward the mountains.

Location of Chantilly Farm on Google Maps.

Inside bunk beds
Chantilly Farm micro-cottage

Two bunk beds with good lighting for reading. WiFi is also available.  It is not intended that guest would spend the entire day inside as it is beautiful outside. The farm has a good many activities with Disk Golf - Hiking/Bike trials - 100 acres of woods to enjoy the Flora and Fauna. Acres of open grass land for ball games - kite flying and more. More about trails 

Events at Chantilly Farm -2020

Outside view at  Chantilly Farm
Micro-Cottage

Nice long distant view out the front of Micro-Cottage.  Picnic table and fire pit with grill also next to cottage.

Here are my Blog posting about Tiny Homes at Chantilly Farm and more.

Book Micro-Cottage or other camping at Chantilly Farm Campground.

Reuse of products - The micro-cottage was used as a small office at a different location before converting it to the current use.

David give description of Chantilly Farm amenities.

 

David Larsen Blog Author

"by David Larsen"  Chantilly Farm owner, Computer Historian, and amateur radio operator -KK4WW   & N4USA . Now that my large historical collection of  microcomputers has been moved to the "Computer Museum of America"  I work out of one of the Tiny Homes at Chantilly Farm. A great place to work if you like the to be out in nature. I am 81 and ready to sell Chantilly Farm - I have a few more  projects I would like to do - if you have an interest to know more give me a call. 540 392 2392

Tiny House Campground Bunk House rental

Tiny House \ Bunkhouse

Chantilly Event & Camping Venue

We have two primitive small tiny house's at Chantilly Farm campground used as bunk house rental units. They are surprisingly popular rentals and super simple & functional.

Enjoy hiking and bike trails that start next to the Bunkhouses.

Tiny House (bunkhouse)A with  Fire Pit. 

The bunkhouses are located in a nice setting with a fire pit for outdoor pleasure and cooking.   Each Bunk house generated about $3000 for the 2019 year. This is a good return as these units have been set up and used on three other farms during the past 10 years. First as a  hunters cabins then moved and used on two other farms as weekend camping cabins for the family.

A good example of reuse of a product.

Video of Bunk Houses - Click

Bunk house A is named
"Cheery Chipmunk"

Camper like the clever way we have named the Tiny Homes after local animals and events. Bunk House A  named "Cheery Chipmunk".  Bunkhouse B is "Rising Rainbow".

WiFi is available at each bunk house from one of the five WiFi towers on the farm. 

Bunk House A interior 

The inside is finished with 2x4  studs shown as part of the interior   wall.  The furnishings include one led light blub - four bunks - one table and 4 chairs. The AC power is minimal and only useful to charge your cell phone or computer.  

Chantilly Farm is very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Bunk beds in Bunk House A.

These are unheated however it is surprising how many times we rent these out in rather cold  weather.  Motorcycle campers really like these bunk houses in place of setting up a small tent.  It is a no brainier  when it is raining to rent a bunkhouse instead of setting up a small tent. Simple bunk beds work just fine and Campers furnish there own bedding. 

Event Area with the large stage
at Chantilly Farm.

A beautiful view of our festival event area from the Bunk House's.

VIDEO   Beautiful view of Chantilly Farm from a drone. 

David's tiny house blog postings

David's Tiny House Video Channel

Play area at Chantilly Farm with
Deer grazing.

Book your Bunk House now -
Chantilly Farm Camping

Children's play area with local deer grazing near camping area.

• Primitive Bunkhouse with 4 twin sleeping bunks (NO MATTRESS - YOU BRING ALL BEDDING!)
• Plenty of room for an extra air mattress or two
• One low-amperage outlet for charging a cell phone or laptop (Not suitable for space heaters)
• Located steps from Bath House A and includes premium views of our meadows and forest
• Perfect view of the Chantilly Stage
• Fire pit onsite
• Wifi
• 2pm Check-In / 11am Check-Out
• Open grassy meadows, thick forests with hiking & mountain biking trails, a babbling brook, a bark park for our furry friends, playsets for the kids, clean bath houses, frisbee golf, and more--all just steps away

David Larsen Blog Author

"by David Larsen"  Chantilly Farm owner, Computer Historian, and amateur radio operator -KK4WW   & N4USA . Now that my large historical collection of  microcomputers has been moved to the "Computer Museum of America"  I work out of one of the Tiny Homes at Chantilly Farm. A great place to work if you like the to be out in nature. I am 81 and ready to sell Chantilly Farm - I have a few more  projects I would like to do - if you have an interest to know more give me a call. 540 392 2392

Tiny House village makes great corporate offices

Tiny Home Village 

used as 

Chantilly Corporate Offices

Village of 4  tiny houses is located at "Chantilly Farm"  in the Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains  and 6 miles from the town of Floyd, Virginia.   Chantilly Farm is a campground and event venue.  See " Chantilly Farm''  all the activities here at the farm.  video      Trails for a relaxing hike or walk on the farm.

Click on photo to enlarge 

One of the 4 Tiny House as part
The Tiny House Village
at Chantilly Farm

Each Tiny house is 390 Sq. feet  in size and set up for full time living however at this time we use each Tiny Home  as office space. The village has many advantages compared to the 4 offices we rented for 17 years in the town of Floyd. Our town offices had no windows and was a boring work environment.  Out here at Chantilly Farm we have 5 windows in each tiny house with wonderful mountain views. The rent in town was getting rather expensive and now we have our own place on the farm.  Most of our business is at Chantilly Farm.

Chantilly Farm
Tiny House Village

The Tiny Houses are tied together with a walkway that connects all the homes very conveniently.  Each home has a front porch that fills the 28 feet of the front side of the  house and makes a great place to watch the sunrise from the East.  The homes are located on the South slope of the hill for great passive heat in the winter and melting our rare snow very quickly. You can see that each Tiny Home as a nice 6 foot wide porch with a covered overhang. Great a place for a rocking chair and watch the deer in the meadow.

Kitchen in the Tiny House
at the Chantilly Farm
Tiny House Village.

Each Tiny Home has a full kitchen at one end with Stove, microwave, Refrigerator, sink , and cabinets.

The homes have a small full function bathroom with shower, vanity and commode.  The hot water is supplied with a tankless on demand hot water heater for efficient use of electricity.

Tiny House Office
at Chantilly Farm

This is the other end same office in the above photo and shows office set up with desk and file cabinets.

This is also a Cyber Village !!
Each Tiny House is wired with 500 feet of CAT-6 internet data cable. There are 10 internet outlets in various parts of each tiny  home.  We can connect about any piece of equipment direct to the internet or connect various pieces of office equipment to digitally communicate with each other.  The 4 Tiny Homes are each connected together with CAT-6 cable for inter office communication. A great office environment.

My office in one of the
Tiny Homes

All 4 Tiny Homes are used as offices. Two are single offices, one serves two staff and one serves 3 staff.

Each home as a nice loft on each end that could be sleeping lofts. We use this lofts for storage space.  You can see the loft on one end in this photo. Nice head room in the loft area.

Ductless heating and air unit
in each Tiny Home.

Each Tiny House has an independent ductless mini split heating and air unit.  Nice - each office can be set independently to satisfy the staff in that office. Very cost effective at about $750.00.

50 Ampere outlet on each home

A 50 amp  outlet has been added each Tiny Home . This allows

us to power visiting Tiny Homes on wheels or Rv's .

A view of the back side of
Chantilly Farm
Tiny Home Village

You can see the bath build out in this photo from the back side of village. The  beautiful view we have from the front of the village. The Blue Ridge Parkway is only a couple of miles away.

View from front deck of
Chantilly Tiny House Village

This is the beautiful view from the deck of the Tiny Home Village. Nice!

It is expected that sometime in the future each of these Tiny Houses will be used as rental property here at Chantilly Farm and camp ground.

Chantilly Farm video
by drone "CLICK"

Chantilly Farm has many amenities along with the Tiny Home Village.  We have a full service campground for tiny homes on wheels & RVs, multipurpose trails for biking or hiking, 9 hole disk golf course, large event barn, large stage. and much, much more.  Click here to see "Chantilly Farm" Web site. You can click here to see description of  many features of the Farm Venue. Enlarge the photo and you can see the Tiny House Village in center of the photo. Located in a beautiful part of the Blue Ridge Mountains.                 

If you would like to see a list of the hundreds of videos I have made about chantilly farm "Click here"

David Larsen
Chantilly Farm

"by David Larsen"  Chantilly Farm owner, Computer Historian, and amateur radio operator -KK4WW   & N4USA .   I work out of one of the Tiny Homes at Chantilly Farm. A great place to work if you like the to be out in nature. I am 81 and ready to sell Chantilly Farm - I have a few more  projects I would like to do - if you have an interest to know more give me a call. 540 392 2392