About

Growing up in Seattle, WA with five sisters, Lina Menard discovered how thoughtful design can make a house – or a two bedroom apartment – into home, sweet home. She has been bubble diagramming with smelly markers, modeling with playdough, and building with tinker toys as long as she can remember. With a Sustainable Building Adviser Certification and ten years as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer under her belt, Lina headed to Yestermorrow Design-Build School in 2010. Her Certificate in Lina MenardSustainable Design and Building has added drafting, natural building, electronic modeling, permaculture, and master planning to her repertoire. Lina currently lives in a rented 121 square foot tiny house while completing a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning at Portland State University. Her plans to build a tiny house this summer involve frequent forays to salvaged building material stores and three AM flashes of problem-solving insight.

8 Responses to About

  1. Abel Zyl Zimmerman says:
    June 16, 2012 at 2:58 pm

    Lina,

    Did we meet last year on the Westside of Oly? Either way, nice blog/site, and much thanks for linking my site.

    Abel

    Reply
    • Little Life says:
      June 20, 2012 at 4:46 pm

      Hi Abel,

      Yes! That was me. I participated in Dee William and Katy Anderson’s tiny house workshop in Olympia last summer. I’m now living in Brittany’s tiny house and scheming a way to build my own as soon as possible. I love your work so I’m happy to link to it from my blog. I’ve got to pick your brain again about arched roofs one of these days. Any chance we could schedule a phone date to discuss arched roofs?

      Sincerely,
      Lina

      Reply
  2. Shell says:
    March 17, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    Hello Lisa

    I just read about you on the Tiny House Blog. They said that you used to give tours. I live in Portland and am very interested in tours of Tiny Houses. Do you still do that?

    Reply
    • Little Life says:
      April 1, 2013 at 2:38 pm

      Hi Shell,

      Thanks so much for checking in. I have coordinated tours of tiny houses and I plan to continue. I’m currently coordinating the Pedalpalooza Tiny House Tour for June 29th.

      Here’s the info as it currently stands. We’d love to have you join us!

      TINY HOUSE TOUR (N/NE)
      Rigler School, 5401 NE Prescott St (We’ll meet right out front)
      9:00am – 1:00pm
      Rigler School, 5401 NE Prescott St
      10:00am – 2:00pm
      Bike tour of cute, innovative, tiny homes in N/NE Portland, all under 400sf. Have fun. Live small. Get inspired!!
      Contact: Lina Menard, thisisthelittlelifegmail.com, Little Life, 206-859-1770

      Reply
    • Little Life says:
      April 1, 2013 at 6:12 pm

      Hi Lisa,

      I do indeed to tours and I’m currently coordinating the Pedalpalooza Tiny House Bike Tour on June 29th. We’d love to have you join us. Details here:

      TINY HOUSE TOUR (N/NE)
      Rigler School, 5401 NE Prescott St (We’ll meet right out front)
      9:00am – 1:00pm
      Rigler School, 5401 NE Prescott St
      10:00am – 2:00pm
      Bike tour of cute, innovative, tiny homes in N/NE Portland, all under 400sf. Have fun. Live small. Get inspired!!
      Contact: Lina Menard, thisisthelittlelifegmail.com, Little Life, 206-859-1770

      Reply
  3. Julia Bascom says:
    April 13, 2013 at 5:40 pm

    I have been thinking and wishing for exactly this; that society will allow people the option of small house co-housing. Actually a friend in Austin and I are hoping to someday lead a co-housing group of tiny houses with one main house for kitchen, guest room etc.

    We approach it from the place of middle age women who were discarded/divorced as our professional husbands decided to upgrade to younger women. As stay at home moms, our earning potential has been greatly reduced, and our links to community weakened because so many times, women lose many of their coupled friends when they divorce. The “Ageing in Place” groups are discouragingly focused on the very infirm elderly and seem to have only a desire to provide links to contractors for home re-design (wheelchair ramps and the like). I look forward to reading through your blog.

    Julia

    Reply
    • Little Life says:
      April 16, 2013 at 9:53 pm

      Hi Julia,

      Thanks for your message and for sharing your thoughts. It’s always nice to hear about others interested in small, simple living in community. Another friend of mine talked about creating a community much like the one you’ve described for “wise and wild women.” They want to have a community of yurts around a central yurt. I hope someday to help them create it. I’ve always wanted to visit Austin, too, so let me know when you’re ready to start planning!

      As you read my blog, feel free to comment on other things that catch your attention.

      Sincerely,
      Lina

      Reply

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