The Tiny House movement puzzles me. I understand the drive towards minimalism, but you can have less stuff anywhere. Why live in a super small dwelling? Not to mention how totally impractical it is for families, and the racial and class issues the Tiny House movement has surfaced.
But! If the idea of living simply and small in a remote setting appeals to you, even for a short amount of time, you can try out the lifestyle with a tiny vacation rental. There are a few in Ontario and Quebec that are gorgeous. This little cabin is only an hour outside Toronto, and comes with its own lake (although you have to go to the farmhouse on the property to use the bathroom).
Repère Boréal has four small dwellings to rent in stunning Charlevoix, Quebec. Two of their properties have full kitchens and bathrooms. The smaller two (including this one with a panoramic window that goes up the wall and into the ceiling – swoon!) don’t have water, so you can use the onsite reception centre for washrooms, showers and kitchen facilities. They also have a “spa zone” with an outdoor cold-water shower, sauna and hot tubs for guests to use.
Cabinscape also has four small off-the-grid dwellings you can rent, scattered north of Kingston and west of Ottawa in Southern Ontario. All of them are on lakes, rivers, or trailheads, and Penner Cabin is next to the entrance to Frontenac Provincial Park. The cabins have small kitchens, composting toilets, and indoor showers. In the winter you have to hike in, and the running water is turned off, so no showers (but water is provided for drinking and dishwashing). Cabinscape welcomes children and dogs.
Which one would you rent?