Hobbitat Spaces

The Art of Small Homes: Embracing Space in 2020 and Beyond

Since the inception of Hobbitat, our focus has been on building “Tiny” Homes and guest Cottages, and over the past 8 years, we have achieved remarkable results in small spaces.

While we still appreciate the concept of “Tiny” Homes, we have also come to embrace the idea of Small Homes. This allows us to offer our clients the benefits of a home that is not too small, with increased creative freedom and a more realistic transition from traditional housing to a more livable space.

As a result, we continue to offer comprehensive building services to our clients in Garrett County and Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland. For those outside our area, we provide design work, consultations, and education to help them embark on the path to smaller and more efficient housing.

Hobbitat was founded in January 2012 by Bill and Sue Thomas, after 30 years of experience in historic restoration and custom home construction.

Their company, Blue Sky Ventures, has been featured in Country Living Magazine, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, and has received an award from the Maryland Historic Trust for the complete restoration of an early 1700’s house in Frederick County, Maryland.

In 1995, they decided to “head west” to the mountains of Garrett County in Western Maryland, where they settled at Deep Creek Lake and established their business.

For the next 15 years, Blue Sky Ventures thrived, designing and building homes as unique as their clients, meeting their wants and needs while optimizing space and efficiency. With changes in the housing market, the size of the homes they built became smaller, and the construction process moved indoors (a wise decision considering Garrett County’s winters with 200+ inches of snow!).

In 2011, they built their first small building using materials from Bill’s grandfather’s barn, windows from his childhood cabin, and other reclaimed doors and materials. They were hooked, and had found their new calling.

In 2012, the founder of Blue Moon Rising saw our Hob and was impressed! With an order of 13 Hobs, we were off and running. We found an abandoned warehouse and shop, and two years later, Blue Moon Rising’s vacation retreat was open for business.

Fast forward to the present, Hobbitat is now ready for you to help us write our next chapter!

During the design phase of your project, we will have detailed discussions about the goals for your home, including:

• The spaces that are needed/wanted
• Window placement for views, solar gain, and privacy
• Exterior spaces to complement the overall flow
• The use of salvaged materials and personal artifacts
• Suggestions for finish materials
• Efficient heating/cooling and plumbing options
• The aesthetic appeal of the interior and exterior spaces

Our design process is organized in a step-by-step manner to avoid feeling overwhelmed, and we welcome comments and questions throughout the journey from concept to final plans.

We offer design and build services at various levels, depending on your location and what works best for you. With our custom design services, we work closely with you to provide a plan that meets your needs and style. This includes providing a floor plan, elevations, construction details, and suggestions for interior and exterior finishes and color palettes. It all starts with a comprehensive conversation with our clients, laying the groundwork for a successful design. From there, we move towards the final plan with open communication for comments and questions along the way.