2 men, 2 unorthodox ideas: Living large and living small

Americans inherited the English common law doctrine that "a man's house is his castle."

Most Chattanooga homes, of course, are hardly of the scope of a European-style castle. But Christopher Beasley, a web-based retailer of swords, helmets and other merchandise affiliated with "Game of Thrones, is trying. Atop Raccoon Mountain, Beasley is fulfilling a childhood fantasy to build and live in a castle.

Beasley's $2.5 million castle will be one of Chattanooga's biggest and most expensive residences. But on the other end of the housing spectrum, carpenter Travis Pyke just built one of Hamilton County's smallest houses with less than $15,000 of material costs. Pyke's 200-square-foot cabin in Apison is the prototype for his version of the tiny house movement to build smaller and more affordable houses.

Pyke is trying to return to a simpler, efficient and outdoor-focused housing model that bucks the growing size of America's dream of home ownership.

photo Travis and Brittany Pyke's tiny house is in Apison.

Living small: Tiny home in Apison could fit on a truck

photo Two 8-foot stone walls with peaked windows built by Santa Fe Masonry in Atlanta await installation.

Living large: Castle built on swords within 10 minutes of downtown Chattanooga

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