Lofts often suffer from "layered" climates—either too hot from rising air or surprisingly chilly at the floor level. For Julia & Robert Barclay, the 2nd-floor lounge was designed as a sanctuary. To ensure this elevated space felt as luxurious as the rest of the home, they integrated a precision-engineered radiant heating system beneath the premium nailed hardwood floors.
Luxury in the Lofts
As professional collaborators and Brand Ambassadors, Julia and Robert Barclay prove that intentional living can be paired with elite comfort. Their initiative, Tiny Living, Living Large, showcases how technology can thrive in a mobile footprint. The challenge for the 30-sq.-ft. lounge was providing silent warmth beneath 3/4" nailed hardwood. By partnering with WarmlyYours, they created a four-season retreat that defies the "chilly loft" stereotype.
Project Details
- Location: Pennington, New Jersey (NJ) / Mobile Nationwide
- Collaborators: Julia V. Barclay & Robert Barclay
- Initiative: Tiny Living, Living Large
- Heated Space Type: 2nd Floor Lounge / Loft
- Flooring / Surface Type: 3/4" Cumaru (Brazilian Teak) Nailed Hardwood
- Coverage Type: Full (30 sq. ft. installation)
- System Type: TempZone™ Floor Heating Cable
- Voltage: 120V
- Wattage: 444 W
- Amps: 3.7 A
- Operating Cost:
- Per hour: ~$0.07
- Per day: ~$0.56 (based on 8 hours of use)
- Estimated monthly usage: ~$16.80
- Connect with the Project:
- Instagram: @tinylivinglivinglarge
- Website: tinylivinglivinglarge.com
Mastering the Vertical Cold Front
Second-floor spaces in tiny homes are often overlooked when it comes to dedicated heating, yet they are where homeowners spend much of their "recharge" time. In this Pennington-based project, the loft lounge featured premium nailed hardwood—a flooring type often wrongly labeled as incompatible with radiant heat. Julia and Robert Barclay knew that to achieve a "Living Large" experience, every level of the home needed to offer the same premium warmth.
The solution was the TempZone™ Cable system, installed with a custom 3.0" spacing for maximum heat density. By using plastic fixing strips to secure 120 feet of heating cable, the Barclays ensured that the heat was distributed evenly across the lounge floor. The cable was then safely embedded in a thin layer of self-leveling underlayment before the hardwood was nailed into place. This engineering feat allows for silent, invisible warmth that doesn't rely on noisy fans, keeping the loft peaceful and perfectly tempered.
TempZone™ Cable layout. Unlike mats, the loose cable allowed Robert Barclay and the installation team to navigate the floor's specific framing using a specialized Sleeper System:
- Install Sleepers: 3/4” thick wood strips were attached to the subfloor, creating a "safe zone" for fasteners.
- Lay the Heating Cable: The cable was routed in the channels between the sleepers using plastic fixing strips.
- Fill the Channels: The space between sleepers was filled with self-leveling cement flush to the wood strips.
- Nail the Hardwood: Once cured, the teak was nailed directly into the wood sleepers, safely away from the cable.
This created a thermal mass that radiates consistent, gentle heat through the teak, protecting the wood from warping while providing warmth that forced-air systems simply cannot replicate. The result is a floor that stays at a perfect, pre-set temperature, turning the loft into the most comfortable "quiet zone" in the house.
Featured Products
- TempZone™ Floor Heating Cable: This flexible cable allowed for a tailored fit in the tight geometry of the 2nd-floor lounge. Spaced at 3 inches, it delivers 15 watts per square foot, ensuring the loft stays warm even in extreme cold.
- Circuit Check™: A critical tool for this professional collaboration. This "insurance policy" monitored the heating cable during the hardwood installation, ensuring that not a single nail compromised the system’s integrity.
- Fixing Strips : Precision plastic fixing strips ensured the cable maintained perfect 3-inch spacing, while the included twin-conductor repair kit provided long-term peace of mind for this mobile initiative.
