Just because a tiny house offers a very compact footprint doesn’t mean it leaves no room to get creative. If anything, tiny homes are brilliant examples of creativity, from the way they strive to include many creature comforts of an actual home to their multi-functionality.
When it comes to multi-functionality, no one quite does it like French maker Baluchon. Baluchon is perhaps one of the most respected, premium tiny house builders in Europe, for which reason their projects always make headlines. The most recent is no exception.
It’s called L’atelier de Saint-Joseph, or Saint-Joseph’s Workshop, and it’s the teeniest-tiniest thing ever, even by tiny house standards. That’s because, unlike regular tinies, this one isn’t meant to be lived in, but serves a much nobler purpose, as you may have guessed from its name. It’s a rolling office for a healthcare professional, so it’s outfitted accordingly.
The one thing that sets Baluchon tiny houses apart from similar projects is the way they’re able to create a cozy, very welcoming and somehow self-contained, sufficient family home. Clad in spruce and with wood interiors, they usually pack all the modern amenities we can no longer do without, but with a very rustic touch that invites that ever-elusive (*for us, cityfolk) communing with nature.
Photo: Baluchon
Most Baluchon tinies are premium products priced accordingly, but the maker also offers the possibility to acquire them as DIY (do it yourself) projects or as starter packs. In these two cases, prices are considerably lower, but they also imply an extended delivery timeline between four and twelve months, during which time you have to put in most, if not all of the work yourself.
L’atelier de Saint-Joseph is a turnkey project completed in 2022. It shares common features with other, livable tinies from Baluchon, from the cozy rustic interior to a very sleek, minimalist but not sparse finish. Because it’s not a livable home, it lacks the features of one, like a bedroom and a kitchen, but that shouldn’t be a surprise.
Baluchon doesn’t go into details as regards the future use of the tiny, saying only that the owner “will also be able to take advantage of it to give advice to passing friends” and that, because of it, he “didn’t need a ‘big’ tiny house.” As a result, the tiny is only 4 meters (13 feet) long, and sits on a custom double-axle trailer.
With a spruce framework, white raw spruce and planed natural spruce paneling, the tiny has the standard loft layout. In this case, though, the small loft over the bathroom where we would find a bedroom any other time, is used for storage only. Even more storage is integrated into the furniture throughout, as is the case with the consultation bed, which is actually a wooden bench with removable foam pads. Additional storage is available in cabinets and on the shelves on the wall behind the desk.
Photo: Baluchon
You enter directly into the reception area, which holds a desk with two seats facing each other, and the shelving unit that houses a printer, filing cabinets, and mugs. The consultation bed comes with a custom, retractable wooden staircase, and is located in between two large, double-glazed windows that allow plenty of natural light. Since this is meant to be a space where privacy is paramount, blackout curtains are installed on all windows. After all, no one would like to be put on display during a medical consultation, regarding of its nature.
There are no kitchen facilities – not even a coffee station from what we can see, which is perhaps the most surprising thing about this tiny. There is, however, a compact but well-equipped bathroom, with a dry toilet with a steel bucket and separate shavings compartment, an 80 x 80 cm (31.5 x 31.5 inch) shower, and a small hand basin. Shelving for towels is available as well.
The tiny is insulated with cotton, linen and hemp for the floor, walls and ceiling, and properly ventilated by means of VMC double-flow Lunos and an air extractor. For heating, there’s a wood-burning stove, while power comes from an RV-style hookup. The tiny comes with a Proclimat rain barrier and OuatEco vapor Barrier, an electric hot water tank, and massive oak flooring for that extra rustic touch.
That last part can’t be emphasized enough, and is what marks this tiny as a Baluchon project. It has strong log cabin vibes, but it’s very elegant and seemingly practical, as well. It’s very small alright, but it’s also quite beautiful.
Photo: Baluchon
As a motto, Baluchon says that “good work ain’t cheap, cheap work ain’t good,” and that alone should be enough to give you an indication of pricing for their tinies. The DIY Baluchon, which implies an estimated one-year project you do yourself (duh) starts at €25,000 (approximately $26,300 at the current exchange rate), while a starter pack retails for €50,000-€55,000 ($52,600-$57,800).
A turnkey project, which is designed and customized to your exact needs, will set you back between €85,000 ($89,400) and €100,000 ($105,200). We’re assuming this estimate applies to the L’atelier de Saint-Joseph as well, even though it’s among the smallest tinies produced by Baluchon.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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