Lovely Dual-Loft Home With a Tiny Porch Merges Sustainability With Outdoor Fun

Owning a well-designed and properly-equipped tiny house can become the equivalent of a contemporary, attainable Shangri-La. It allows people to travel and feel at home wherever they go and also to connect with nature on a daily basis without leaving the comfort of their homes. It's a new way of enjoying the outdoors and living a comfortable life while also minimizing one's footprint on the environment – it sounds better than a fantasy land.

Every cozy home needs a porch, and the Shangri-La has one. It's the trinities porch you could imagine, yet it works perfectly. Instead of attaching a conventional exterior deck once the tiny house is set up, which would turn it almost into a regular house, this type of compact, built-in porch supports the home's full mobility. It gives the Shangri-La a wonderfully nostalgic look, and it makes it seem friendlier.

Similar to a traditional house, the Shangri-La reveals a perfect blend of privacy and openness. The adorable tiny porch acts as a buffer between the outside world and the cozy interior, leading into a compact hallway (most tiny home doors lead straight into the living room or the kitchen, which makes them seem more like vacation rentals than family homes). Once inside, you'll be delighted to discover a spacious open-plan layout that invites the outdoors in.

Above all, the Shangri-La was designed to be a home on wheels in the true sense of the word, which means it's ready to hit the road and become a fun travel companion. What makes it stand out is the light steel frame with multiple advantages. Light steel frames are DeepBlue Smarthouse's area of expertise – this Chinese builder expanded its impressive portfolio to tiny homes just a couple of years ago, using the same manufacturing techniques that ensured the success of its conventional builds.

The DeepBlue tiny homes built with this light steel frame are particularly lightweight and durable at the same time, which also makes them easier to transport and a great long-term option. This frame is said to last for 100 years while being 70% lighter than wood. The Shangri-La weighs only 3.5 tons. Size-wise, it combines the required height for homes on wheels (under four meters/13 feet) with a little over seven meters (24 feet) in length.

Easy to transport and strong enough to withstand rough winds and other challenging natural phenomena, the Shangri-La also claims to be more effective in terms of costs. The light steel frame construction is supposed to reduce waste during manufacturing and save up to 80% of the costs related to engineering. The solid foundation is then fitted with high-quality insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and solar power equipment. All of this turns this apparently simple tiny into a sustainable, efficient housing alternative.

Inside, the 24.3 square meters (261.5 square feet) of floor space is wisely used to create a relaxing oasis with a contemporary twist. In terms of accommodation, it's ideally suited for a couple but could also sleep one or two extra guests. Numerous windows throughout enhance the feeling of spaciousness and ensure constant brightness in every nook and corner. The Shangri-La stays true to the minimalist philosophy at the root of tiny living.

The lovely L-shaped kitchen is positioned in a way that maximizes the use of space while also creating a cozy, traditional vibe. The ample countertop space and large cupboards underneath ensure the functionality required for everyday comfortable living.

Although this could easily double as a makeshift dining arrangement, the Shangri-La has a separate solution for that. A generous breakfast bar is placed separately, right in front of a huge window. This is designed to be an indoor/outdoor space that literally overflows to the outside. It's a great addition to summer BBQs and casual brunches with family and friends. This type of breakfast bar arrangement is often found in Australian and New Zealand tiny homes, and this Chinese design was apparently destined for a location in Brisbane as well.

The contemporary breakfast area becomes the center of Shangri-La, flanked by the kitchen on one side and the lounge and bathroom on the other side. A classic staircase with integrated storage leads to the main loft bedroom, fitted with multiple windows and an elegant handrail. The other loft, which sits right above the main entry and part of the kitchen, is accessed via a ladder and would work best for storage.

A sense of effortless flow and deep connection with the outdoors is what defines this modern tiny house with a miniature porch. Traditional elements blend harmoniously with contemporary touches like the breakfast bar to create a comfy abode for the urban traveler.

At the same time, the Shangri-La is backed by the expertise and experience of an established builder, which is important when it comes to safety, reliability, and smart investing. Like most of today's real-world fantasies, this beautiful home on wheels or one just like it can be delivered anywhere in the world.