Ask someone like Mariah Carey, and you will hear that Christmas isn't a weeklong holiday as much as it's a feeling – and that feeling can extend throughout most of the year. If you're of the same opinion and just happen to be considering downsizing, a tiny house like Winter Wonderland might be just perfect.
Downsizing initially started gaining ground in the early 2000s, prompted by environmental concerns, but the more recent surge in popularity is also fueled by socioeconomic factors. The housing and the financial crisis, as well as the desire to travel more, made possible by working remotely, are turning tiny houses into suitable alternatives for permanent residency.
Consequently, the industry is booming. You can't swing a cat these days online (*no offense to cats) without hearing about a new tiny house model, a converted van or bus, or other forms of mobile living that will help you live the dream – and make money off it, too. But in the end, it's the customer that's winning because there are more options to choose from.
As it turns out, those interested in downsizing can also go for a thematic home. Backcountry Tiny Homes (BTH), a builder from Hampstead, New Hampshire, has previously made headlines for their spooktastic Halloween-themed unit, but they cater to Xmas lovers as well. Mariah'd better have them on speed dial!
Photo: Backcountry Tiny Homes
This is the Winter Wonderland tiny, a custom unit based on the flagship Basecamp, the company's popular 26-foot (8-meter) triple-axle model designed for long-term living. Basecamp is designed to address all the needs that come with a mobile house you live in around the year, from storage to off-grid capabilities, sleeping room, and mobility.
As such, the same goes for the Winter Wonderland. This unit is the upgraded version of Basecamp, if you will, with a magical Christmas touch as a bonus. It's suitable for the entire family, with accommodation for as many as five people and a doggie – the pet even gets its own "room" built into a storage-integrating staircase.
The holiday-themed styling aside, Winter Wonderland is a beautiful example of how downsizing delivers functionality and good looks in the same package. The rather standard dual-loft design allows for concentrating daytime activities on the ground floor, with sleeping relegated to the upstairs.
Photo: Backcountry Tiny Homes
The space below is divided into several main areas that are kept open-space to avoid the sensation of a cramped space. There's a lounge at one end of the trailer, with an L-shaped couch that becomes a two-person bed; a dining area by the picture window, with a fold-down table that can seat four; a complete kitchen with the pantry under the staircase across from it; and a bathroom at the opposite end.
The lofts are located above the bathroom and the lounge, respectively. One serves as the main bedroom with a queen-size mattress, while the other is the smaller bedroom, with sleeping just for one person, and both have some form of storage.
What Winter Wonderland has and other tinies don't, apart from the Christmas theme, is room to move around at will. To be sure, it's still a tiny house, offering 319 square feet (29.7 square meters) of living space, but it feels larger than other units on the market because of smart multi-functional furniture, contrasting finishes (dark hardwood floors with wood paneling in soft neutrals for the walls), and the addition of not one but two exterior terraces.
Photo: Backcountry Tiny Homes
As a rule, most tinies will use a deck outside the main entrance to expand available living space, and it's usually not part of the house. You can do this with Winter Wonderland as well, but not because you HAVE to. This unit already comes with two terraces, a smaller one on the landing outside the main bedroom loft and the larger one up on the roof.
The Basecamp model on which Winter Wonderland is based comes with R-38 floor insulation rating, R-16 wall rating, and R-22 roof rating. Winter Wonderland was rendered off-grid with solar panels on the roof, a wood-burning stove for heat, and a composting toilet. Unfortunately, since it's a custom unit, specifics weren't made public, so there's no telling the kind of autonomy it gets.
The same goes for pricing. As a reference, though, a Basecamp shell goes for $54,500, while a turnkey unit starts at $101,500, and this amount doesn't include the cooktop or oven, let alone the washer and dryer combo or the off-grid toilet. These are listed as extras and will add to the final price, so in the end, you're looking at an initial investment of around $120,000.
Photo: Backcountry Tiny Homes
Prohibitive pricing remains the biggest disadvantage of tiny homes, especially in a context in which increased demand has only served to drive prices up. Those who have already made the transition, though, promise that the expense is worth it in the long run after you've weighed in all the advantages. Builders will also tell you the same and even offer financing to sweeten the pot.
As is the case with most big life decisions, whichever way the scales tip is entirely up to you. But having options is always a good thing.
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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