Mammoth Two-Bedroom Tiny Shatters Limitations With a Fabulous Layout

If you've seen numerous homes on wheels, you know that "tiny" is a relative concept. Officially a tiny house, the Lotus feels more like a mobile mansion. It's one of the two-level models built by the New Zealand-based Cocoon Tiny Homes, with two large loft bedrooms and a generous open-plan configuration on the main floor.

The Lotus boasts maximum width and length, which, in combination with the two-level structure, results in a highly comfortable living space that shatters all the limitations of typical tiny house concepts. It's three-meter-wide (9.8 feet) and 10-meter (32.8 feet) long, plus the 11-meter-long (36 feet) upper level. A large family could be comfortably accommodated, and it's also an ideal vacation rental for larger groups.

This stylish abode reflects the typical Kiwi design philosophy that emphasizes a proper indoor/outdoor flow. Still, it adds just the right amount of seclusion and privacy that turn this into a homely sanctuary for the entire family. The ingenious configuration also comes with certain unexpected perks, such as the separate laundry room with lots of storage or the separate toilet room inside the spacious bathroom.

Lotus is an appropriate name style-wise. The contemporary décor reveals a calming, minimalistic color palette with a few dark accents (such as the black window frames), light-colored wood, and a fresh, uncluttered approach.

The kitchen takes center stage, literally and metaphorically. It sits at the center of the house, and it boasts a warm and cozy vibe that makes everybody want to spend as much time there as possible. It's perhaps the most beautiful part of the Lotus tiny and an inspirational kitchen for sure. As you would expect with such a big tiny, it enjoys plenty of space for preparing meals and enjoying them with family and friends.

Most of the furniture is neatly tucked away under the walkway that connects the two loft areas above, with a practical L-shaped design. It translates to enough space for a full-size fridge, a two-burner gas stove, an oven, and a range hood. The ample storage includes custom-made cabinets and an unusual pantry on the countertop, with three under-top drawers, which is much easier to access than typical pantries.

The main piece inside the kitchen is the movable island, which doubles as a breakfast bar. It's built on wheels, which makes it very practical, and it features a beautiful oak countertop. This element alone, apart from its functionality, instantly elevates the Lotus kitchen to a luxury status. Stylish accents like the oak shelves with LED lighting enhance the overall elegance.

The staircase is just as sophisticated, flaunting a beautiful handrail that doesn't obstruct the line of sight and cozy carpeted steps. A large walkway connects the two lofts, making the upstairs area feel much more comfortable and luxurious than your average tiny home.

One of the rooms comes with two large windows and much-needed walk-around space. The other one is a bit smaller, but it can still fit in an additional bed and other pieces of furniture. This secondary loft was mainly added for versatility. It can become anything from a guest room to a playroom or even a home office.

The Lotus tiny steals the show with a surprisingly lavish bathroom. It's equipped with a full-size shower and premium amenities, but there's more. A discrete cavity door separates the shower from the toilet room with a spectacular feature wall. Elegance is in the details, and you can see they were carefully selected inside Lotus. The white vanity and heated towel rail add a touch of luxury to this spa-like bathroom.

The Cocoon Tiny Homes team took advantage of every inch of space and squeezed in a separate laundry that makes this dwelling feel even more like home. It offers plenty of storage in addition to the dedicated compartments for the washer and dryer, and it even reveals extra cabinets hidden at the back of the staircase.

While Lotus lets the sunlight bathe the entire kitchen thanks to the beautiful glass tri-fold doors, it leaves a little more privacy for the living room. This roomy lounge sits at the end of the house, like a perfect relaxation cocoon. It boasts plenty of space for a conventional setup with a large sofa, multiple chairs, a table, and a wall-mounted TV.

Similar to the secondary loft, this, too, is a highly flexible area that can serve different purposes. The gallery shows a traditional living room setup, but it could work just as well as an additional main-floor bedroom or workspace.

It gets enough light and fresh air while also benefitting from a certain degree of separation from the rest of the house. The lack of personal space and quiet areas can become an issue with regular tiny homes, but not with larger, smarter designs like Lotus.

As lavish and vast as it seems, Lotus is one of the medium-sized Cocoon Tiny Homes, which have explored even bigger alternatives. In terms of pricing, it ranges from NZ 113,000 ($67,000 for the shell build) to NZ 239,000 ($141,500) for the full build.