Luxury isn't limited by square footage or a traditional foundation, and the many instances of deluxe custom tiny houses we've seen in recent years should be proof of that. If you haven't been paying attention to this particular segment of the tiny house market, Emerissa would like a word.
Emerissa is a semi-custom unit based on the Poseidon model from Texas-based Decathlon Tiny Homes, the largest model from the lineup. The Poseidon sits on a triple-axle, 32-foot (9.7-meter) bumper pull trailer you can tow with a one-ton truck. It's mobile, but it's designed to stay in one place for longer stretches and not roam around the country. Since it's 8.6 feet (2.6 meters) wide, it qualifies as a park model that requires special towing permits.
The Emerissa is semi-custom because it's specced with many of the optionals available, and thus turned into a family-sized mobile home that makes exactly zero compromises on comfort and luxury. That said, it's not marketed as a premium product, but it's a very striking unit nonetheless.
Granted, everyone's idea of luxury is different, so take the Emerissa as an example of what you can achieve on such a compact platform. This isn't the fanciest or the most expensive tiny we've covered over the years, but it's still a standout, if only because it shows that tiny living isn't exclusive of comfort or inherently against a focus on the aesthetic.
Photo: Decathlon Tiny Homes
The Emerissa works with contrasts to craft an elegant but functional space, with sleeping for as many as six people on an occasional basis and four on a permanent one. You could squeeze in a pet or two if you don't mind the extra mess.
The layout is a single-loft one, with the space turned into a kids' room, accessible by means of a storage-integrating staircase. The main bedroom is on the ground floor, at one end of the trailer, offering reprieve from stair-climbing or having to crouch to make the bed or tidy up. It even has twinning wardrobes – a real treat for tiny dwellers.
The space on the ground floor is divided into different living areas according to functionality, starting with a living room that's also a dining room and could turn into a guest bedroom, a home office, or even a reading nook. As with most tiny houses, the Emerissa makes the most of the compact footprint with multiple functionality of spaces, but it does so with a certain flare and without it feeling like a major compromise.
Photo: Decathlon Tiny Homes
The kitchen is definitely the highlight of the home, painted in striking navy blue, with white quartz countertops for contrast, against white walls and brown vinyl floors. Size-wise, it's precisely the kind of kitchen you should expect to find in a tiny home, so it consists of a single block, with storage integrated under the staircase on the opposite side. This is also where the fridge lives, out of the way yet within reach.
Though small, the kitchen is well-equipped to handle cooking for a family of four. There's a deep farm sink, a two-burner induction cooktop as standard (upgradable to a four-burner range as an option), microwave oven with extractor, a mid-size fridge, and plenty of storage options throughout, both in the kitchen proper and under the stairs.
The same color scheme extends into the adjacent bathroom, with color-matched cabinets and the most gorgeous washing basin in the same shade of navy. Also here is a stackable washer and dryer, a corner shower, a flushing toilet (upgradable to a composting one), and a vanity for that artsy-like wash basin.
Because the trailer for Emerissa is longer than on a standard tiny, this allows Decathlon to put the main bedroom at one end, separated from the rest of the home by the bathroom, instead of on top of it. This means you have to walk through the bathroom to get to the bedroom, so you get extra privacy when you're hosting a larger party. With tiny houses, it's always a "half glass full" perspective.
Photo: Decathlon Tiny Homes
In total, Emerissa offers 340 square feet (31.5 square meters) of living space, including the loft. The Poseidon it's based on is delivered as standard with insulation and an 18k multihead HVAC mini-split, F-Wave roofing and a 3-section roof design, full kitchen and bathroom. Put differently, the Poseidon model on which Emerissa is built is turnkey – a most noteworthy detail you should keep in mind when you look at the $112,000 starting price.
As noted above, though, the Emerissa is a Poseidon-based semi-custom unit, so it's more expensive than that. The highest trim of the Poseidon is $140,000, including tankless water heater, extra skylights, garbage disposal, an oven, and different siding.
As with everything in life, and not just luxury stuff, if you have the cash, you're spoiled for choice.
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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