The Golden Bay Is Packed With Smart Features, Sports a Built-in Compact Deck

Aroha nui means "deep affection," and this is what Arohanui Tiny Homes aims to express: the passion for building mobile homes that are affordable, durable, and innovative. This is a young company that has been operating only since 2021 but has quickly made a name for itself in New Zealand. As a builder who mainly targets customers in the Tasman/Nelson regions, Arohanui Tiny Homes focuses on the features that make a mobile home particularly rugged and long-lasting.

Similar to the other designs in the brand's range, the Golden Bay is meant to sit comfortably in locations with a harsh climate and to support an independent, self-sufficient lifestyle as much as possible. In fact, the Golden Bay would be a top choice for anyone looking to settle down in a place like this because it goes beyond extra functionality thanks to several ingenious features.

First and foremost, Golden Bay ditches the traditional wooden cladding in favor of aluminum, which makes it a real game-changer. This modern material is not only future-proofed against rust or corrosion but also much easier to maintain since it doesn't require paint jobs or re-coating.

With minimal maintenance, this type of cladding could last for at least 50 years, which is double what you can expect with corrugated steel. Plus, it makes a home like the Golden Bay optimally suited to withstand some of the harshest remote locations in New Zealand, with excessive humidity and high salt exposure.

Behind this tough armor that instantly turns into a rugged fortress, the Golden Bay reveals a modern, smart layout that also ditches a more traditional style in favor of fresh, simple, space-saving solutions. This tiny house seems considerably larger than its actual size due to a built-in deck that literally expands its lounge. Instead of the traditional option of a full-length deck, this design comes with a much tinier (2.4 x 2.4 meters/7.8 x 7.8 feet) and more practical covered deck at the rear. It keeps the Golden Bay easy to transport and lightweight while adding the full benefits of a comfy outdoor area.

This Kiwi tiny house weighs only 6 tonnes (6.6. tons) and is ten meters long (32.8 feet), which allowed it to include two spacious loft bedrooms and comfortable staircase access for both of them. The 32 square meters (344 square feet) of floorspace were divided into an open-plan ground level with a small lounge that connects to the outdoors, a separate bathroom, and a surprisingly spacious kitchen, plus a dual-bedroom loft area.

The beautiful kitchen is where the Golden Bay shows off many of its modern, smart characteristics. Instead of regular windows, horizontal bi-folding windows were added in order to save some space (they don't require additional space for opening and closing) and to create that desirable indoor/outdoor flow that contemporary homes tend to incorporate. In other words, the kitchen and the lounge open to the outdoors fully and easily, inviting nature and sunshine in.

Although designed for the harsh conditions of a remote location, the Golden Bay is no less comfortable than a stylish version meant for milder conditions. Its big kitchen boasts enough room for a full-size fridge, a four-burner cooktop, and other appliances such as an electric oven and a range hood. An elegant countertop offers a generous surface for cooking and ample storage underneath.

This tiny home boasts even more storage than a typical tiny in the same size category due to its smart split staircase. The split design literally doubles the storage capacity in the form of built-in drawers on each side and also makes the standard dual-loft configuration considerably more comfortable. No ladders translate to no hassle. Each bedroom can be accessed easily by anyone thanks to the sturdy steps and the wall-mounted metal handrails.

Upstairs, guests will also be delighted to discover another highly desirable feature: skylights. Both bedrooms are fitted with classic horizontal windows and an additional large skylight. Combined with the open design of the rooms, this creates a fabulous sense of luminosity and airiness.

It also keeps folks connected to nature even at night, when they can simply gaze at the stars from the comfort of their own beds. It's as if this tiny home encouraged its dwellers to reconnect with nature and enjoy the outdoors from every room.

The large, vertical window right at the center of the split staircase also brings in additional natural light, and the lounge is designed to literally become an indoor/outdoor relaxation oasis that expands into the exterior deck. The bathroom is also modernly equipped with a large shower (900 x 900 mm), a compact vanity, and a composting toilet. The Golden Bay's self-contained structure includes water tanks for fresh water and wastewater, as well as a continuous flow water heater.

For extra money, this rugged Kiwi tiny house could be equipped for a 100% off-grid lifestyle. The basic version, with all appliances included, is available for as little as NZD 135,000 ($80,300). With its smart aluminum cladding and highly functional layout, the Golden Bay shows a different take on the classic concept of a two-person mobile home.