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The Piwakawaka Tiny Is Downsizing at Its Most Chill

The tiny house movement has come a long way from the early 2000s, when it started taking root as an alternative housing solution for the rich, the environmentalists, and the hipsters. Today, tiny homes can be the perfect solution for anyone looking for more freedom of movement, cost reduction, and a smaller impact on the environment.
Custom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozy 23 photos
Photo: Build Tiny
Custom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozyCustom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozy
Because they’re smaller, tiny houses come with reduced carbon footprints, from production stage to the actual lifecycle of one. They also entail reduced running costs as compared to a regular house, and they promise almost complete freedom of movement, as long as you don’t mind driving and towing.

The majority of tiny houses are still too expensive for the average Joe and Jane, but more affordable options are also available. New Zealand-based maker Build Tiny, for instance, offers their tinies with three options: as a DIY (do it yourself) project, where you buy the plans from them and then do the build yourself; as Stage 2 builds, where you get the main construction, but still have to put the finishing touches and the furniture; and as Stage 3 turnkey projects.

Naturally, the third option is the most expensive – but it’s also the one that allows you to get precisely the tiny you’ve been dreaming of all along. If you have the budget for it and are ready to make the transition, the only thing still standing between you and your dream house is the construction timelines.

Custom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozy
Photo: Build Tiny
Piwakawaka is a good example of this kind of custom tiny. Completed in May 2021 and named this way at the request of the owner, it’s a small mobile home that opens almost completely to the exterior and delivers the most chill styling you’re likely to see in one such home. Granted, most tinies favor a clean aesthetic that invites zen and communion with nature, but Piwakawaka is outdoing them all.

Sitting on a double-axle trailer that’s 9 meters (29.5 feet) long and 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) wide, this tiny has a basic layout inspired by the 2020 model Dark Horse, which remains the maker’s most popular to date. That layout was flipped over and then adapted to suit the new owner, and the result is a very cozy and elegant tiny perfect for two adults and, based on the flap cat door on the entrance door, at least one feline.

The exterior of the home is done in Japanese cedar exterior cladding, while the interior is finished in poplar core plywood, with Victorian Ash solid timber countertops. It’s so chill and elegant it looks almost like a very neat dollhouse – if the dolls were human-sized. The highlight of the home is the extensive glazing throughout, which includes wide-opening doors in both the living room and the bedroom, and double-hinged windows in the kitchen area. This way, almost every living area can open to the exterior to let the breeze in.

Access is done directly into the living room, which includes a small nook for tea, right in front of a Roaring Meg wood-burning stove. On one side, there is the kitchen, while the other holds the master bedroom.

Custom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozy
Photo: Build Tiny
Though this isn’t the smallest build from Build Tiny, everything is pared down to offer basic functionality. The kitchen is small but well-equipped, with a two-burner stove and an oven, a sink, some counter space, and even a small dishwasher. There’s plenty of storage in the cabinets and drawers, and even a hidden pantry next to the oven. On one side, the builders included a breakfast bar that faces the window, which opens all the way to allow a more al fresco experience of dining.

From the kitchen, through a pocket door, you walk directly into the bathroom – a surprisingly large room, all things considered. You get a walk-in shower and a vanity with sink, the composting toilet, and a laundry station with a washer and drier and a hamper. Also with practicality in mind, the builders included a fold-down laundry rack on one of the walls, just the thing you need to hang your towels on.

Choosing to put the bedroom at the end of the home instead of in the loft means you get standing height here. You might not get too much room to move around, but at least you can make the bed in the morning without bumping your head against the roof. Finishes here include a queen-size bed with a couple of nightstands, overhead shelving, and two wardrobes on each side. Like the rest of the house, this room, too, is exceptionally well-lit because it has regular windows and a double glass door.

Custom, turnkey Piwakawaka tiny home is minimalist, but still very cozy
Photo: Build Tiny
According to Build Tiny, the Piwakawaka comes with a regular RV hookup but is prewired for future solar panel installation, in case the owner wishes to go off-grid. Pricing is not specified, but considering that most custom, turnkey tinies from this builder retail upwards of $100,000, that amount is a good reference point.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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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.
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