This Chinese Tiny House Features One of the Best Rooftop Terraces

These days, you can get anything delivered to you straight from China, including a fully-built house. While many tiny house builders across the US, Europe, and New Zealand are family-owned businesses that started out of sheer passion, some established manufacturers are also slowly expanding to the tiny living market. This Chinese builder, for instance, is an expert in light steel-frame houses that started adding mobile homes to its portfolio just a few years ago.

NingBo DeepBlue Smarthouse has been building different types of dwellings with a light steel structure since early 2009. The global pandemic in 2020 marked an important milestone for the builder, who started building mobile facilities for the hospital system. It later won the Silver prize in the "Beauty of Made in China" competition for its futuristic-looking dome house.

In 2022, DeepBlue Smarthouse started building tiny homes based on its extensive light steel structure expertise. These durable and efficient dwellings are pre-fabricated at the company's factory in Ningbo, China, and then delivered anywhere in the world, either as turnkey versions or basic shells.

According to the Chinese builder, opting for a steel-frame tiny house instead of one made of wood has two major advantages. First, this steel frame is not only drastically lighter than wood (up to 70%) but also much more durable and strong. DeepBlue Smarthouse claims that its tiny homes can withstand strong winds and even natural disasters, such as earthquakes.

Secondly, it promises that its cutting-edge building techniques can save up to 80% in engineering fees. In terms of design, customers can choose from the builder's wide range of plans or opt for a fully custom home that can be completed on their trailer at the builder's factory.

The Orlando tiny house design stands out due to its spectacular terrace. It's an 8.5 meter-long (27.8 feet) model with a dual-loft configuration, boasting a little over 25 square meters (269 square feet) of floor space. It was designed to remain a fully compact solution for mobile living despite its built-in rooftop terrace.

At the same time, it claims to boast the durability and high quality of a conventional house by combining the light steel frame that is DeepBlue's signature feature with the best insulation. As a result, the Orlando tiny can adapt to any type of climate, and its frame alone is said to be good for 100 years.

Inside, the Orlando tiny keeps things simple with a classic layout and minimalist aesthetics. The open-plan layout includes a compact lounge area at one end of the house and a small kitchen next to it. Ample windows surround the lounge area for added luminosity and constant fresh air. There's enough room for a basic setup with a sofa and a coffee table, but the versatile open-plan layout also allows future owners to play around with the interior design and adjust it to their needs. For instance, they could choose to add a dining nook or a simple folding table.

The countertop can also double as a compact breakfast bar with a great view of the outdoors. A couple of simple cabinets provide minimal storage, but there's enough room to add overhead cupboards since the windows don't take up the entire kitchen wall.

Orlando's lofts can accommodate three people. The home's simple structure doesn't include a classic staircase, which makes accessing the loft bedrooms a bit uncomfortable. The basic version doesn't include handrails or protection walls either. These are simple lofts fitted only with windows. But Orlando makes up for its basic interior by adding a lovely terrace that will allow its owners to enjoy the outdoors to the fullest.

Two things make this terrace stand out. One is the high-quality metal handrail across the entire surface, which is a very important safety element, and it also makes the terrace look more private and cozy. Secondly, there's a tiny outside deck, complete with steps, leading to the terrace.

Other tiny homes with this type of rooftop terrace don't typically include exterior access. The balcony is accessed only from one of the lofts inside the home. In this case, the owners have access to a beautiful tiny deck that connects the terrace with the loft.

Imagine being able to travel anywhere you wish and still enjoy the comfort of a cozy home, including a lovely, spacious terrace on the roof. It's one of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors without sacrificing mobility. Instead of conventional exterior decks that can be attached to tiny homes once they're set up at the final location, this built-in terrace allows full mobility at any point.

Whenever this tiny house feels too tiny, its dwellers can simply go up to the rooftop and enjoy some private time, or celebrate together, while taking in the views and enjoying the fresh air. The Orlando tiny house certainly looks good on paper and offers the added benefit of being easy to deliver worldwide. As for pricing, those who are interested in this beautiful model can contact the builder for additional information.