This Couple’s DIY Tiny Home Is Incredibly Unique, a Modern Architectural Gem

There’s something deeply satisfying about a vibrant, contemporary house that’s perfectly integrated into a peaceful rural setting. It’s as if the battle between modern industrialism and the wild paradise nostalgia were finally over, and everybody won.

This is part of what the younger generations are trying to demonstrate – it’s possible to protect the environment and live in harmony with nature, without giving up either function or style.

Forget all dusty, wacky, or plain ugly tiny homes on wheels, set in a beautiful, natural location. The Bide is nothing short of an architectural masterpiece, a contemporary interpretation of the “cabin” concept.

And what’s more impressive is that its young owners imagined all the bespoke elements that make it unique, brought it to life with their own hands, and then carefully chose the best amenities that claim to be both luxurious and sustainable.

A couple of years ago, Scott Lewis and Caroline Jenkinson were faced with the same problem that so many couples have to deal with, and that is the financial struggle of finding proper housing where they lived. They did what many others did during the lockdown – decided to move from London to Dorset, where they would build a tiny mobile home.

With Scott being an architect, and Caroline a furniture buyer, it’s easy to see why they chose to design the future home themselves. The inspiration was an exhibition of reimagined trailers at the Bauhaus Archive in Berlin, but they wanted to build something a bit bigger, that wouldn’t give them that “claustrophobic feeling.”

The young couple was brave enough to start building even before having a piece of land for the cabin. They had no money to buy it, but were lucky enough to get a 200-meter (656 feet) parcel on a beautiful farm property, through friends of relatives.

That’s where they eventually brought The Bide (named after an old Dorset word which means “to dwell”), a rusty-red 1.5-story cabin built on a metal clad structure. The space is big enough for an oversized super-king bed at the mezzanine, above the bathroom, and a small kitchen.

Inside The Bide, you are immediately impressed by the colorful, contemporary style. Grey wall panels, matte green table tops, a mustard yellow light fixture, and peach backsplash panels in the kitchen and bathroom – these are some of the most striking elements. The work of Swedish colorist Tekla Evelina Severin inspired them, Scott and Caroline told Elle Decoration.

You also won’t find The Bide’s furniture anywhere else, because it was custom designed by the two. This includes a unique floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that’s incorporated into the wall, and a rolling ladder so that guests can reach every single book.

Every single item inside The Bide is beautiful, sustainable, and luxurious. The surprisingly-lavish bed boasts a Naturalmat mattress, which is handmade in Devon, 100% chemical-free, made from organic wool, cotton, and recycled denim. The matte black shower, from a Californian brand, uses 40% less water, while the toilet is waterless, developed by a Swedish brand.

Scott and Caroline also made a unique choice when it came to powering the house. At first, they wanted to make it entirely off-grid, but were disappointed to find out that this basically means heavy use of bottled gas for heating.

So, they opted for a 100% electric on-grid setup. Considering that the UK is making efforts to switch the national grid to renewable energy sources, this might be the most sustainable option after all.

In addition to that, the cabin is fitted with high-grade insulation based on natural wool. Natural materials were also used for the walls and ceilings (organic pigmented MDF) and the floor.

It’s easy to see why The Bide quickly became a popular rental in the area. So popular, in fact, that the farmer who offered them the parcel of land for rent has urged them to build a second cabin. This time, they’re thinking of a treehouse - a totally fresh and unique take on that, of course.

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