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This Peaceful, Off-Grid Tiny Is the Perfect Family Retreat

Just because you’re a family guy or gal doesn’t mean that you can’t share the dream of living tiny. Willow Way could be just the tiny to inspire you, and show you that the dream is actually achievable.
Willow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peaceful 36 photos
Photo: Instagram / thebohemiannz (Composite)
Willow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulWillow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self-sufficient and very peacefulSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with childrenSophie tiny house for families with children
One of the most frequent complaints about tiny houses, right after their still-prohibitive pricing, is that they’re not exactly suited for family life. At best, a tiny house can comfortably accommodate a pair of vegan, Marie Kondo-style neat freaks with no friends, no pets, and plenty of spare time to do the extra organizing required to keep such a small space looking Instagram-friendly.

So, critics will argue, while tiny houses are perfect for young people or pensioners, they’re no match for families – and no amount of intentional living, extra mobility, or promise of reduced costs could ever make up for that. Willow Way is here to prove that this is not always the case.

Willow Way is a spectacular tiny designed for a family of four. Located in a tiny house community in Kaipara Harbor, New Zealand, it’s the antidote to every tiny house misconception out there. It’s true, given its location and many add-ons, it is no longer a mobile house in the strictest sense of the word, but it still sits on a trailer. It could still move from one place to another, should owners Paula and Boyd ever desire it to.

Willow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self\-sufficient and very peaceful
Photo: Instagram / thebohemiannz
Willow Way is based on the Sophie model from Shaye’s Tiny Homes, a local builder we’ve featured here before. Founded by champion springboard diver Shaye Boddington, the company has been on the market since 2013, offering alternative living solutions to those looking for an extra dose of comfort and a certain degree of luxury. That’s just a delicate way of saying that Shaye’s tinies are premium products, so not exactly affordable.

Keep that in mind when reading about this custom model. Like the Sophie, it sits on a triple-axle trailer and retains road-worthy dimensions of 32 feet (9.7 meters) in total length, 9.8 feet (3 meters) in width and 14 feet (4.25 meters) in height. Also like the Sophie, it uses a two-loft layout, with the kitchen as the home’s highlight, but optimized for the needs of the residents.

For starters, Willow Way is completely off-grid, down to the way it’s self-sufficient for fresh produce. Because it’s part of a tiny house community, Paula and Boyd can use the communal gardens, while waiting for their own produce to grow on their land. Solar panels and a large water tank ensure that the tiny can withstand anything happening out there, from seasonal flooding to a post-apocalyptic zombie scenario. That latter part is a joke, but probably true.

Willow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self\-sufficient and very peaceful
Photo: Instagram / thebohemiannz
The nicest thing about this tiny is how peaceful it seems. Paula and Boyd have added a large roofed deck up front, so that means they can host large dinner parties by opening the sliding French doors. As Boyd explains in the video tour below, he’s a passionate cook, so the chef’s kitchen is perfect with its moving island, four-burner gas stove and oven, and full-size appliances.

On one end of the tiny is the living room, which doubles as Boyd’s home office and Paula’s reading room and whose highlight is the L-shaped couch by the large picture window. If there’s one place for book nerds to fantasize about, this is probably it.

The bathroom is at the other end, with a full-size shower room, a sink with vanity and composting toilet, and plenty of storage, including hidden cupboards.

The bedrooms are upstairs, connected by means of a wide, standing-height walkway. If there’s one thing that sets Shaye’s tinies apart from the crowd is the way they’re able to offer standing height in the loft, by means of sunken floors hidden in the cabinetry below, which translate into wraparound walkways. In plain terms, this means that you can stand up in the bedroom, so you can make the bed without it feeling like some sort of Olympic feat of strength and flexibility.

Willow Way is a tiny based on the Sophie model, fully self\-sufficient and very peaceful
Photo: Instagram / thebohemiannz
Another thing about these tinies, and that includes Paula and Boyd’s, is that they offer plenty of storage for all the stuff you need on a daily basis. Besides cupboards, dressers and third-party storage solutions, you get integrated storage under the beds. Paula and Boyd built a shed on the property too, which means they get even more storage – but that’s only because they own the land, so their house is future-proof.

That’s ultimately the point they’re trying to make: tiny living can be an affordable housing alternative in the long run, with benefits you’re not going to get from living in the city, including spending more time outdoors and doing conservationist work.

The “affordable” part is relative and only holds true in comparison to current prices for real estate. For example, Paula and Boyd paid NZ$370,000 (US$232,000) for their home, which includes the cost of the land and presumably the extensions. As a reference, a non-custom Sophie unit starts at NZ$219,800 (US$137,700). But the biggest takeaway here is that there are plenty of options out there for tiny dwellers, whether they have families or not.

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Editor's note: Additional photos in the gallery show the standard Sophie model from Shaye's Tiny Houses.

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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