This Tiny House Is Focused on Closeness to Nature and Is Spacious To Boot

When we think of tiny homes, we imagine a place that is so small you can barely move inside. This is definitely not the case with Kate's house. She saved money for six years and bought her home outright, which is impressive considering how many years go into finally owning a traditional house. Later, Todd joined her and started constructing the whole deck, the roof, and the tiny bits inside. This tiny home is located on 14.8 acres of land owned by one of their friends, so there are many outdoor areas to be designed.

Although there is plenty of land, the house only measures 25 ft (7.8 m) in length, 9.5 ft (2.9 m) in height, and 14 ft (4.2 m) in width. The exterior walls and roof are steel, while the deck is cedar wood. The color palette chosen for these walls perfectly fits with the hills surrounding the home.

The large deck boasts lots of seating space provided by an oversized lounge couch, a camping table with benches, and a cocktail bar by the kitchen window. More seating areas can be found around the outdoor fire pit. But the magnificent exterior design does not stop here. At the right end of the deck, we see a large bathtub surrounded by tiki torches. The couple also grows their food in the vegetable garden.

Before stepping inside, we must admire the French doors that connect the outdoors with the indoors. The couple could enjoy an evening on the sofa in the living room while having the warm breeze enter their house. The home's design makes it look more like a vacation house than a private one.

The interior is an expansion of Kate's personality and likes. It was designed with lots of dried flowers, plants, and artwork. All the decorations are 30 years' worth of collecting different kinds of quirky items.

The living room has a unique design provided by the office table. This table was an old Singer sewing machine that got remodeled into a vintage-looking desk. A storage loft was built above the living area. All the photography equipment is stored here, including tons of frames.

Next to the living room is the kitchen. This is quite an expansive area with lots of cooking space and appliances. The countertop and sink are made of heart rimu wood and were placed on white cabinets. We can also find a freestanding oven with a stovetop, a range hood, and a tiny fridge. Even the kitchen connects with the outside through the tri-fold windows. Food can be served on the cocktail bar outside.

From the kitchen, we can access the bathroom. Most baths in tiny homes are either small or separated into two parts to fit everything. But this is different with this full bath. It comes with a giant green-tiled shower cabin with glass doors, a composting toilet, a large cabinet hiding the plumbing, a vanity with a bowl sink, and a mirror. Even this area is decorated with dried flowers and wall artwork. But that is for the better since it makes the whole bathroom look enchanting.

Since there was not enough space for a downstairs bedroom, the house had to have a loft. It can be accessed via the staircase from the kitchen. Each stairstep has a drawer for extra storage. The railing is made of manuka wood and placed on metal rods.

There is not enough space to walk in the loft, but you can still sit on the bed without touching the ceiling. It includes a queen-size mattress, a wardrobe, and a closet. The couple said a skylight would have been a good choice considering it gets hot in the summer. That's not a surprise considering the outer shell of the house is made of metal. However, the fan was a must, otherwise it would have been impossible to sleep in the loft. The dual windows can help with the ventilation and offer impressive views.

The couple has been in the tiny home for about a year and recently moved onto this land in December 2022. The house cost $90,000, excluding the deck, the roof, and all the exterior features. Considering how much a traditional home would cost, the price of this one is genuinely affordable.

This tiny house is not running off-grid but is instead connected to bore water and electricity. Many mobile homes feature an off-grid system, making them more environmentally friendly. This might increase the price of a house. However, it could reduce the monthly bills one would have to pay.