Two-Floor Tiny Cave Lets You Tune the Interior to Custom Year-Round Living Standards

Ladies and gents, since 2015, Minimaliste Houses has set out to "democratize and spread out tiny houses in North America." Simply put, their aim is to make this movement into something more than just the occasional off-grid adventures. To do that, they place the client at the center of their business model, which is one of the main reasons why their designs often come across as truly livable homes that just happen to be set up on a trailer. Win-win, if you ask me.

As for the Noyer XL, this thing is big, really big. I'm talking about two levels, multiple bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and more storage than you will ever need to live a wholesome life. All that's then placed on top of a 37 ft trailer (12.2 m) with three axles. As long as there's a road, even a dirt one, the Noyer can make it to your destination.

Now, this rolling cave is a semi-permanent tiny home. Some tiny abodes are permanent, meaning you'll need to create a foundation for them, and if it's ever time to move, you'll need a crane and 18-wheeler platform to do so. All that goes out the window with the Noyer. Because it sits on a trailer, you can call any place home, including trailer parks. Personally, I like some peace and quiet, so you'll find me tucked away in some woods, or in the middle of an open field. I might need to clear a path, though.

As for what to do out in that middle of nowhere? Well, it's a full-blown home! You can do whatever you want. Think of things this way. The exterior of the XL is designed and built to withstand just about any weather the natural world throws at it. A mixture of woods, metals, and composites yields a build with an R26 rating for the floor, R20 for the walls, and R27 for the roof. What I like about that roof is that it's built out of two sloping segments. Solar panels, anyone?

Inside this massive home, things take on a slightly different appearance than the exterior would imply. Upon setting foot in this home, you'll find yourself surrounded by spaces, furniture, and features designed to give you that warm feeling in your heart. To your right, an elevated living room is an entertainment center in the plans, but I'd love to turn this into a little home gym or bike garage. My actual living room is already an e-bike garage.

Ahead and to the left of the door, the Noyer shows us why that XL bit is tacked onto its name. Simply put, this thing is massive! In front, a large kitchen lies in wait for your Master Chef meals with all the appliances you could ever ask for, and across from that, a dining area is found underneath large windows to let you view the world around you as you enjoy dinner or breakfast. Lunch should catch you out on the slopes or on the lake.

Once we pass the kitchen area, we can take the stairs to the loft bedroom above, but it's the downstairs that I like most. A neat little hallway connects all the spaces between them, and to your left, a bathroom can be found. At the very end of the Noyer, a bedroom lies in wait with nothing more than a single bed and a large closet.

Now, I understand that most folks will be traveling with larger groups, so you may want to shift things around a bit. You can transform the living room into a modular space to double as a bedroom at night, the bedroom can be made into that yoga gym I mentioned, and the loft, well, who doesn't like sleeping above the rest of the world?

What I want to point out about the interior and its design isn't just the arrangement of spaces and systems, but Minimaliste's know-how shines through in every area. Spaces feel open and not cramped at all, and the shifts in elevation help define and separate areas. Then there's the blend of materials used to yield the walls, ceiling, and flooring.

All that's balanced with tones of black furniture, appliances, and metals too. LED lighting is integrated into little nooks and crannies and ensures you don't look for furniture at night with your little toe. Oh, and do check out the bathroom. You may find it inspires you to decorate your actual one.

Place yourself in the middle of all that, and what do you have? Honestly, so much more than we can imagine from behind smart devices. Take the time to feel waking up to the smell of fresh mountain air. Outside, not a single car can be heard. You head downstairs to put on a pot of coffee and ready pancakes. In the meantime, family members begin to appear from the woodwork with eyes half-shut. The YouTube playlist is now jamming and ready for the day.

Sounds like the sort of life I live now, and it's only going to run you around $150K (€141K at current exchange rates). With housing prices what they are, that comes across as a bargain. Just make sure to factor in other living costs like gas, your vehicle, permits, and park fees, to name a few. Still, with a bit of financial planning, you can pull it off for sure, just like countless other folks have done. After all, something is propelling this industry, isn't it?