Tiny Houses

Baluchon's Ostara puts the tiny back into tiny houses

Baluchon's Ostara puts the tiny back into tiny houses
The Ostara takes its name from a stable that it will be located next to in Toulouse, France
The Ostara takes its name from a stable that it will be located next to in Toulouse, France
View 26 Images
Detail shot inside the Ostara's bathroom
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Detail shot inside the Ostara's bathroom
The Ostara's bathroom includes a shower
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The Ostara's bathroom includes a shower 
The Ostara's bathroom includes a composting toilet
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The Ostara's bathroom includes a composting toilet
The Ostara's kitchenette includes a sink, fridge, and stove
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The Ostara's kitchenette includes a sink, fridge, and stove
View towards the Ostara's kitchenette and bathroom
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View towards the Ostara's kitchenette and bathroom
View of most of the Ostara's ground floor
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View of most of the Ostara's ground floor
The Ostara's loft has a net to stop fitful sleepers from rolling off at night and doing themselves an injury
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The Ostara's loft has a net to stop fitful sleepers from rolling off at night and doing themselves an injury
The Ostara's loft bedroom includes a double bed
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The Ostara's loft bedroom includes a double bed
Another shot of the Ostara's loft bedroom
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Another shot of the Ostara's loft bedroom
Top-down view of the Ostara
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Top-down view of the Ostara
The Ostara includes a wood-burning stove
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The Ostara includes a wood-burning stove
The Ostara's dining area
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The Ostara's dining area
The Ostara includes a wood-burning stove in the dining area
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The Ostara includes a wood-burning stove in the dining area
The Ostara gets its power from a standard RV-style hookup
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The Ostara gets its power from a standard RV-style hookup
The Ostara features sheep's wool insulation in the floor and cotton, linen and hemp insulation in the walls
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The Ostara features sheep's wool insulation in the floor and cotton, linen and hemp insulation in the walls
The Ostara's living room is dominated by a large 1.8 m (6 ft) couch
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The Ostara's living room is dominated by a large 1.8 m (6 ft) couch
Lighting for the Ostara is LED throughout
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Lighting for the Ostara is LED throughout
The Ostara takes its name from the stable in which it is located in Toulouse
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The Ostara takes its name from the stable in which it is located in Toulouse
Access to the Ostara is gained by these small steps
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Access to the Ostara is gained by these small steps
The Ostara is clad in cedar
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The Ostara is clad in cedar 
The Ostara takes its name from a stable that it will be located next to in Toulouse, France
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The Ostara takes its name from a stable that it will be located next to in Toulouse, France
The Ostara gets its power from a standard RV-style hookup
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The Ostara gets its power from a standard RV-style hookup
The Ostara measures 6 m (19 ft)-long
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The Ostara measures 6 m (19 ft)-long
The Ostara's main living area
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The Ostara's main living area
The Ostara is clad in cedar and topped by a metal roof
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The Ostara is clad in cedar and topped by a metal roof
The Ostara measures 6 m (19 ft)-long
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The Ostara measures 6 m (19 ft)-long
View gallery - 26 images

We've seen lots of very large tiny houses lately and towable dwellings do seem to be getting steadily larger on the whole, but for those who prefer a tiny house that's, well, tiny, French firm Baluchon's latest model may be of interest. Named the Ostara, it measures just 6 m (19 ft)-long but packs in a surprisingly livable layout.

Baluchon has been pretty busy over the last couple of years, steadily producing pint-sized dwellings like the Essen'Ciel and Escapade. Each one conforms to the same style but looks different enough to keep things interesting.

The Ostara has already been sold and takes its name from a stable that it will be located next to in Toulouse, France. It's based on a double-axle trailer, clad in cedar, and topped by a metal roof.

Visitors enter into the living room, which is dominated by a large 1.8 m (6 ft) couch that doubles as a guest bed (it's not clear whether it's a proper sofa bed or just a big couch). To the right of this lies a small kitchenette split into two sections and including a sink, fridge, shelving and stove.

View of most of the Ostara's ground floor
View of most of the Ostara's ground floor

Continuing past the kitchen and hidden behind a door is a small but functional bathroom which includes a shower and composting toilet. Over on the other side of the tiny home, meanwhile, is a nice little dining area and wood-burning stove.

A storage-integrated staircase leads up to a small sleeping loft which has a net installed to stop fitful sleepers from rolling out at night and doing themselves an injury.

The Ostara gets its power from a standard RV-style hookup and features sheep's wool insulation in the floor, and cotton, linen and hemp insulation in the walls. The lighting is LED throughout.

Unfortunately, Baluchon hasn't revealed how much this one cost to build.

Source: Baluchon (in French)

View gallery - 26 images
2 comments
2 comments
Tom Lee Mullins
I like that. It looks comfortable without being cramped; from what I can see of it.
Doug Elliot
It would benefit from a pocket door to the bathroom.