Despite having no prior experience, engineers Tina and Luke Orlando decided to jump right in and design their own tiny house from scratch. Their unconventional but very thorough approach resulted in a tiny house on wheels that's jam-packed with storage space, pet-friendly features, and sustainable technology to allow it to operate off-grid. Now it's complete, the pair are selling plans of the home for those interested in building their own.
The Basecamp tiny house is located on a rural spot near Beaverton, Oregon, sits on a three-axle trailer, and has a total floorspace of 204 sq ft (19 sq m). It's clad in attractive tongue-and-groove cedar and topped by a large rooftop deck.
The Orlandos began by identifying three primary concerns for their tiny home: storage space, off-grid functionality, and pet-friendly design (the pair foster dogs in addition to their own three).
The design process took 18 months, during which they drew on their experience in civil and mechanical engineering to mock-up plans and 3D models, tackling issues like size constraints, zoning restrictions, and plumbing along the way. They eventually hired tiny house firm Daystar Tiny Homes to actually build it.
Entering the home, visitors are presented with a living area on the right. This includes an L-shaped couch that pulls out into a guest bed, a wall-mounted TV, and a storage loft above. Venturing further into the home reveals a kitchen and bathroom with composting toilet and shower.
The finish looks excellent throughout and includes live-edge redwood slab countertops, cabinets and custom furniture.
In addition to lots of storage nooks and foldaway furniture, the tiny house also includes around a dozen dog-specific items, such as kennel space, hideaway dens, built-in collapsible food and water bowls, a rainwater-harvesting dog waterer, and moving privacy gates.
The upstairs sleeping loft is reached via a storage-integrated staircase, and also has a small door which opens to an outdoor staircase that leads directly to the rooftop deck.
The Basecamp tiny house operates totally off the grid with a rainwater collection system, a roof-based solar array, and battery backup. The heating and cooking is fueled by propane gas, and a grey-water system and on-demand water heater designed for off-grid homes are also installed.
The Orlandos have set up a website for the Basecamp tiny house and are selling plans for it. There are a lot of options available including a pet-friendly package with all the dog and cat-related design features and an off-grid package. More information via the source link below.
Source: Backcountry Tiny Homes
