Tiny Houses

Tiny house rich in smart-home tech can go off-grid

Tiny house rich in smart-home tech can go off-grid
The Covo Mio tiny house gets electricity from an RV-style hookup as standard but can also be outfitted with solar power to run off-the-grid
The Covo Mio tiny house gets electricity from an RV-style hookup as standard but can also be outfitted with solar power to run off-the-grid
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The Covo Mio's bedroom loft
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The Covo Mio's bedroom loft
The Covo Mio is an attractive little towable home based on a 26 ft (7.9 m)-long trailer
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The Covo Mio is an attractive little towable home based on a 26 ft (7.9 m)-long trailer
The Covo Mio can be outfitted with composting or flushing toilet
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The Covo Mio can be outfitted with composting or flushing toilet
The Covo Mio's sink
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The Covo Mio's sink
The Covo Mio's Schlage Z-Wave Smart Door Lock
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The Covo Mio's Schlage Z-Wave Smart Door Lock
The Covo Mio has a neat awning window, the first we've seen on a tiny house
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The Covo Mio has a neat awning window, the first we've seen on a tiny house
The Covo Mio's storage locker
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The Covo Mio's storage locker
The Covo Mio pictured is a display model currently for sale at US$82,986
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The Covo Mio pictured is a display model currently for sale at US$82,986
The Covo Mio has a total floorspace of roughly 330 sq ft (30 sq m) inside, including lofts
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The Covo Mio has a total floorspace of roughly 330 sq ft (30 sq m) inside, including lofts
The Covo Mio's couch
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The Covo Mio's couch 
The Covo Mio tiny house gets electricity from an RV-style hookup as standard but can also be outfitted with solar power to run off-the-grid
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The Covo Mio tiny house gets electricity from an RV-style hookup as standard but can also be outfitted with solar power to run off-the-grid
The Covo Mio's main living area
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The Covo Mio's main living area
The Covo Mio's kitchen
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The Covo Mio's kitchen
The Covo Mio can be outfitted with tech including Amazon Echo and a Nest Smart Home thermostat
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The Covo Mio can be outfitted with tech including Amazon Echo and a Nest Smart Home thermostat
The Covo Mio has a total floorspace of roughly 330 sq ft (30 sq m) inside, including lofts
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The Covo Mio has a total floorspace of roughly 330 sq ft (30 sq m) inside, including lofts
View gallery - 15 images

Tiny houses don't generally come with a lot of gadgets and gizmos installed, but Portland, Oregon's Covo Tiny House Company goes all-in on smart home technology with its Covo Mio tiny house. The recently-completed dwelling offers lots of techy extras, including smartphone-controlled lighting, a smart door lock, and an Amazon Echo.

The Covo Mio is based on a 26 ft (7.9 m)-long double-axle trailer and comprises a total floorspace of roughly 330 sq ft (30 sq m), not including a storage compartment attached to the rear.

It's sold in two basic configurations, both turnkey, with the entry-level version starting at US$59,999 and packing basic appliances like a fridge, stove and toilet.

However, it's the optional extras in the high-end model that really sets the Covo Mio apart, including a Schlage Z-Wave door lock, Bluetooth sound system, and LED lighting – all hooked-up to a Wink Hub and controllable by smartphone. Other notable tech includes an Amazon Echo, a Nest thermostat, USB charging ports, a 50-inch TV, a sit/stand desk, and an efficient mini-split heating-and-cooling unit.

This stuff may be par for the course in a modern full-size house, but for a tiny house it's pretty unusual. All those extras, plus some upgraded materials (such as walnut butcher block countertops) costs $97,631, though the home pictured is up for sale at $82,986, as it's a display model.

The Covo Mio's main living area
The Covo Mio's main living area

The Covo Mio's floorplan is pretty compact, with a living room that has a couch and an office/TV area, a nearby kitchen with stainless steel cooktop and oven, and a 7 ft (2.1 m)-long breakfast bar. The small bathroom includes toilet and shower.

A small secondary loft looks best suited as a storage space, while a larger bedroom loft is accessed by ladder and includes a double bed.

The tiny house should offer plenty of natural light inside thanks to the many windows installed. The most notable of these is a neat awning window (again optional) that lifts upwards. We've never seen one of those on a tiny house but it makes good sense and should let in plenty of fresh air.

The Covo Mio gets its electricity from a RV-style hookup as standard but can also be configured to run off-the-grid with solar power and a composting toilet at an additional cost.

Source: Covo Tiny House Company

View gallery - 15 images
1 comment
1 comment
ErwinLapschies
SERIOUSLY? AT $200 A SQUARE FOOT, WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE TINY? This should cost around $100 a square foot. Price greedy business. No wonder people self build...DYI or pay someone to rip you off. Let's get back to grass roots and hire entrepreneurs from small shops to build these for you...