Baluchon's latest tiny house, the Hippollène, has a modest length of just 6 m (19.6 ft), which is around half the size of many North American tiny houses we cover. Despite its lack of available space, the French firm has managed to install a well-proportioned living area into the home, as well as both a main bedroom and a secondary loft for reading and relaxing.
The Hippollène is named in honor of a character by children's author Claude Ponti and is based on a double-axle trailer. Its exterior is finished in cedar cladding, with aluminum detailing, and power comes from a standard RV-style hookup. The overall traditional tiny house styling actually looks very similar to the firm's La Salamandre model on the outside, though the interior layout is totally different.
Visitors enter into the living room, which looks quite light-filled thanks to the generous glazing. It includes a sofa bed for guests, a coffee table, and a very small wood-burning stove that should be sufficient for heating the home (there are also some electric radiators).
There are two lofts in the Hippollène, each of which is reached by a single removable ladder. The main loft is a typical tiny-house-style bedroom with a low ceiling and room for a double bed plus a little storage space. The secondary loft is the one used as a relaxing and reading area and looks much smaller. Perhaps Baluchon missed a trick by not installing a net like the Sïana and boosting available space significantly, though even a small nook can feel like an escape in such a compact home.
Back on the ground floor, the kitchen is adjacent to the living room and contains an L-shaped unit with cabinetry, a sink, and a fridge, plus there's another separate unit next to it that hosts an oven and two-burner propane-powered stove. The kitchen connects to the bathroom, which has yet more storage space as well as a composting toilet, sink, and shower.
The Hippollène serves as the main residence for its owner and is installed in Loire-Atlantique, western France. We've no word on its exact cost, but Baluchon's tiny houses typically start at around €80,000 (US$90,000).
Source: Baluchon [in French]
