Tiny Houses

The best tiny houses of 2019

The best tiny houses of 2019
The First Light Tiny House, by Build Tiny, is one of our favorite tiny houses of 2019
The First Light Tiny House, by Build Tiny, is one of our favorite tiny houses of 2019
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The Heidi-Ho is up for sale for US$64,000
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The Heidi-Ho can be towed on land or float on water
The Heidi-Ho has a 115 bhp (85 kw) Suzuki motor
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The Heidi-Ho has a 115 bhp (85 kw) Suzuki motor
The Heidi-Ho's living/dining area has a removable mosquito net
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The Heidi-Ho's living/dining area has a removable mosquito net
The Heidi-Ho has a double bed and a bunk above
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The Heidi-Ho has a double bed and a bunk above
The Heidi-Ho includes a double bed
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The Heidi-Ho includes a double bed
The Heidi-Ho's kitchen is small but relatively well-stocked
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The Heidi-Ho's kitchen is small but relatively well-stocked
The rear area of the Heidi-Ho can be opened up to the outside
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The rear area of the Heidi-Ho can be opened up to the outside
The Heidi-Ho's kitchen includes an oven
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The Heidi-Ho's kitchen includes an oven
The Heidi-Ho's living/dining area can be turned into a sleeping area
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The Heidi-Ho's living/dining area can be turned into a sleeping area
The Heidi-Ho's living/dining area includes seating and a table
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The Heidi-Ho's living/dining area includes seating and a table
The Stéphanie is a pretty typical tiny house with one neat feature: its roof slides open like a car's sunroof
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The Stéphanie is a pretty typical tiny house with one neat feature: its roof slides open like a car's sunroof
The Stéphanie's interior is finished in painted spruce
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The Stéphanie's interior is finished in painted spruce
Top-down view of the Stéphanie's living room
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Top-down view of the Stéphanie's living room 
Top-down view of the Stéphanie's electric piano/desk area
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Top-down view of the Stéphanie's electric piano/desk area
There is a small loft space above the Stéphanie's living room that sleeps one or can be used for storage
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There is a small loft space above the Stéphanie's living room that sleeps one or can be used for storage
The Stéphanie's bedroom, shown with the sliding roof closed
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The Stéphanie's bedroom, shown with the sliding roof closed
The Stéphanie's piano/desk area also doubles as stairs to the main bedroom
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The Stéphanie's piano/desk area also doubles as stairs to the main bedroom
The Stéphanie's electric piano/desk area also doubles up as stairs to the main bedroom
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The Stéphanie's electric piano/desk area also doubles up as stairs to the main bedroom
The Stéphanie has a total floorspace of 20.4 sq m (220 sq ft)
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The Stéphanie has a total floorspace of 20.4 sq m (220 sq ft)
The Stéphanie measures 6 m (19.7 ft) long and 2.55 m (8.3 ft)wide
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The Stéphanie measures 6 m (19.7 ft) long and 2.55 m (8.3 ft) wide
The Stéphanie's standout feature is its sliding roof, which opens up the main bedroom to the elements
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The Stéphanie's standout feature is its sliding roof, which opens up the main bedroom to the elements
The Canada Goose is one of the biggest tiny houses on the market
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The Canada Goose is one of the biggest tiny houses on the market
The Canada Goose's living room includes a sofa, and a large window ensures there's plenty of natural light inside
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The Canada Goose's living room includes a sofa, and a large window ensures there's plenty of natural light inside
The Canada Goose's spacious kitchen includes a two-person breakfast bar
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The Canada Goose's spacious kitchen includes a two-person breakfast bar
The Canada Goose's bathroom has a washing machine and separate dryer
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The Canada Goose's bathroom has a washing machine and separate dryer
The Canada Goose's primary loft bedroom is accessed by staircase
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The Canada Goose's primary loft bedroom is accessed by staircase
The Canada Goose measures 43 ft (13 m) long
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The Canada Goose measures 43 ft (13 m) long
The Canada Goose's kitchen includes a double farmhouse-style sink
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The Canada Goose's kitchen includes a double farmhouse-style sink
The Canada Goose's main bedroom is accessed by sliding barn-style door
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The Canada Goose's main bedroom is accessed by sliding barn-style door
The Canada Goose's loft bedroom is a typical tiny house style bedroom with a low ceiling
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The Canada Goose's loft bedroom is a typical tiny house style bedroom with a low ceiling
Top-down view of the Canada Goose's spacious kitchen
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Top-down view of the Canada Goose's spacious kitchen
The Acorn has a small deck area
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The Acorn has a small deck area
The Acorn's small size means it should be relatively easy to tow regularly
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The Acorn's small size means it should be relatively easy to tow regularly
The Acorn has generous glazing
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The Acorn has generous glazing
The Acorn's kitchen is definitely on the small side but with its two-burner stove it should be suitable for preparing basic meals
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The Acorn's kitchen is definitely on the small side but with its two-burner stove it should be suitable for preparing basic meals
The Acorn has a small dining area for two
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The Acorn has a small dining area for two
A ceiling-based fan helps cool the interior of the Acorn
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A ceiling-based fan helps cool the interior of the Acorn
Another photo of the Acorn's kitchen
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Another photo of the Acorn's kitchen
The Acorn has quite a bit of storage space inside
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The Acorn has quite a bit of storage space inside 
The Acorn's living room includes a sofa bed
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The Acorn's living room includes a sofa bed
The Noyer is built to handle extreme cold but can also take hot weather in its stride
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The Noyer is built to handle extreme cold but can also take hot weather in its stride 
The Noyer's living room looks relatively spacious for a tiny house
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The Noyer's living room looks relatively spacious for a tiny house
The Noyer's bedroom has room to stand up straight at the side of the bed, to make getting dressed easier
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The Noyer's bedroom has room to stand up straight at the side of the bed, to make getting dressed easier
The Noyer's kitchen includes a small dishwasher
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The Noyer's kitchen includes a small dishwasher
The Noyer's bedroom is a typical tiny house-style loft bedroom with a low ceiling
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The Noyer's bedroom is a typical tiny house-style loft bedroom with a low ceiling
The Noyer measures 30 ft (9.1 m) long
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The Noyer measures 30 ft (9.1 m) long
The Noyer's living room includes shelving and a small air-conditioning unit that helps keep the interior a comfortable temperature
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The Noyer's living room includes shelving and a small air-conditioning unit that helps keep the interior a comfortable temperature
The Noyer's living room is elevated
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The Noyer's living room is elevated
The Noyer includes a small office area with standing desk
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The Noyer includes a small office area with standing desk 
The Noyer's kitchen includes walnut countertops
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The Noyer's kitchen includes walnut countertops
Construction photo of Tyler Bennett's tiny house, showing the kitchen almost complete
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Construction photo of Tyler Bennett's tiny house, showing the kitchen almost complete
Canadian engineering graduate Tyler Bennett recently completed his very own tiny house on wheels with an impressive budget of just US$15,000
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Canadian engineering graduate Tyler Bennett recently completed his very own tiny house on wheels with an impressive budget of just US$15,000
Interior of Tyler Bennet's self-built tiny house, showing the home taking shape
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Interior of Tyler Bennet's self-built tiny house, showing the home taking shape
The Koda Light Float floats atop a pontoon base, but can also be installed on land if preferred
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The Koda Light Float floats atop a pontoon base, but can also be installed on land if preferred
The Koda Light Float is envisioned as harbor café, artist studio, or a vacation home
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The Koda Light Float is envisioned as harbor café, artist studio, or a vacation home
The interior pictured is of the Koda Light but designer Kodasema assures us it is identical to the Koda Light Float
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The interior pictured is of the Koda Light but designer Kodasema assures us it is identical to the Koda Light Float
The First Light Tiny House, by Build Tiny, is one of our favorite tiny houses of 2019
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The First Light Tiny House, by Build Tiny, is one of our favorite tiny houses of 2019
View of the First Light Tiny House's storage integrated staircase
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View of the First Light Tiny House's storage integrated staircase 
The First Light Tiny House came in at roughly NZD 150,000
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The First Light Tiny House came in at roughly NZD 150,000
The First Light Tiny House has one bedroom, which is accessed by storage-integrated staircase
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The First Light Tiny House has one bedroom, which is accessed by storage-integrated staircase
The First Light Tiny House is light-filled and relatively spacious
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The First Light Tiny House is light-filled and relatively spacious
The First Light Tiny House has a small bathroom
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The First Light Tiny House has a small bathroom 
The First Light Tiny House's bathroom includes a sink, shower, and composting toilet
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The First Light Tiny House's bathroom includes a sink, shower, and composting toilet 
The First Light Tiny House is clad in corrugated steel
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The First Light Tiny House is clad in corrugated steel
The First Light Tiny House's kitchen includes a large counter finished in stainless steel
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The First Light Tiny House's kitchen includes a large counter finished in stainless steel
The First Light Tiny House has generous glazing and looks quite light-filled inside
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The First Light Tiny House has generous glazing and looks quite light-filled inside 
The Barrington Tops Cabin is located in a picturesque spot in Barrington Tops National Park, a protected national park in Hunter Valley, Australia
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The Barrington Tops Cabin is located in a picturesque spot in Barrington Tops National Park, a protected national park in Hunter Valley, Australia
The Barrington Tops Cabin is clad in Weathertex, which is made from by-products in the timber industry
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The Barrington Tops Cabin is clad in Weathertex, which is made from by-products in the timber industry
The Barrington Tops Cabin features generous glazing
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The Barrington Tops Cabin features generous glazing
The Barrington Tops Cabin is accessed by French doors
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The Barrington Tops Cabin is accessed by French doors
The Barrington Tops Cabin includes a small dining table
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The Barrington Tops Cabin includes a small dining table
The French doors really open up the Barrington Tops Cabin to the outside
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The French doors really open up the Barrington Tops Cabin to the outside
The Barrington Tops Cabin's sleeping area boasts generous glazing
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The Barrington Tops Cabin's sleeping area boasts generous glazing
The Barrington Tops Cabin has a simple interior layout that's all on one floor
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The Barrington Tops Cabin has a simple interior layout that's all on one floor
The Barrington Tops Cabin includes one bed
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The Barrington Tops Cabin includes one bed
The Barrington Tops Cabin is a simple tiny house that runs off-the-grid with solar panels
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The Barrington Tops Cabin is a simple tiny house that runs off-the-grid with solar panels
The Koto X Abodu can be fully prefabricated off-site before being transported by truck to its final destination
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The Koto X Abodu is prefabricated off-site before being transported by truck to its final destination
Koto X Abodu is a 495-sq-ft (46-sqm) home with a modern Scandinavian design
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Koto X Abodu is a 495-sq-ft (46-sqm) home with a modern Scandinavian design
LED strips light up the Koto X Abodu home at night
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LED strips light up the Koto X Abodu home at night
The Koto X Abodu's interior is spacious and light-filled
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The Koto X Abodu's interior is spacious and light-filled
The Koto X Abodu has a small outdoor deck area
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The Koto X Abodu has a small outdoor deck area
The Koto X Abodu's interior opens up to the outside with large glazed doors
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The Koto X Abodu's interior opens up to the outside with large glazed doors
The Koto X Abodu has an open living and dining area
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The Koto X Abodu has an open living and dining area
View gallery - 83 images

Throughout 2019, we've reported on a range of tiny houses. Some are simple homes on wheels, while others boast novel ideas like sliding roofs and elevator beds. Whichever the model though, each one offers an interesting approach to downsizing. Here's our pick of the very best we've seen.

Heidi-Ho

The Heidi-Ho is up for sale for US$64,000
The Heidi-Ho can be towed on land or float on water

The Heidi-Ho, by Arizona's Scott Cronk, is a cabin on wheels that's in turn based on a pontoon boat. It can be placed on a trailer and towed on the road or travel along the water using its 115 bhp (85 kW) Suzuki engine.

The interior measures 18 x 6.5 ft (5.4 x 2 m) and is split into a kitchen area and a combined living/dining area that can be used as a bedroom thanks to its folding benches. There's also a small toilet inside the Heidi-Ho, but the shower is outside.

Stéphanie

The Stéphanie is a pretty typical tiny house with one neat feature: its roof slides open like a car's sunroof
The Stéphanie is a pretty typical tiny house with one neat feature: its roof slides open like a car's sunroof

The Stéphanie, by French firm Optinid, is topped by a sliding roof on rails that allows its owners to open up the bedroom to the sky.

Aside from that headline-grabbing feature, the Stéphanie is a fairly basic compact tiny house. Its 20.4 sq m (220 sq ft) interior hosts a living room with a sofa bed for guests, while nearby lies a small kitchenette and a bathroom.

Canada Goose

The Canada Goose is one of the biggest tiny houses on the market
The Canada Goose is one of the biggest tiny houses on the market

The Canada Goose, by Canada's Mint Tiny House Company, is a massive 43-ft (13-m)-long tiny house that has a total floorspace of 400 sq ft (37 sq m), making it one of the largest models we've seen this year.

As you'd expect, its interior is spacious. Its ground floor has a kitchen, a living room, and a large bathroom, while there's also a generously-proportioned master bedroom in the gooseneck (raised) part of the trailer. There are two lofts in the Canada Goose, one is used as a bedroom and the other is used for storage.

The Acorn

The Acorn will suit those who like their tiny houses to be actually tiny
The Acorn will suit those who like their tiny houses to be actually tiny

As the tiny house scene has grown over the years, the average size of the homes has grown with it. However, for those who still like their tiny houses to be, well, tiny, The Acorn, by Backcountry Tiny Homes, should fit the bill.

Measuring just 16 ft (4.8 m) long with its exterior deck, The Acorn has an interior floorspace of 90 sq ft (8.3 sq m). Most of this is taken up by a combined living room, bedroom, and dining area, which includes a sofa bed and folding table. A kitchen and bathroom are adjacent to this space. The Acorn can also run on or off-the-grid for those wanting the freedom to travel.

Noyer

The Noyer is built to handle extreme cold but can also take hot weather in its stride
The Noyer is built to handle extreme cold but can also take hot weather in its stride 

Being based in chilly Canada, it makes sense that Minimaliste builds its homes to withstand extremes in temperature, whether hot or cold. The Noyer is both well-insulated and nearly airtight, meaning that it requires little heating or cooling to maintain a steady temperature, which is the main principle behind the stringent Passive House green building standard.

Its interior consists of a compact kitchen, a spacious raised living room with storage underneath, and a small home office area. The bathroom is nearby and the loft bedroom is reached by a storage-integrated staircase.

Unnamed $15,000 tiny house

Canadian engineering graduate Tyler Bennett recently completed his very own tiny house on wheels with an impressive budget of just US$15,000
Canadian engineering graduate Tyler Bennett recently completed his very own tiny house on wheels with an impressive budget of just US$15,000

Some of the most innovative and interesting tiny houses we cover are those that built by hobbyists, as highlighted by Tyler Bennett. The Canadian engineering graduate built his own tiny house for just $15,000 over several months with the help of family and friends.

The standout feature with this model is its queen-sized elevator-style bed that can be set to different heights, allowing one space to pull double duty as both living room and bedroom. Elsewhere is a kitchen, a large home office, and a bathroom.

Koda Light Float

The Koda Light Float floats atop a pontoon base, but can also be installed on land if preferred
The Koda Light Float floats atop a pontoon base, but can also be installed on land if preferred

As its name suggests, the Koda Light Float is essentially a lightweight version of the popular concrete Koda tiny house, with the addition of a floating pontoon base.

Now made from wood instead of concrete, the Estonian-built tiny home measures 25.8 sq m (277 sq ft) and looks relatively spacious and light-filled, with an open plan ground floor containing a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. The single bedroom is upstairs. For those who aren't interested in life on the water, there's also a non-floating version and a much larger extended model too.

First Light Tiny House

The First Light Tiny House is light-filled and relatively spacious
The First Light Tiny House is light-filled and relatively spacious

The First Light Tiny House is a collaboration between busy New Zealand company Build Tiny and architecture firm First Light. It offers a lot of flexibility, being able to run or off-the-grid, and can be detached from its trailer for permanent installation.

The 7.2-m (23 ft)-long home's interior looks light-filled thanks to its generous glazing and has a living room with a sofa on wheels, a well-proportioned kitchen, and a bathroom with composting toilet on the ground floor. Storage-integrated stairs lead to the sole bedroom.

Barrington Tops Cabin

The Barrington Tops Cabin is a simple tiny house that runs off-the-grid with solar panels
The Barrington Tops Cabin is a simple tiny house that runs off-the-grid with solar panels

Australia's Fresh Prince keeps things nice and simple with the Barrington Tops Cabin, which runs off-the-grid and sleeps two.

The interior measures just 14 sq m (150 sq ft) and is all laid-out on one floor. Rather than trying to cram too much in, the firm sensibly installed a combined living and dining space with a bed, dining table, and kitchenette with camping-style stove. Elsewhere is the bathroom, which has a composting toilet.

Koto X Abodu

The Koto X Abodu can be fully prefabricated off-site before being transported by truck to its final destination
The Koto X Abodu is prefabricated off-site before being transported by truck to its final destination

UK-based design studio Koto collaborated with US home builders Abodu to create a prefabricated non-towable tiny house that can be installed in just two weeks.

Dubbed Koto X Abodu, the 495-sq-ft (46-sq-m) home is envisioned as a single-bedroom residence and can be opened up to the outside with large folding glass doors. Inside, it has an open living and dining space, bathroom with full-sized shower, and a spacious master bedroom. As is the case with most other prefabricated homes, there's lots of options available with this one and it can be outfitted as required.

Be sure to have a look through the gallery for more pics and info on each tiny house listed here.

View gallery - 83 images
2 comments
2 comments
john@johnread.com
Nice designs! I see no examples of tiny houses built with structurally engineered panels (SIPs), such as those produced with magboard in China. One Chinese firm has partners in US and in MX (Baja California).
IvanWashington
none of them have tip-outs- why?