Tiny Houses

Hill-hugging tiny house takes Swiss Army knife approach to downsizing

Hill-hugging tiny house takes Swiss Army knife approach to downsizing
Crest was constructed to match the exact foundations of an old 1950s garage
Crest was constructed to match the exact foundations of an old 1950s garage
View 10 Images
Crest is located on a steep and tree-filled site in Marin County, California
1/10
Crest is located on a steep and tree-filled site in Marin County, California
Crest was constructed to match the exact foundations of an old 1950s garage
2/10
Crest was constructed to match the exact foundations of an old 1950s garage
Crest's exterior is finished in fire-resistant cement board
3/10
Crest's exterior is finished in fire-resistant cement board
Crest's interior features a utilitarian plywood finish
4/10
Crest's interior features a utilitarian plywood finish
Crest's main bed is a Murphy bed that can be stowed away when not in use
5/10
Crest's main bed is a Murphy bed that can be stowed away when not in use
Crest has lots of natural light inside thanks to its high ceiling and generous glazing
6/10
Crest has lots of natural light inside thanks to its high ceiling and generous glazing
Crest's secondary loft bedroom is reached by a removable ladder
7/10
Crest's secondary loft bedroom is reached by a removable ladder
Crest features separate rooms for its shower and toilet
8/10
Crest features separate rooms for its shower and toilet
Crest's interior measures 400 sq ft (37 sq m), most of which is taken up by its large open living/kitchen area
9/10
Crest's interior measures 400 sq ft (37 sq m), most of which is taken up by its large open living/kitchen area
Crest's dining table is on wheels and can be moved outside when the weather suits
10/10
Crest's dining table is on wheels and can be moved outside when the weather suits
View gallery - 10 images

Situated on a steep hillside plot in California, this compact dwelling by Mork-Ulnes Architects was constructed on the existing foundations of a 1950s garage. Its interior layout is likened to a Swiss Army knife in the way it maximizes features in a compact space and it showcases some clever downsizing ideas that are suitable for a small family.

A tiny house by any other name, the ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is officially named Crest guesthouse in Marin County, California – but we'll call it Crest for short – and was commissioned by a family of three who are having their main house on the property renovated, so it will serve as their home in the meantime. Once the main house is eventually finished, it will then become a guesthouse.

The dwelling measures 400 sq ft (37 sq m), which is about the same as the Tellico tiny house. With its forest location, wild fire is a concern, so its exterior is finished in fire-resistant cement board, which also offers the benefit of being easy to maintain. Additionally, Mork-Ulnes Architects added a small deck to increase usable outdoor space.

The Crest is accessed by a large sliding glass door that opens almost the entire front-facing facade up to the outside when the weather suits. The interior is very open and airy, given its compact dimensions, and is finished in plywood.

Crest's main bed is a Murphy bed that can be stowed away when not in use
Crest's main bed is a Murphy bed that can be stowed away when not in use

It's arranged like a traditional tiny house, albeit with a few twists. Most notably, the main bedroom isn't actually a bedroom at all, but a Murphy bed installed into the wall. This frees up a lot of floorspace, allowing the living area to be relatively large. A sofa is located to one side and this has a little integrated storage space, plus shelving above and a large wardrobe unit adjacent.

The kitchen is nearby and includes a lot of cabinetry and shelving, as well as a sink, oven, and electric cooktop. It also features a dining table with a TV on the wall nearby. The dining table itself incorporates additional storage and is on wheels so it can be moved for eating outside on the deck area.

Next to the dining area are two doors. One leads to a shower (this has another door offering access to the outside), while the other contains a toilet and sink.

Crest's dining table is on wheels and can be moved outside when the weather suits
Crest's dining table is on wheels and can be moved outside when the weather suits

There's also another bedroom in Crest that's situated in the loft. It's reached by a ladder that stows away when not in use. Alas, there are no photos of this but drawings show that it contains a bed and a chair, and it looks like there's more headroom than usual up there than in a typical tiny house-style bedroom.

Source: Mork-Ulnes Architects

View gallery - 10 images
1 comment
1 comment
Longtermthinker
As usual important details are not mentioned while lots of copy explaining the obvious. The roof looks to be the same cement panel material as the siding. How does that work? Speaking of the roof, cathedral roof structures are typically unvented and can have catastrophic failures from water ingress if not properly designed and flashed. Also not enough room in that roof for R50 minimum for cold climate locations although probably will not be duplicated outside of Marin County. Plywood interior wall covering looks just OK with fragile and funky peeled veneer face ply. The amount of sanding and finishing to make that look good would make for a nightmare install.