Tiny Houses

Light-filled tiny house balances portability and comfort

Light-filled tiny house balances portability and comfort
The Kapiti Tiny House measures 7.2 m (23 ft) long
The Kapiti Tiny House measures 7.2 m (23 ft) long
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The Kapiti Tiny House's kitchen includes generous storage, for a compact tiny house
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The Kapiti Tiny House's kitchen includes generous storage, for a compact tiny house
The Kapiti Tiny House's bathroom includes a shower, sink, and toilet
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The Kapiti Tiny House's bathroom includes a shower, sink, and toilet
The Kapiti Tiny House gets heat from a small wood-burning stove installed in the living room
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The Kapiti Tiny House gets heat from a small wood-burning stove installed in the living room
The Kapiti Tiny House's kitchen includes a pull-out pantry
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The Kapiti Tiny House's kitchen includes a pull-out pantry
The Kapiti Tiny House's kitchen includes a cabinet on wheels
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The Kapiti Tiny House's kitchen includes a cabinet on wheels
The Kapiti Tiny House's living room is light filled, thanks to generous glazing which includes a skylight
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The Kapiti Tiny House's living room is light filled, thanks to generous glazing which includes a skylight
The Kapiti Tiny House's bedroom is reached by a ladder fixed onto the wall
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The Kapiti Tiny House's bedroom is reached by a ladder fixed onto the wall
The Kapiti Tiny House's bedroom is topped by a skylight
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The Kapiti Tiny House's bedroom is topped by a skylight
The Kapiti Tiny House's lack of staircase makes for a relatively roomy interior layout
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The Kapiti Tiny House's lack of staircase makes for a relatively roomy interior layout
The Kapiti Tiny House's bathroom is compact but Build Tiny did manage to squeeze in some storage space, as well as the toilet, shower, and sink
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The Kapiti Tiny House's bathroom is compact but Build Tiny did manage to squeeze in some storage space, as well as the toilet, shower, and sink
The Kapiti Tiny House's living room includes a small sofa
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The Kapiti Tiny House's living room includes a small sofa
The Kapiti Tiny House is entered by double glass doors that open the home to the outside
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The Kapiti Tiny House is entered by double glass doors that open the home to the outside
The Kapiti Tiny House is finished in painted steel and microcarpa wood
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The Kapiti Tiny House is finished in painted steel and microcarpa wood
The Kapiti Tiny House measures 7.2 m (23 ft) long
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The Kapiti Tiny House measures 7.2 m (23 ft) long
View gallery - 14 images

New Zealand's Build Tiny has a talent for maximizing small spaces and its latest model, the Kapiti Tiny House, offers a good balance between portability and interior space. The towable home measures just 7.2 m (23 ft) long, but features a relatively open and light-filled interior layout suitable for up to two people.

The Kapiti Tiny House is based on a double-axle trailer and its exterior consists of painted steel and microcarpa timber. Its 7.2 m length is a bit larger than the firm's previous Bitser Tiny House, though still small enough to tow regularly – by comparison, Minimaliste's recent Magnolia V7 measures a huge 38.5 ft (11.7 m) in length. The owner plans to eventually add a solar panel setup for full off-grid freedom.

Visitors enter into the living room via large glass doors. This looks relatively well-proportioned and also filled with daylight thanks to its generous glazing, which includes a skylight. The living room contains a small sofa, while a tiny wood-burning stove nearby is a source of heat.

There's a kitchen nearby, which has a lot of cabinetry for its size, including a pull-out pantry, large laundry cupboard, and movable cabinet on wheels – which could extend the counter space or make room for breakfast bar-like seating. The kicthen also features a two-burner propane-powered stove, oven, sink, and a fridge/freezer, and joins onto a compact bathroom which has a bit more storage space, a shower, and a toilet.

The Kapiti Tiny House's lack of staircase makes for a relatively roomy interior layout
The Kapiti Tiny House's lack of staircase makes for a relatively roomy interior layout

The downstairs layout is quite open thanks to there being no staircase. To access the single bedroom the owner chose a vertical ladder to be installed on the wall. This is definitely not for everyone and looks quite tricky to access. Once safely there, the bedroom is a typical tiny house-style loft bedroom with a low ceiling, though does also sport a lowered standing platform to make getting dressed easier, as well as a double bed, some storage space, and a skylight.

The project was created as a turnkey build, with almost everything complete, but the client is finishing off the paintwork and varnishing themselves, plus a few other bits and pieces. We've no word on the price of this one but for a rough idea, the firm's Tiny Tāwharau cost around NZD 145,000 (approximately US$105,000)

Source: Build Tiny

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