There are so many reasons to consider tiny house living. Tiny homes are more mobile, they are less cluttered, they are beautifully designed, and they allow us to enjoy a simpler way of life. But perhaps one of the main reasons to go tiny is to go green.
Not every tiny house is manufactured with green features, but many of them are. One which was built from the ground up to be especially eco-friendly is the Lilypad.
The whimsical design of this tiny house is appealing right from the off. It calls to mind a Gypsy caravan.
The house measures just 248 square feet, which according to the designer is 10% of the average square footage of your typical American home. The wood you see is Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified and comes from Sustainable Northwest Woods. The spray foam insulation used in the walls is soy-based. It produces no off-gassing or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while keeping moisture out of the house.
You can see that the awning doubles as a solar array.
I have to share this shot of the roof. It is so beautiful …
If the exterior caught your fancy, wait until you see the breathtaking interior …
This is the view from the sitting loft. Everything about this space is stylish—the curved ceiling, the wood beams, the ornate railings, the contrast of colors, the light flooding in from the other loft. Just … wow.
This is a high-efficiency heater situated between the two staircases. There is of course storage beneath both of them.
Here is a wood-burning wall-mounted solid fuel heater in the kitchen.
And here is a better look at the storage under the stairs:
The bathroom is equipped with a composting toilet and a super cool copper sink.
But the real surprise is this …
Yes, a proper bathtub. That’s right. You can take an actual bath in this tiny house!
There is an incredible amount of closet space packed away in here. Seriously, how did they do it? It seems almost magical.
Here we are looking down into the kitchen.
And back up at the beautiful, unique railing …
Now you’ve seen what the house looks like without décor. Here is how it looks with the interior all gussied up:
I know … it is so gorgeous!
Let me tell you about a few more cool eco-friendly features in the Lilypad. Outside, there is a 55-gallon food-grade rain catchment system. There is also a vertical aeroponic gardening system featuring LED grow lights. All interior light fixtures are LEDs as well. The builders estimate that around 30% of all materials and appliances used in construction were recycled.
I am honestly blown away by this tiny house. Both the aesthetic appeal of its design and the eco-friendly features are outstanding. Be sure to visit Lilypad Planet to check out more beautiful photos and learn even more about this amazing green dwelling!
