When one couple from Ontario decided to move into a tiny house, they were concerned about losing some of the conveniences of living in a traditional house. When they told Minimaliste about their tiny house dream as well as their concerns, the company decided that they would build them a “very functional space while making sure they don’t feel boxed in their home.”
The combination of horizontal and vertical cladding in different colors that you see here is characteristic of many tiny houses designed by Minimaliste.
Describing their design decisions and how they reached them, the company writes, “This time, we opted for a mostly vertical exterior finish. We wanted to design an almost all black model for a while and we were really happy when our customers accepted the color proposal for their home! We could have chosen a darker black, but the cedar would have react badly to the sun overtime. The contrast with the natural wood color also gives character to the house. In addition, bump-out section gives an interesting texture from the outside, creating a unique and modern design.”
Not surprisingly, this was the largest living room/dining room built by Minimaliste at the time of its construction. It certainly holds true to the promise not to “box in” the residents.
The builder writes, “The ” living room ” mode can be converted into a dining room that can easily accommodate 6 people around the table without feeling too cramped. The large window brings in lots of natural light, making the room bright and airy. Solar blinds can be used when watching a movie or simply for privacy purposes.”
Combined, these features make this layout an excellent one for entertaining guests, or for a family with children.
The house features two lofts. We are looking at the larger of the two in this photo, which can be reached via a flight of stairs. The other across the way it accessible using a ladder. The wall enclosing this loft is a nice privacy feature. The white walls and cabinets contrast nicely with the hardwood floor and ceiling.
In this photo, you can see the smaller of the two lofts, and below it, the bathroom. Appliances in the kitchen include a convection oven/microwave, a ceramic glass cooktop, and a fridge and freezer. Great care went into deciding where to place each of these appliances so that each would be most accessible when needed during food preparation.
The builder explains, “Next to the fridge cabinet, a clearance allows the sliding door to open. This place is also intended to store the ladder that allows access to the loft located above the bathroom.”
The builder is proud of the bathroom and has included a variety of photos of it. It doubles as the laundry room, and is spacious and accommodating of both functions.
The vanity is a dark grayish green color which makes for a bold contrast with the white walls. On top of it is a vessel sink.
The 30×60 shower features a full bathtub. That is probably one of those conveniences which the couple who commissioned the home were hoping they would not have to sacrifice to live in a tiny house. And Minimaliste made it happen!
It would appear that this is a composting toilet.
Here are the laundry units side by side. Shelves overhead provide you with storage space for supplies.
This is the smaller of the two lofts. It is large enough that two people can sleep in it if necessary. Otherwise, it can be allocated for storage or any other purpose.
A large bed fits in the second loft, which serves as the master bedroom. Lots of light comes in through the windows, and reading lamps and bedside tables are installed as well.
The wall which sections the bedroom off from the rest of the house has a second function. It is a custom closet.
You can see a video tour of the house below:
Interested in purchasing the same model of house for yourself? The base price is $132,000 CAD. It is fully customizable, and there is already a model variant available called the Ébène II.
Describing it, the builder writes, “The living area was redesigned for homeschooling and to allow teleworking. The kitchen is a bit different in terms of appliances, but still offers a lot of working surface and all the commodities for optimal use. The loft above the bathroom is meant for full time use, so the ladder can remain in place without blocking the way in. The bathroom was completely rethought to include a shower instead of a bath and we managed to fit a stackable washer/dryer along with a compact but efficient mechanical room within the available space.”
You can learn more about both models at Minimaliste. There, you can also contact the builder if you want to purchase your own tiny house. Please let them know you found them via itinyhouses.com.
