Tiny homes have become increasingly popular, and for good reason. These miniature buildings can pack in all the essentials for comfortable living while keeping things simple, stress-free, and cost-effective. In this world where fewer people can afford a standard house, a tiny home can be the perfect starter home or retirement home for many. Yet, people at all stages of life are embracing the ease of tiny home living.
What’s even better than a tiny home? One that’s made with eco-friendly materials.
Many tiny home enthusiasts have taken to repurposing or recycling existing structures and materials to create sustainable dwellings that come with all the trappings and necessities for a happy, comfortable life. Here are some innovative designs from George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, compliments of Channel 4 Living.
1. A Bookshop Barge Home
Imagine, if you will, a small barge that’s been repurposed not only into the perfect tiny home, but also a bookshop. The owner converted the barge into a comfortable living space using discarded materials. A friend’s old staircase has been converted into a kitchen table that’s equipped with hinged compartments underneath the tabletop that store cooking supplies. And bunk beds made with affordable chipboard comprised of recycled wood waste double as reading pods for visitors.
2. A 1950s Cricket Pavilion
An old cricket pavilion, which is a building where cricket players would change before a match, has been converted into a fun playhouse for the owner’s grandchildren. Bunk beds can be pulled with a rope that instantly converts them into comfortable couches. And colorful curtains and paint make it a cheerful getaway for the whole family.
3. A Tiny Farmhouse
A young couple had a beautiful piece of land but no home, so they built a tiny house using reclaimed materials found around the farm. With a mere 161 square feet (15 square meters), they’ve managed to incorporate separate living, eating, and sleeping spaces. A sleeping loft is tucked away above the main floor, and there’s a small office space with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that expand the space and look out at lovely view of the countryside. The desk is made with a reclaimed bed headboard, and the bull’s-eye window is from an old washing machine.
4. A Berlin Grain Silo
In Berlin, a father and daughter have converted a grain silo into a 140 square foot (13 square meter) gem of a tiny house. Heated by a tiny woodstove, the home has all of the essentials for the two of them. Storage is built into the curves of the silo’s walls. And the dining table lifts up out of the kitchen floor. No space-hogging chairs are needed as diners sit on the floor with their legs hanging down into a space below. A trap door leads to a hidden basement that houses the library and water supply.
To get to her bedroom, the daughter uses a climbing wall instead of stairs to reach her very own loft, which is equipped with its own tiny balcony.
No doubt, the tiny house movement has become a canvas for creativity and innovation. These one-of-a-kind dwellings are proof that home is where the heart is, and building your dream home doesn’t necessarily hinge on having a lot of money. It’s more just a matter of thinking outside the box and letting your imagination roam.