Fitouts and Trends - Tiny Houses

Tiny homes in Australia are a reality. A quick internet search reveals dozens of builders spread throughout the country. And while the concept requires a compromise for space, there is no compromise in the quality of the living space, or the overall standard of living.

A tiny house could be temporary housing, relief accommodation or an additional dwelling; a granny flat; rental accommodation; an office, studio or pool room. It could also be a holiday home, either permanent or mobile; a mobile retail business or rural accommodation. They aren’t cheap, costing between 45 and

150-odd thousand dollars, around the same range as a caravan. With a caravan all the fittings and furniture are usually included. Depending on the design, a tiny home may include everything, or could be a shell that is furnished by the occupier.

With a tiny home the owner gets whatever is included in any full-size dwelling but designed to optimise the available space. Häfele is one furniture hardware company that has been working for many years with tiny house designers to realise effective living spaces. Hafele have not taken up designing multi-functional furniture or cabinetry, they’ve provided the backdrop and support for designers to achieve their goals and some of these are stunning.

What is it?

A tiny home has been defined as a space of 37 square metres or less. For context, a 20-foot long caravan occupies 15.25 square metres of space. The tiny house movement has taken off in Europe where land is at a premium, and also in the United States after the 2008 financial crisis when thousands of people lost their homes. Another group of people who see the tiny home as an attractive alternative are those people who are becoming more aware of their ‘footprint’ on the Earth. It is their desire to occupy less of the land, consume less raw materials and energy and often, to live a simpler lifestyle.

Where can you park it?

There’s not a simple answer to this question.

Owners will need space on private property, but the location and setup will determine how long people can stay there and this could be different in every state. The tiny home may qualify for a building permit, or like the majority of tiny houses in Australia it could remain mobile in which case it will need to meet vehicle standards limiting its size, and weight to no more than 4.5 tonnes. If it will be permanent, it will need connections to sewer, water and power, or alternately, solar panels that are becoming very popular. People who plan to live in a tiny space need to do a lot of homework before they begin.

Living in it

A tiny home may be considered a caravan in some states, and this will restrict the number of nights or the length of stay people can live there, although some councils are providing a permit to live there full time. Given this, a tiny