Whether one calls it ‘downsizing’ or ‘downshifting’, the idea of tiny living is catching on all over the world. People are interested in living happier, fuller lives unencumbered by the tyranny of owning ‘stuff’ in order to keep up with the Joneses.
Over in New Zealand, Build Tiny (featured previously for their Millennial, Boomer and Buster tiny homes) just unveiled their latest build, The Archer. It incorporates a ground-floor bedroom that’s perfect for a young child or teen, a primary sleeping loft, secondary loft, and even a removable trailer. Here’s the tour:
Optimizing the Space
The main side entry on the ground floor of the 26-foot-long Archer opens into a flexible living area that could be used for eating, work or play.
To the right is a ladder that leads up to the secondary loft.
The secondary loft could be used for sleeping, but is shown here as a cozy TV nook.
The window allows light to stream in, which makes the loft feel brighter and roomier.
Directly below is the ground floor bedroom, which can fit a queen-size mattress or smaller.
There are overhead cabinets here to store things, and there’s lots of headroom as well, compared to other children’s bedrooms we’ve seen in tiny houses.
Room for Appliances
On the other side of the home is the kitchen, which has been laid out to include a long counter, dishwasher, washing machine, refrigerator, stove and oven, and an abundance of storage all over.
The kitchen has everything one needs for comfortable cooking.
Beyond is the bathroom, which is hidden behind a space-saving pocket door.
The bathroom includes a locally made Bambooloo composting toilet, and a shower that uses a handy rollaway shower screen.
The Upstairs Bedroom
Going up the staircase, one will find no space is wasted; a number of cabinets and cubbies have been integrated into the side and into the treads of the stairs here.
Upstairs, one will find the primary loft, which can accommodate either a king- or queen-sized bed.
There’s also a tallish wardrobe, plus a long “walking platform” beside the bed that allows one to stand up fully.
Small details, like pockets on the bed frame, alleviate the need for things like a bedside table.
The Archer comes insulated with recycled Earthwool® glasswool and is steel-framed using locally mined iron-sand and recycled steel, making it a lighter tiny house; with many options including solar power. Pricing starts at USD $40,275 (NZD $58,500) for just the shell, all the way up to USD $73,321 (NZD $106,500) for a complete build. To find out more, visit Build Tiny, Instagram and Facebook.
