A Dutch Tiny Home Is a Serene Lakeside Retreat
Dark timber cladding gives way to airy interiors at this compact holiday home near the Lakes of Vinkeveen in the Netherlands.
i29 interior architects and architect Chris Collaris designed this minimal, compact home set on an island near the beautiful Lakes of Vinkeveen in the Dutch province of Utrecht. From the exterior, the home comprises small, sculptural pieces that look different from every angle. On the interior, smart interventions maximize space and functionality in a small footprint.
The simple, timber-clad masses of Tiny Holiday Home delicately settle into the surrounding foliage.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Set on an elongated island, the holiday home embraces the waterfront setting.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Stay up to Date on the Latest in Tiny Homes
Discover small spaces filled with big ideas—from clever storage solutions to shape-shifting rooms.
A simple boardwalk leads up to the timber-clad volume, which appears as a sculptural, black box upon entry.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Oriented to maximize views and daylight, this eco-friendly home takes advantage of the lakeside setting and embraces the natural surroundings. All volumes have large windows or sliding doors which can be fully opened to blend with the outdoors. Panoramic sight lines provide a continual, visual connection to the surrounding vistas.
From a different perspective, the home appears more transparent and open to the water.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Large openings provide visual and physical connections to the natural setting.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
The outdoors are part of the cohesive design, embracing the vegetation, sites, and sunlight.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
With a footprint of only 55 square meters (592 square feet), Tiny Holiday Home comes together as a single, sculptural composition that is unified and pure.
Large sliding glass doors open the living room up to the outdoors, blurring the boundary between inside and outside.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
The darkly stained exterior contrasts with the white, light-filled interiors.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Large sliding glass doors extend to the kitchen and dining area, creating outdoor cooking space when fully open.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
An open-air shower is the perfect wash station after outdoor recreation at the lake.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Shop the Look
Ton Salt Chair
The compact footprint of this chair makes it a smart choice for cafes or just about anywhere you need to maximize seating. Its lack of ornamentation and unnecessary excess lends this timeless, Shaker-style chair a modern feel. Finished in a water-based opaque paint that really makes the chair’s profile pop, Salt is unpretentious, familiar, and made for everyday use.
ShopGus Modern Transit Bench
The Gus Modern Transit Bench is a versatile piece that can be used for seating in spaces large or small, or even as a coffee table. Its top is made of solid ash wood slats that are joined precisely in parallel, creating a look that's pleasingly proportional, lightweight and sturdy. The base has tubular steel legs that are slightly splayed for stability.
ShopRough, darkly stained pinewood wraps the exterior, punctured by large windows with concealed frames. Oak woodwork, concrete floors, and white walls extend the minimalist palette inward. With grand openings to the outside, brightly lit interiors spill outwards, embracing the land.
Beautifully detailed built-ins store home necessities. A wood-burning fireplace adds a rustic feel to this modern cabin.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Natural and black painted oak cabinets provide plentiful storage in the galley kitchen.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Concrete floors pass from interior to exterior, further emphasizing the connection between the two.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
White walls and ceilings allow daylight to bounce and filter through the interior spaces.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
Oak built-ins provide functional storage and separation between the adjoined bedrooms on the main floor. A large pocket door combines or separates the two sleeping quarters.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
A recess in the floor-to-ceiling cabinetry provides a small working space.
Photo by Ewout Huibers
The smart floor plan makes the most of every square foot. A living room, kitchen/dining room, patio, three bedrooms, one bathroom, and two toilets graciously fit within the home. Ceiling heights articulate the separation of private and public spaces. Custom furniture and built-ins further emphasize the sculptural, art-like quality of this simple, holiday home.
Tiny Holiday Home ground floor plan
Photo: i29 Interior Architects
Tiny Holiday Home upper floor plan
Photo: i29 Interior Architects
Related Reading: A Tiny Cabin Is Built in Three Weeks For Only $10.5K
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: i29 interior architects / @i29architects & Chris Collaris / @chriscollaris
Builder / General Contractor: Hagoort bouw bv
Structural Engineer: Vissers & Vissters B.V.
Landscape Design Company: De Zilverlinde & Frank Heiligers
Interior Design: i29 interior architects & Chris Collaris
Cabinet Maker: Simon Sintenie
Published
Last Updated