Vancouver–based design firm Trim Studio recently completed this tiny home on an island off the coast of Vancouver for a young, newly engaged couple named Kris and Ali, who were excited to create a vacation home they could share with family and friends.

Kris and Ali visited the site and, as Rodrigo Munguia, principal of Trim Studio, tells it, “immediately fell in love with the property.” Dubbing the site and house Ohana (meaning family in Hawaiian), the couple knew they wanted a cabin that spoke to the wooded area and took advantage of the property’s magnificent views. Particularly exciting for Munguia was the fact that they also wanted to have their wedding on the property, and planned to start their lives together at Ohana as a married couple.

For Trim Studio, the design requirements were simple and straightforward: a living area, kitchen, wood-burning stove, bathroom, bedroom, patio, log storage, and an outdoor shower. The challenge, however, came with the square footage restrictions: the home could be no larger than 100 square feet, and no taller than 16 feet high.

To take advantage of the astounding views that extend beyond the Strait of Georgia to the cityscape of downtown Vancouver, Trim Studio oriented the home so that it faces northeast. Ohana, or Galiano 100, is outfitted with large, oversized windows and floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors so that the space feels larger than its 100-square-foot footprint.

The exterior features dark gray cladding with a rough-hewn, rustic wood trim. A wood porch surrounds three sides of the home with an outdoor shower tucked away on one side, and a grill and log storage on the other. The front porch has steps leading down to an additional outdoor deck with a jacuzzi and Adirondack chairs—perfect for soaking in the stars, the twinkling lights of the city beyond, and even the North Shore mountains in the distance.

The simple, fresh interiors employ white board-and-batten paneling oriented vertically and horizontally, with exposed wood decking at the lower level for the lofted bedroom above. The kitchenette along the back wall sports a neutral palette of black that stands out against the white walls, and wood butcher-block countertops that continue the use of wood in the space.

The lofted bedroom continues the material palette of the lower level, with exposed wood decking on the ceiling, white board-and-batten siding, and a black wood-burning stove. Recessed ceiling lights and a hanging pendant ensure that the space is well-lit without taking up additional horizontal surfaces from table or floor lamps.

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Project Details:

Architect: Trim Studio / @trimstudiovancouver
Builder/Contractor: Longlife Windows
Photographer: Jarusha Brown Photography