When Build Tiny director and designer Gina Stevens devised the new Kingfisher tiny house, her priorities were practicality and flexibility. “The open-plan design suits a wide range of people,” Stevens says. “And the bookshelves and the lift-up cubby storage in the loft are super practical—as is the tall wardrobe and the platform that allows you to walk alongside the bed rather than crawl, like you have to do in many other tiny house loft bedrooms.”

The Kingfisher’s appearance is practical, too—it’s sided with gunmetal vinyl punctuated with caramel-colored cedar on the front facade. “The cladding needed to be lightweight in order to be driven easily on the road,” Stevens says. “Vinyl is light, and cedar is a lightweight timber.” The cedar is as attractive as it is practical—“it was also introduced to give the house warmth and architectural interest,” Stevens says.

The two-bedroom, 215-square-foot home costs approximately $80,000, and it can be purchased with an $11,000 solar package. “The flooring is vinyl overlay, and the kitchen counters are laminate with a lightweight poplar core plywood substrate,” says Stevens. “The solar equipment is stored in a special cupboard over the drawbar, and there’s lots of storage within the stairs and in both of the loft bedrooms,” the designer adds.

According to Stevens, many of her clients seek out tiny homes in order to save money and time, reduce anxiety and environmental impact, and gain freedom and independence. They’re ideas she’s very familiar with. “I designed and built my own tiny house with my brother-in-law Jason,” she says. “The whole family got involved, and we had so much fun in the process.”

Stevens’s family enjoyed the process so much they decided to go into the tiny home building business together—and Build Tiny was born. “We specialize in custom design,” Stevens says. “We don’t just tweak existing designs. We start from scratch with each client to make sure they get exactly what they need out of their tiny house.”

Related Reading:

Think Small With This Gigantic Guide to Tiny Homes

10 Tiny Homes You Can Buy For $60K or Less

7 Tiny Homes You Can Buy on Amazon

Project Credits:

Designer: Build Tiny / @buildtinyhomes