This Kitchen Maker Is Upcycling Offcuts to Create $59K Tiny Cabins
Lithuanian kitchen manufacturer Konga has always emphasized a connection to nature, with each of its architect-designed kitchens crafted from a single oak log. Now, the company has set out to enhance its ties with the outdoors by creating an off-grid tiny cabin, a natural progression, explains Konga cofounder Goda Zemaite.
Konga’s founders named the company after their young son’s mispronunciation of the Lithuanian word for "socks" when he was learning to speak. "For us, it formed a symbolic association with the feeling of the earth under bare feet," says Goda Zemaite. "It encouraged us to leave our footprint, but with minimal impact on nature and meaningful value to humans."
"With Konga, we stand for a lifestyle that celebrates natural materials and craftsmanship. With the cabin, we wanted to invite people to escape the ordinary and be conscious about their daily decisions," he says, referencing how the prefab is designed to promote greener living.
To create Konga Cabin, the company worked with Danish architect Mette Fredskild, who helped design Konga’s kitchens, and specializes in sustainable design. To keep the cabin’s carbon footprint to a minimum, the rectangular yakisugi-clad prefab is built using offcuts from the company’s kitchen manufacturing. Triple-glazed windows are designed to provide views while regulating interior temperatures, helping keep heating costs down. There’s also rooftop solar for energy, a woodburning stove for heat and ambiance, a water heating system, rainwater collection, and a toilet that is built to withstand subzero temperatures.
At roughly 300 square feet, the cabin is designed to sleep a total of four people in two separate sleeping areas, one of which can be transformed into a workspace. There’s also a fully equipped kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, a small utility room, and a living area that opens out onto a porch.
The kitchen features open upper cabinets crafted from timber leftover from Konga’s kitchen manufacturing, a zero-waste strategy implemented by Fredskild. The space includes a refrigerator, gas stove for cooking, sink, and ample storage. The push-to-open cabinets can also be used for long-term storage.
Inside, Konga’s background in kitchen design is showcased to spectacular effect, with handcrafted cabinets and built-ins produced using upcycled timber. "Our goal is to create a product that is not only beautiful by design but also sends the message that we use materials wisely," says Zemaite.
The first cabin has been constructed in Lithuania, where Zemaite and his partner, company’s other cofounder, Paulius Zemaitis, have taken it for a test drive. "Our favorite place during the day is the lounge area," Zemaite says. "We simply sit, enjoy nature, drink coffee, and talk—it’s really about enjoying the moment."
Konga’s prefab cabin starts at $110,000 and is currently available in Scandinavia.
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Photographer: Dovalde Butenaite
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