Tiny Houses

“We absolutely love designing small spaces,” says Thorsteinsson. “It’s one of our favorite things.”

An exterior Cot-Ten staircase leads to the couple's rooftop patio, designed to "gain view planes above the single-story neighboring cottages,

Floor Plan of Backyard House in Oosterbeek by Manta North

The Oosterbeek Prefab, like all Manta North prefabs, is built from Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), which was chosen for its sustainability and strength. The houses are well insulated, and the facade cladding is made of thermally modified wood for durability and water resistance.

“The final location of the unit required the crane company to drive a crane through our garden all the way around our house and to lorry the unit in via the same route,” says Vriesema. “Due to the location being so far from the nearest road this was quite a challenge.” In addition, t

The bathroom features a washbasin, toilet, and shower.

The kitchen is tucked into a recess in the open-plan living space, offering visual separation from the lounge and work areas. This has the effect of making the compact space feel larger. Owner Glen Vriesema selected the dark grey finish for the kitchen, but it is also available in a white finish and natural timber. Other specification options include lighting and flooring.

The "plug-and-play

The Weekend unit features a small bed and a desk for working.

Inside, timber panels treated with light oil give a clean, warm, and contemporary look. “Although the unit was intended solely as my office, it is now also frequently used as a hang-out and sleepover spot for my daughter and her friends when I’m not using it,” says owner Glen Vriesema.

The new prefab unit is located just a few meters from the main home—a thatched-roof cottage that dates back to the 1950s. “The dark color of the cladding blends into the dark hedges in the garden, so the unit doesn’t attract too much attention,” says Vriesema.

Wisconsin-based ESCAPE, designed the ONE as a transportable tiny home with 276 square feet of adaptable space. The exterior features shou sugi ban siding, and the interior is wrapped in pine. The unit can sleep up to four people, and the pricing begins at just under $50,000.