Luxe Tiny House Has a Chef's Kitchen and Secret Dining Room

A table for 12 in a tiny home? No problem with this smart and lovely design with loads of hidden storage.

When a young couple moved to California, they came to a conclusion that has befallen many before and will befall many to come: The rent in the Golden State is really high. Spending so much money on rent encouraged them to rethink things, and rethink they did. They decided that a tiny house is the best house you can buy for the money, and so a tiny it was.

They got in touch with David Latimer, the designer and builder behind New Frontier Tiny Homes; and working together, a really beautiful gooseneck tiny house was borne. Called the Escher, the 300-square-foot home stands out for its smart design and unmistakable luxury. But it also has a distinct je ne sais quoi, which I think comes from the thoughtfulness of its design. It's really lovely – starting with that dreamy shou sugi ban and cedar siding, as you can see in the photo above.

Most tiny homes have tiny kitchens with tiny appliances, which makes sense. But since one owner is a chef and the couple loves to entertain, they went all out here. There is a 36-inch Wolf cooktop, dishwasher in a drawer, pull-out pantry shelves, an apron sink, and copper backsplashes.

escher tiny home — © Designed and built by David Latimer / New Frontier Tiny Homes. STUDIOBUELL

Beyond the kitchen in the master bedroom, which is cantilevered out over the gooseneck. It plays home to an inviting king-size bed and is surrounded by windows, with doors that slide shut for privacy.

And for anyone who loves to hide stuff under their bed? Well, it's a built-in feature here, complete with hydraulic shocks.

From the bed there is a view of the other end of the house.

In the middle of the house is living space with a sliding door on one side and a glass-paned garage door on the other – both of which help blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living. We will get to what else happens here in a minute, but let's head toward the back first.

On one side is the bathroom, and on the other is a work space. The bathroom includes a pedestal sink, a composting toilet, shower, a walk-in closet, and various storage options.

Escher bathroom — © Designed and built by David Latimer / New Frontier Tiny Homes. STUDIOBUELL

The office area has a drop-down standing desk with several iterations so that it works with a ladder leading to the second bedroom. The desk can be completely stowed, be half up, or be fully up, depending on how much of the ladder needs to be accessed.

Up the ladder is a sleeping loft for the couple's child. There is a play area and a delightful sleeping haven.

Now, back to the center of the house – which also hides the secret dining room! With the kitchen on a raised platform, there is plenty of storage space below to contain a matryoshka-like collection of dining furniture. There are cubes that serve as both storage and stools, and there are benches as well. There is even a table in there! The furniture can be arranged in a number of ways to suit a number of guests.

/CC BY 1.0

It may look a little tight, but with the doors open up to the California weather and nearby redwood groves, it does not appear claustrophobic at all. Incidentally, the house has an expansive deck on which the table can be set up as well.

It's hard to do the house justice in photos alone, so here's a tour given by David Latimer.