Bed Automatically Retracts Up High in This Contemporary Tiny House (Video)

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Updated October 11, 2018

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The placement of the bed has always been a bit contentious in tiny house circles. Do you build a sleeping loft to free up more ground floor space, even if you have to climb a ladder and bang your head when you wake up? Or do you build a platform and roll a trundle bed underneath it, even if it means having to tuck it away every morning?

Well, Australia's The Tiny House Company has another solution: put it on mechanical tracks and make it retractable all the way up to the ceiling. It's a brilliant move, capping off what's probably one of our most favourite modern tiny house designs. Watch a tour (or, if you want to cut to the chase around the 1-minute mark):

© The Tiny House Company

The 194-square-foot Portal is elegantly designed to maximize the full height of the interior space throughout: during the day, when the bed is elevated, you get a 8.5-foot-tall lounging area; at night, with the bed deployed, you have a 11.4-foot-tall bedroom. The space is warmed up by the use of recycled Australian hardwoods, and is all tied together by a grid of fin-like "portals" that also define the built-in shelving. Placement of windows are doors are carefully considered, to ensure that one's eye goes through to the outdoors, lending an impression of light and spaciousness, while also facilitating improved cross-ventilation.

© The Tiny House Company

The Tiny House Company/Video screen capture

© The Tiny House Company

The designers say:

With almost everything visible from the one living space, establishing clear patterns and aesthetic rhythms helps to organise the space -- de-cluttered and ordered views tend to feel bigger. The central space and deck are all organised around a 900mm grid which dictates the placement of exposed LVL frames, kitchen cabinets, doors and windows.
The joists, posts and rafters of the deck line up with the grid of internal portal frames. Windows fit seamlessly between the portals and detailing is painstakingly carried throughout with the portal frames, window jambs, joists and deck posts all matching in width, location and proportion.

© The Tiny House Company

The kitchen extends half of the length of the home. The alignment of windows with the counter creates the feeling of an open, ordered space. Across from the kitchen counter is a narrower counter that incorporates a small sink and the washer, and it apparently also hides a flip-up table -- perfect for a workspace.

© The Tiny House Company

There is yet another loft on the other side of the house, which can either be a space for storage, or as a guest bedroom.

Located under the loft is the 6.8-foot-tall bathroom, which comes with a composting toilet and tiled shower. Grey- and blackwater are treated in-house using filters and grease traps, producing water that can be released back into the surrounding landscape.

The Portal is designed for subtropical climates; a modular outdoor deck can also be added, effectively doubling the floor space.

The Tiny House Company/Video screen capture

It's a gorgeous, well-appointed design for a small space. Of course, quality doesn't come cheap: depending on which finishes, appliances and materials are included, The Portal can cost anywhere from USD $90,525 to $113,100 (AUD $120,000 to $150,000). The company will be offering a pared down version without the deck, retractable bed and recycled materials for USD $60,350. For more information, visit The Tiny House Company.

[Via: Living In A Shoebox]