Beautifully Minimalist Sowelo Tiny Home Is Built Using Renewable Energy

Tiny houses and small space design are slowly but surely becoming a big thing in North America, but we're seeing that it's catching on in Australia and New Zealand too, for many of the same reasons: rising real estate prices and the freedom of living better with less.

Practical Response to Housing Crisis

Operating out of their own off-grid workshop that's powered by renewable energy, this gorgeous, award-winning tiny house was designed and built by husband-and-wife team Barlo and Shona of Sowelo Tiny Houses, and offers a modern interior that's full of clever features.

Measuring 208 square feet, the Sowelo has been built as a practical response to a lack of affordable housing:

We loved the idea of offering an affordable option for a large range of people. The land and property prices in Australia have sky rocketed over the last five years and this makes it very hard, particularly for young people, to get a property or home of their own. We thought there would be many others that could look to owning a tiny house, that does not need council approval and would allow for a better and more sustainable way of living, and could allow one to move the tiny house if situations changed and have an asset that could be rented out or sold.

There's a lot to like about this attractive little home: the minimalist, black, white and wooden interior has been laid out with a large patio door side entry. Coming in, one enters the main sitting area, which can fit a large sectional that can be converted into a double bed and includes hidden storage. It overlaps the eating area, which is defined by a bar table that conveniently folds up from the kitchen counter.

Interior Design With a Lot to Like

The kitchen itself has a large sink with an integrated drying rack, four-burner stove and oven and lots of counter space and storage. All cabinets are done with an FSC-certified film faced birch plywood, and are opened with a push, rather than a drawer pull. There's a nice big window here that can open up the kitchen to the outside, cleverly connecting it to an outdoor patio so that one can easily converse with guests while cooking.

The other end has a nook that can either become a workspace or a place for some quiet reading, thanks to the convenient, adjustable-height surface here.

The sliding pocket door opens up to a lovely bathroom, which holds the toilet, shower-bath, storage and the washing machine (a better place to put it than in the kitchen, as some readers have pointed out).

The storage stairs are nicely done with a minimalist metal handrail going up to one sleeping loft, and a wooden ladder forking up to another sleeping loft on the other side.

Just as the interior of the recycled polyester-insulated home uses FSC-certified wood products and low-VOC adhesives and low- or no-VOC paints and coatings, similarly the exterior is constructed along the same lines. The FSC-certified plywood cladding -- which has been tested and used in Australia for many years to be durable from -10 to 40 degrees Celsius -- has been coated with a plant-based oil that retains the natural beauty of the wood.

Another great option for this home is the exterior grow wall system, which has a system of removable, individual pots and an integrated watering system. This allows one to grow their own plants or veggies if they live in the city or in rural areas.

Priced at about $73,942 USD (or $97,000 AUD) the Sowelo is a skilfully built tiny house that is yet another wonderful example of the great tiny house designs coming out of Australia. To find out more, visit Sowelo Tiny Houses.

Via: Tiny House Talk