Fresh 230 Sq. Ft. Tiny House Looks Like a Camper but Feels Like Home

Some say that tiny houses are basically overpriced, overweight and overly cute recreational vehicles, and tend to stick out like sore thumbs -- easy for the city inspectors to spot. Austin, Texas based architect and steel fabricator Ann Armstrong built this RV-like tiny home that boasts a fresh, modern interior that feels much more comfortable than your run-of-the-mill camper.

© Ann-Made

Armstrong, who has been part of a local movement promoting the building of more tiny homes as an affordable housing alternative, says on Austin-American Statesman that the flexibility that tiny homes offer was one reason she built one for herself, in the midst of rising housing prices in Austin:

In many ways my creative bandwidth is fully charged here [in Austin]. And I want to stay. But if I get priced out, if the economy crushes my ability to make a living creatively, then definitely, I would have to move.

Over on her tiny house Tumblr, Start Small, Armstrong showcases her 8,000-pound, 230-square-foot solution. Measuring 20 feet by 8.5 feet, the exterior looks incognito enough -- it resembles your regular RV more than a stereotypical tiny house with the gable roof.

Inside, one is greeted with a lot of light-coloured wood panelling, which gives the space a modern, yet organic, feel. There are two doors for egress, one of which features a large glass window to let plenty of light in.

© Ann-Made

The stair has storage cubbies, and a space for Friedrich in-wall heater/AC unit.

© Ann-Made

The upstairs loft is well-lit but still cozy enough. It has an interesting roofline to create more headroom at the back and for an extra window, but perhaps it may translate an occasional bump on the forehead if one is not too careful in getting up from bed.

© Ann-Made

The kitchen is tastefully done, and is equipped with a full size sink, a two-burner stove and a GE Spacemaker under-counter refrigerator, which Armstrong says is decently sized but not as expensive as stainless models.

© Ann-Made

The sitting area has a long window and shelf behind it for reading and storing books (we wonder if it's a pull-out sofa-bed). The bathroom is small but functional, and has an Airhead compost toilet.

© Ann-Made

© Ann-Made

At the rear, we see the door to the built-in storage closet on the left.

© Ann-Made

So while the debate rages on about whether tiny homes or campers are better, this is lovely tiny house presents a compelling compromise that looks like it could blend in as a recreational vehicle, yet has all the comforts of any regular home. More over at Ann-Made and Start Small.

[Via: Tiny House Swoon]