Tiny Houses

Expansive decking invites tiny house dwellers outside

Expansive decking invites tiny house dwellers outside
Australian couple Shona Macpherson and Barlo Smith have completed their first tiny house, the Sowelo
Australian couple Shona Macpherson and Barlo Smith have completed their first tiny house, the Sowelo
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The Sowelo tiny house is built with certified FSC rough sawn ply wood
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The Sowelo tiny house is built with certified FSC rough sawn ply wood
The rough sawn ply wood used to build the Sowelo tiny house can withstand temperatures ranging between -10 degrees Celsius (14° F) and above 40° C (104° F)
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The rough sawn ply wood used to build the Sowelo tiny house can withstand temperatures ranging between -10 degrees Celsius (14° F) and above 40° C (104° F)
The Sowelo tiny house is constructed on a 4.5 tonne engineered trailer to meet Australian legal standards
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The Sowelo tiny house is constructed on a 4.5 tonne engineered trailer to meet Australian legal standards
The Sowelo tiny house measures 8 m (26 ft) long, 4.3 m (14 ft) high and 2.5 m (8 ft) wide
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The Sowelo tiny house measures 8 m (26 ft) long, 4.3 m (14 ft) high and 2.5 m (8 ft) wide
The Sowelo tiny house boasts a series of opening windows and doors for optimal airflow and natural light
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The Sowelo tiny house boasts a series of opening windows and doors for optimal airflow and natural light
Gorgeous minimal kitchen opens up onto the Sowelo tiny home's external decking
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Gorgeous minimal kitchen opens up onto the Sowelo tiny home's external decking
One of the Sowelo tiny house's two elevated double loft bedrooms
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One of the Sowelo tiny house's two elevated double loft bedrooms
The Sowelo tiny house comfortably sleeps up to 6 guests and boasts two loft bedrooms
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The Sowelo tiny house comfortably sleeps up to 6 guests and boasts two loft bedrooms
Australian couple Shona Macpherson and Barlo Smith have completed their first tiny house, the Sowelo
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Australian couple Shona Macpherson and Barlo Smith have completed their first tiny house, the Sowelo
The Sowelo tiny house boasts a lower level lounge with sofa bed and lots of natural light
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The Sowelo tiny house boasts a lower level lounge with sofa bed and lots of natural light
The Sowelo tiny house has a bathroom with rain shower, bath and toilet (composting toilet is also an option), hand basin, vanity with large mirror and washing machine
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The Sowelo tiny house has a bathroom with rain shower, bath and toilet (composting toilet is also an option), hand basin, vanity with large mirror and washing machine
The full kitchen in the Sowelo tiny house features lots of storage and push-to-open drawers
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The full kitchen in the Sowelo tiny house features lots of storage and push-to-open drawers
The Sowelo tiny house kitchen with large stainless steel sink and pull out hose tap
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The Sowelo tiny house kitchen with large stainless steel sink and pull out hose tap
The Sowelo tiny house has a full size kitchen with stainless steel all gas stove and oven and full size energy-efficient fridge
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The Sowelo tiny house has a full size kitchen with stainless steel all gas stove and oven and full size energy-efficient fridge
View of the Sowelo's kitchen from above
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View of the Sowelo's kitchen from above
The Sowelo tiny house features a cozy nook area, ideal as a quiet reading area or study
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The Sowelo tiny house features a cozy nook area, ideal as a quiet reading area or study
The Sowelo's study can be turned into a quiet reading nook
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The Sowelo's study can be turned into a quiet reading nook
The Sowelo tiny house features 8 meters (26 ft) of outdoor decking
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The Sowelo tiny house features 8 meters (26 ft) of outdoor decking
The Sowelo's large sofa can be turned into a double bed
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The Sowelo's large sofa can be turned into a double bed
The Sowelo's sofa bed has integrated storage
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The Sowelo's sofa bed has integrated storage
Simple hanging lamps add a sophisticated touch to the Sowelo tiny home
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Simple hanging lamps add a sophisticated touch to the Sowelo tiny home
View gallery - 21 images

Australiancouple Shona Macpherson and Barlo Smith have recently completed theirvery first Tiny House, featuring all the comforts of a regular sizehome with the added benefit of a large outdoor deck. After dedicating20 years of their carpentry and joinery business to building largedecks and renovations, they have turned their hand to the tinyhouse movement.Dubbed Sowelo, this 19 sq m (208 sq ft) tiny house comfortablysleeps uptosix guests and boasts two loft bedrooms with sky lights, a lowerlevellounge with sofa bed and 8 meters (26ft)of outdoor decking.

"Wehave been following the tiny house movement over the past 3 to 4years or more in Canada, Europe and the US," Shona Macpherson and Barlo Smith tell New Atlas. "We loved the idea ofoffering an affordable option for a large range of people. Theland and property prices in Australia have sky rocketed over the last5 years and this makes it very hard, particularly for young people,to get a property or home of their own. We have two teenage daughtersand thought there would be many others that could look to owning a tiny house, that does not need council approval or development application costs and would allow for a better and more sustainableway of living. The ability to move the tiny house if situationschanged and have an asset that could be rented out or sold etc."

The Sowelo tiny house measures 8 m (26 ft) long, 4.3 m (14 ft) high and 2.5 m (8 ft) wide
The Sowelo tiny house measures 8 m (26 ft) long, 4.3 m (14 ft) high and 2.5 m (8 ft) wide

TheSowelo tiny house is built by Macpherson and Smith from theirsolar-powered property, with certified FSC rough sawn ply wood, whichhas been tried and tested in various Australian climates, includingthe Snowy Mountains region with yearly temperatures ranging between-10 degrees Celsius (14°F)in the winter to above 40 degrees C(104° F)during the summer.

"Barloand I love working together and have done so for most of our lives," says Macpherson. "Building tiny houses from our property has allowed us to build with avery light environmental footprint. Powered by solar energy we use a lot of cordless tools as batterytech is very economical and efficient. Using new lightweight,sustainable building materials that are plantation-certified and assustainableas possible has allowed us to incorporate all our designideas into functional, contemporary design with a minimal focus."

One of the Sowelo tiny house's two elevated double loft bedrooms
One of the Sowelo tiny house's two elevated double loft bedrooms

Thehome is built ona 4.5 tonne engineered trailer tomeet Australian legal standards andmeasures8 m (26ft) long,4.3 m (14ft) highand 2.5 m (8ft) wide.Europeanbirch FSC-certified film-faced ply was used to build the kitchencupboards, bathroom vanities and under stair storage. In addition,80 percent recycled polyester was used for the home's insulation, no volatile organic compound (VOC) emission glues and low or no VOC paints and coatings were usedthroughout the home.

"There are weight, length and height restrictions on legal tiny houses in Australia," say the builders. "We have spent a great deal of time and effort to ensure we stay within the legal requirements and inspection compliance. This allows the buyer the advantage of knowing their tiny house is built professionally and to all the legal classifications. For a tiny house to be legal in Australia it must be built on a compliant trailer. This allows for the advantage of not needing to have a development application and the cost saving associated with this."

The Sowelo tiny house has a full size kitchen with stainless steel all gas stove and oven and full size energy-efficient fridge
The Sowelo tiny house has a full size kitchen with stainless steel all gas stove and oven and full size energy-efficient fridge

The Sowelo tiny house boasts a modern living room with a large sofa bed, two elevated loft bedrooms, a full size kitchen with stainless steel all gas stove and oven, full size energy efficient fridge, large stainless steel sink with pull out hose tap and push-to-open drawers (no handles required). The home also includes a foldaway dining table with two bar stools, push-to-open under stair cupboards with clothes rack, bathroom with rain shower, bath and toilet (composting toilet is also an option), hand basin, vanity with large mirror and washing machine.

Thetiny house also featuresa cozy nook area ideal as a quiet reading area or study, abundantexternal decking, a grow-wall with integrated watering system, largewindows, doors and skylights with good airflow throughout the entirehome and an energyefficient convection panel heater.TheSowelo home is designed to be north facing for passive solarefficiency in Australia and can be installed with solar roof panels.

Gorgeous minimal kitchen opens up onto the Sowelo tiny home's external decking
Gorgeous minimal kitchen opens up onto the Sowelo tiny home's external decking

"Wehave incorporated a grow-wall system option for our tiny houses,"says Macpherson."This system has removable, individual pots and an integratedwatering system, allowing people whether in the city or country tohave access to growing vegetables and plants easily. Withthe option for solar off grid power and composting toilet, we feelour design is not only stylish and practical, but offers all theluxuries of modern life in a beautiful and affordable package."

ASowelo tiny house complete with the outdoor decking will set you backaround AUD 120,000 (about US$87,670). Macpherson and Smith also build arange of other custom tiny options, with single room modulesstarting from AUD 30,000 (around US$22,000).

Source: Sowelo Tiny Houses

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1 comment
1 comment
Tiny house citizens
Wow, this is a beautiful tiny house, great work! I love the color.