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Tiny Houses - Small but Nice - Kipli

Tiny Houses - Small but Nice

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What is a tiny house?

Our current housing trends, with their focus on having more, are anything but environmentally friendly. This gave rise to the concept of the tiny house, which is efficiently laid out and beautifully designed to provide residents with everything they need for everyday life, despite the limited living space. A house measuring up to 37 square meters is generally considered a tiny house.

Home Decor Trends—Why Choose a Minimalist Lifestyle?

Today, people own more than ever before in human history, but most have probably come to realize at some point in their lives that material possessions do not necessarily lead to happiness. Owners of tiny houses, in particular, quickly realize that you can be happy with just the bare necessities, because, in fact, too much clutter tends to make us unhappy rather than truly enriching our lives.

Today’s consumerism is bad for both the environment and our mental health. With every new purchase, we’re happy about our latest acquisition, but often the product is quickly forgotten, and so our living space becomes increasingly cluttered. Living a minimalist lifestyle is probably easier in a tiny house, since you think twice about whether you really need an item and whether there’s even room in the small living space to accumulate unnecessary knickknacks. This more mindful lifestyle feels liberating to many people and allows them to focus on what really matters.

Efficient Design of Living Spaces

Tip 1: Create Storage Space

The focus should be on creating as much storage space as possible and making good use of it. Flexible shelving systems, built-in drawers and cabinets, as well as boxes and bins, are particularly useful for this purpose. Open shelves should generally be avoided, as they can quickly make a small space look cluttered and cramped. For small living spaces, small pieces of furniture are especially recommended, as they blend better into the room without appearing bulky.

Tip 2: Room Division

Some people place great importance on separating different areas of the space, as the idea of a studio—that is, a one-room apartment—does not appeal to them. Partition walls are ideal for this purpose, allowing you, for example, to clearly separate the sleeping area from the rest of the room. You should definitely take advantage of the option to have a walk-in closet. Otherwise, a closet can also be used as a room divider.

Tip 3: Kitchen Design

Studio kitchens are a great way to save space in the kitchen area. Ideally, they should have enough counter space and a dishwasher, since dishes can quickly pile up without one, which can make the room look cluttered.

We especially recommend spice cabinets, benches with extra storage space, and folding tables to make the best possible use of space in the dining area.

Tip 4: Choosing a Color

The room should be decorated in light colors, as this makes the living area appear larger and creates a cozy atmosphere. If you don't like classic white, you can also opt for pastel shades. The color of the floor can be used to easily add visual accents. Decorations and photos should be placed thoughtfully.

Tip 5: Bathroom

A light color scheme is also recommended for the bathroom. Wall-mounted toilets are particularly well-suited here, as they are easy to keep clean, as are walk-in showers. Hidden storage space can also be put to good use in the bathroom.

5 Benefits of Tiny Houses

Benefit 1: Save time

Whether it's tidying up, cleaning, or maintenance, you'll definitely finish these tasks faster in a tiny house than in a large mansion. Especially in a small space, it's easier to keep the living area both tidy and clean.

Benefit 2: Ecological Footprint

Building a tiny house conserves resources compared to building a large house. As a general rule, the smaller the living space, the lower the CO₂ emissions. With tiny houses on wheels, there is also the added benefit that no land needs to be paved over.

Because fewer purchases are made, the environmental footprint is reduced.

Benefit 3: Flexibility and Mobility

Tiny house residents especially value their mobility, particularly when a job change is on the horizon and they need to move, allowing them to take their home with them with ease—provided there are suitable parking spots available.

In theory, some tiny houses—provided they aren't too heavy and have been approved for road use—can even be taken along on vacation. They can be transported by car, which leads to savings on hotel stays.

Benefit 4: Low maintenance costs

Even though tiny houses still incur electricity and heating costs, these are significantly lower than in a conventional house, provided the tiny house has good insulation. Because of the smaller lot size, property tax costs are also lower.

Because of the minimalist interior design, there are also lower costs for furniture, decorations, or other knickknacks, since there simply isn't any room for them.

Benefit 5: Expand Your Living Space

For those who can't quite get used to the idea of living in a tiny house, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as these structures can offer a quick solution to expand living space. They can be used as a sunroom, a garden shed, a guest room, or simply as a weekend or vacation home.

5 Disadvantages of Tiny Houses

Disadvantage 1: Planning

Tiny houses require a compact and efficient design to accommodate as much as possible within a very small living space and to make everyday life enjoyable.

If the small house is to be placed on a trailer, it is especially important to adhere to the maximum weight of 3.5 metric tons and certain maximum dimensions. It is therefore also important to plan the weight distribution accordingly.

Disadvantage 2: Family Life

It’s probably not possible to live as an extended family in a tiny house while maintaining a clear separation between family members on a daily basis, since being together all the time without a place to retreat to would likely lead to disagreements more easily. Therefore, in the long run, a tiny house is better suited for singles and, in some cases, for couples.

The lack of storage space also forces residents to focus only on the bare essentials. Not everyone is willing to adapt to this lifestyle.

Disadvantage 3: Making compromises

For those who don't want to compromise on living comfort, a tiny house is probably not the best choice. Not all the furniture you want will fit in the small house, cooking odors spread throughout the entire house, and you'll need to clean up regularly.

As a result, hosting guests can also be difficult.

It's also important to note that tiny houses can heat up quickly in the summer due to their small living space, and in the winter—depending on their features—you may have to deal with frozen pipes, and insulation issues may arise.

Disadvantage 4: Approval

Since this is an official construction project, German building codes, state building regulations, the zoning plan, a land-use plan, and local design guidelines also apply to tiny houses. Because tiny houses are not specifically addressed in any of these regulations, it can sometimes be difficult to obtain approval for this type of construction project, which is why it is important to seek clarification early on in every case.

If the structure is to be used as a vacation home or weekend cottage, you must determine whether it is permitted to place it on private property, in a vacation home or weekend cottage area, on a plot of land, or at a campground. Even when placing it on private property, a building permit is generally required.

Disadvantage 5: Insurance

If the tiny house is on wheels, it can be difficult to find suitable building insurance, since such policies are typically designed for properties with a foundation. The insurance should therefore be negotiated on a case-by-case basis to avoid being left to cover the costs of water, fire, or storm damage yourself. And don’t forget about burglary protection!

Features, Design, and Costs

In tiny houses, the focus is on the essentials , so the furnishings are limited to only what’s necessary— such as a place to sleep, a kitchen, a bathroom, and so on. Efficiency is a top priority here; for example, fold-down beds are commonly used. The living space is very cozy due to its small size and can easily be spiced up with decor. Good space planning is essential for the layout, and with every new idea, you get one step closer to your new home.

Although the amount of land needed for a tiny house is much smaller than that of a villa, you still have to consider the basic costs involved in building a house. Construction costs per square meter are higher for small houses, but you’ll ultimately save quite a bit on maintenance.

The price can be influenced by several factors. How much of the work will you do yourself, or will you buy a ready-to-move-in tiny house? Is the house custom-built or a mass-produced model? How large should the living space—or the trailer—be? What technical features should the house have?

The most cost-effective option—if you don’t want to build it entirely on your own—is a prefabricated kit. With this, you receive pre-fabricated components that you then assemble yourself. This saves you about 40 percent of the labor costs that would otherwise be incurred during construction. Prices for prefabricated kits start at around 10,000 euros. Move-in-ready tiny houses start at around 45,000 euros, depending on the features. So if you furnish your tiny house entirely on your own, you can not only express your own style in your new home but also save money.

For those who are still unsure whether they can imagine living this way long-term, they can rent a tiny house first and then decide if they can see themselves living in one.

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