No matter how you slice it, the demand for custom-built individual homes is increasing dramatically recently. According to the last available numbers, over 1.2 million residential construction projects have been completed in 2020!
One of the biggest trends right now is to construct and execute a tiny house layout. This makes sense- after all, a smaller space is much more comfortable than a large one. It also is much more economical and environmentally-friendly.
If you’re about to design your own tiny house and create a floor plan for it, you’re in luck. Here, we’re going to give you some expert tips on how to construct, design, and furnish your new home. Read on for a cozier space and a superior lifestyle!
Lovely Layouts
When designing your own tiny house floorplan, there are some factors that you’ll need to consider that you wouldn’t with a larger house. You’ll want to make your space seem bigger than it really is in some areas while taking advantage of the cozy space in others. Read on to learn how to do this!
To Shrink or Not to Shrink
Before we can get into what you should do, we need to talk about one of the biggest tiny house don’ts.
Many people make the mistake of correlating a ‘tiny house’ with a ‘tiny everything.’ Those who think this simply shrink down the rooms of their home to make a home similar to a scaled dollhouse.
The problem with this is that shrinking your bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom down too much negatively affects the quality of your living space. You don’t want to be cramped in your kitchen with no room to cook or have a bed so small that you’re hanging out of it.
Instead of making this mistake, you want to adapt your home to become something entirely new. Having wall space that can pull out into shelving or even seating is an innovative way to make the most of your space. You can also get multi-purpose structures such as a work desk that can be folded into the shape of a bedside table at night.
Open Floor Plan
If you want to give your tiny house the feel of something larger and maximize your space, then an open floor plan is the way to go.
There are many benefits to having multiple rooms connected together without doors, which is what an open floor plan aims to do. For one thing, you’ll be able to maneuver easily between different sections of your home. This makes it feel larger than it actually is.
People usually connect their kitchen, dining room, and living room together when they choose to go with an open floor plan. This makes entertaining friends and family a lot easier for you. You’ll get to be part of the conversations even when you’re cooking or working, especially since your home is small enough for you to feel close to those in your living room!
Open floor plans also maximize natural lighting by not blocking it from flowing through your home freely. This ensures that you get the appropriate levels of Vitamin D while in your home. It also provides you with a positive-feeling soft glow no matter what room you’re in.
Windows and Natural Light
Speaking of natural light, did you know that it can make your tiny home feel larger?
Well, it’s true! Sunlight is a great way to make yourself feel connected with the outside world, even when you’re stuck in the house.
The best way to do this is to ensure that you leave room for large windows while constructing your tiny house. Being able to see your yard or the street in front of your house makes you feel at one with the world.
It also lets you enjoy all kinds of weather. You can exercise in your living room on a sunny day and feel as though you’re enjoying the outdoors. On a rainy day, you can curl up on your couch with a book and a cup of tea and enjoy the rain without worrying about getting wet.
A Cozy Bedroom
While you may aim to make some parts of your home feel larger, there are parts of a tiny home that you want to capitalize on the comfort of. After all, what use is constructing a smaller house if you don’t enjoy the perks that it offers?
One of the most important rooms that you may want to make feel small and cozy is your bedroom. You can decorate it with your favorite paintings that, when pulled, open up into cabinets filled with items. You can also put natural wood shelves into your walls that fold out to reveal books and other objects. This is a great way to maximize your space.
Make sure, however, that you don’t make your bed too small for your body. Simply scaling it to your room and putting a twin bed in the corner isn’t going to cut it- you want to be comfortable.
There are a couple of good solutions to this. First, since you’re designing your home from scratch, you can make your bed into a wall drawer that pulls out when it’s time to relax or sleep. This leaves room for you to maneuver around the room during the day.
Don’t like that idea? You also can make your bed your primary living space and have it take up most of your bedroom. This way, your room will feel comfortable and homelike while setting it aside as a space solely for relaxation.
Relaxation Station
Speaking of relaxation, there’s another room in your tiny home that you won’t want to skimp out on: a home library/relaxation room.
This is basically a room in which you can curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. You’ll want pull-out bookshelves built into your walls here for storage and easy access to books. This space should be furnished with a comfortable armchair and soft lighting so that you can get in the right headspace for rest and thought.
Not a big reader? Don’t worry! You can make this space a place that you surf the web, play video games, or do puzzles. It basically is your small and cozy oasis for when you want to leave the troubles of the world behind.
Delicious Designs
Once you have the building layout for your tiny home down, it’s time to start thinking about how to design each room of it. Read on for some interior design tips that you can’t go wrong with when making your house more homelike.
Contemporary vs Antique Designs
The first thing that you’ll need to design on is whether you want a contemporary design or a vintage/antique one. Contemporary designs create a modern space with strong lines and clean colors. Antique or vintage designs make your house cozy in an old-timey and comfortable way.
To decide which is right for you, let’s look into some features of each of these decor styles!
Contemporary homes:
- Use bold, clear lines in both furniture and paint schemes
- Generally have organic and spherical shapes in light fixtures, wallpaper designs, vases, and the shapes of rugs
- Use a lot of stainless steel for appliances and fixtures
- Generally have some glass lampshades, countertops, and cabinets
- Use a lot of black and white, with pops of color as accents
On the flip side, an antique or vintage design:
- Uses pastels or faded colors rather than black and white
- Incorporates older pieces or furniture
- Has floral or patterned wallpaper, rugs, and decorative furnishings
- Makes use of wood drawers, shelving, and flooring rather than metal
- Uses materials that look natural
It’s All About Color
After deciding on your decor scheme, you’re going to want to look into the colors that you want to use for your home. Make sure that you have a cohesive scheme and that nothing clashes.
Using colors you personally like is important to your enjoyment of the space. However, you also may want to use color psychology when deciding what hues to incorporate into your home.
Color psychology is the scientifically-proven phenomenon of color affecting mood. If you’re decorating your bedroom or relaxation oasis, blue furnishings or accents may be the way to go. Blue is a calming and relaxing color that’s proven to decrease stress and release muscle tension.
On the other hand, kitchens and living spaces used for exercise and socializing may be best designed in yellow or orange. These colors are positive and energizing, which gets you in the mood for having an awesome day.
Illuminating Your Home
As we brushed upon, natural lighting is important in your home. We also have touched on the fact that fluorescent contemporary light fixtures use stainless steel, glass, and clear lines. This is as opposed to antique lighting’s organic shapes and softer glow.
You’re also going to want to make sure that desk and floor lamps follow the same decor scheme as the rest of your home.
When it comes to bedrooms and relaxation oases, there are lots of ways to use fairy lights in your decor. These basically are string lights that circle around the top of your walls to provide you with soft lighting. You also can get creative by weaving them around decorative fixtures, shelves, and the backs of furniture.
Fabulous Furniture
So your home is created and you’ve got a cohesive interior design scheme down. That’s awesome! It’s time to get into the nitty-gritty, including purchasing aesthetically-pleasing and functional furniture for each room. Read on to learn how you can choose the right furnishings for your space.
Couches, Chairs, and Comfort
When it comes to furniture that you sit on, comfort should be your top priority. After a long day, you’ll want nothing more than to sink into a comfortable armchair and put on your favorite Netflix show.
Make sure that you test the furniture that you plan to buy to make sure that it supports your back and is comfortable to sink into.
Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that they match your decor scheme. One awesome way to see what will look best with your home design is to check out images of similar homes on Pinterest. This will let you weigh the different furniture styles that you can get and make an informed decision.
Countertops
Countertops are essential in your kitchen and bathrooms. Marble is a great material to use for both contemporary and antique decor schemes. If you want a cheaper and easier-to-maintain alternative, though, you may want to consider marbled quartz. This looks just like real marble and actually keeps its luster longer.
If you’re trying to make your space fresh and modern, you also may be interested in countertops made from sleek black matte materials. Generally, these consist of dyed stone. Just do your research and you’re sure to find something that works for you!
Sinks and Showers
When it comes to sinks, you’ll want something that matches your countertops. This Yovanny Fireclay sink is perfect for any decor scheme because of its bright and natural color. It’s especially awesome when placed under bright lighting in your bathroom or a kitchen window.
Shower wise, you have a few options. A bathtub is great for those who want to relax their muscles and get some sinus-clearing properties from steam. However, it does take up a bit of space, which you may not like in a tiny bathroom.
To maximize your space, consider building a walk-in shower with a door. This can be made from glass so that the steam builds up as effectively as possible.
Bring Your Tiny House Layout to Life
When it comes to constructing, designing, and furnishing a new home, you have an exciting challenge ahead of you. This is, even more, the case when you hop on the tiny home bandwagon. However, with a positive attitude, designing your perfect space can be a fun and exciting form of self-expression.
Now that you know the best ways to construct a tiny house layout, it’s time to check out the ‘lifestyle’ tab on our home page. Here, you’ll get more information on how to make your move as smooth and seamless as possible. You’ll also find more design tips that will get you started in your new home.