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What Are Some Incredible Features in Tiny Homes?

Read about how tiny homes can have some incredible features typically found in larger homes, including full-size bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and living areas.

Updated
January 1, 2020
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Contrary to popular belief, not all tiny homes are boring and basic. In fact, some of them include incredible features that you would find in a regular home! With the right designer and builder, the sky's the limit in terms of tiny house features to choose from, and we are going to cover some examples to give you the inspiration you need for your own build.

Are Some Incredible Features in Tiny Homes?

While every tiny home is different, here are some incredible features that you may want to include in your unit depending on your unique needs, budget, and space:

Full-Size Kitchens

If you think that a tiny home only means a tiny kitchen with a mini-fridge, think again! In fact, tiny homes can be built with full-size kitchens that include spacious refrigerators, stovetops, ovens, sinks, microwaves, and even dishwashers.

At the same time, you should be sure to leave enough counter space for your essential kitchen appliances like mixers, coffee makers, and toasters. A custom ADU design company like Cottage can help you balance the need for full-size appliances with the need for ample counter space.

Luxury Bathrooms

Again, most people assume that tiny homes can only have basic bathrooms that may not include enough counter space, storage, or room to comfortably bathe. This definitely isn’t the case when it comes to Cottage’s tiny homes. In fact, we have been able to design luxury bathrooms for our clients that include all the bells and whistles.

For instance, we have included bathroom features like double vanities, walk-in showers, soaking tubs, and even saunas in our tiny home designs. So if you’re looking for a spa bathroom in your tiny home, we can make that happen.

Open Concept Living Areas

Perhaps the best feature for a tiny home is an open concept living area. This feature is important as it allows you to take full advantage of the space you have while making it seem way bigger than it is.

Instead of having small separate areas for the kitchen, dining area, and living area—combine them all in one for a comfortable and airy space.

In-Unit Laundry

There’s nothing worse than not having your own washer and dryer to clean your clothes at will. So instead of having to go into the main house to do your laundry or worse—heading to a laundromat—you may want to consider a tiny home that has in-unit laundry.

The best way to do this is with a stackable washer and dryer unit that can easily be tucked away within a small closet. This also raises the ADU rental income potential for the unit.

Walk-In Closets

Speaking of closets, if you have way too many clothes, you don’t have to sell them before moving into your tiny home. Instead, consider an incredible feature like a walk-in closet to maximize your storage space. Clever closet designs that include shelves, racks, and drawers can help you take full advantage of your space to comfortably store all your stuff.

Skylights

Tiny homes don’t have to be dark and dingy. Instead, you can use things like skylights or solar tubes to brighten them up. Skylights are a great way to make your tiny home feel extremely light, open, and airy. They can also help you connect with nature by making you feel like you’re actually outside while still staying comfortable in your climate-controlled space.

Vaulted Ceilings

If you’re worried about feeling claustrophobic in your tiny home, you may want to consider a feature like raised or vaulted ceilings to help open up the space. Vaulted ceilings are a great way to make your space seem larger than it really is.

Wooden Beams

If skylights aren’t enough and you’re looking for more ways to spice up the ceiling of your tiny home, you may want to consider using wooden beams. Wooden beams add character to your tiny home and can help express your sense of style.

For instance, wooden beams are commonly used in modern farmhouse, rustic, beachy, or even French provincial design styles.

French Doors

Another great way to open up your tiny home is to install French doors. French doors help to boost the amount of light that your space gets while also making it feel fancier. French doors can also provide easy access to outdoor space and can be opened up when the weather is nice. Check out a garage conversion ADU project that Cottage completed that emphasized this feature.

Kitchen Islands and Peninsulas

Instead of being left with little to no counter space in your tiny home’s kitchen, you may want to consider features like kitchen islands or peninsulas. Not only do these features provide you with some extra counter space, but they can also be used for dining—making them a handy 2-in-1 feature that helps you really maximize your space.

Outdoor Patios

While the inside of your tiny home is certainly important, so is the outside. If you want to really enjoy the beautiful California weather, then you may want to consider including an outdoor patio with your tiny home. Adding some chairs and a small table is a perfect touch for your outdoor space.

Matching Exterior Finishes

Finally, your tiny home doesn’t have to feel like it was randomly plopped into your yard. Instead, the exterior can be designed so that it matches the exterior of the main home. Matching things like style, siding, brick, windows, trim, and more can give your entire lot a more cohesive and intentional design.

How to Choose the Right Features and Layout for Your Tiny Home?

Choosing the right features and layout for your tiny home can be confusing and overwhelming—after all, not everyone is an architect or a designer. This is why working with a custom ADU designer and builder like Cottage is the best thing you can do. Cottage will help you determine your needs and come up with a plan that precisely meets those needs.

Depending on the amount of space you’re working with, you can have anything from a 300 square foot studio tiny home to a spacious 1,000 square foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom tiny home.

How To Choose the Right Designer and Builder for Your Tiny Home

Determining the right features and floor plan for your tiny home is one thing—choosing the right designer and builder is another. While it may be tempting to tackle this project on your own or go with a prefab tiny home, this may not be the right approach. Instead, you should work with a reputable and experienced custom ADU company like Cottage.

Cottage has helped California residents design and build their perfect tiny homes. Building a home has certainly been more complicated over the last few years. That is why we will deal with all the permitting and construction details while bringing you in to help with the exciting creative tasks like design.

We have our own team of specially vetted contractors and professionals so that your home is always built to our highest standards and your broadest housing dreams.

Dream Big for Tiny Homes

With all this in mind, it’s time to start designing your own custom tiny home with top-of-the-line features that make sense for your family. With Cottage, the entire process is made relaxing easy from start to finish. Be sure to reach out to our ADU experts today using the link below for a free consultation and estimate for your perfect tiny home.

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