Little house on the prairie

This 160 square metre house is built entirely from recycled and reclaimed materials and, while it might be small in size, the interior has been designed in such as way as to provide plenty of living space for a family of four.

 

jhinteriordesign.com

Originally built in the 1940s, after flooding in the area the house was practically demolished and has since been remodelled four times. Now this tiny home is once again being remodelled, but this time using recycled and reclaimed materials and redesigning the interior to provide maximum utilisation of space.

As part of the renovation process, the original worn out roof was planted with moss and ferns gathered along the riverfront and offers insulation, as well as a playful visual counterpoint to the traditional white cottage design.

Despite its small size, the newly remodelled house is welcoming and comfortable and nearly every weekend it is full of family.

 

 

One large open plan space contains the kitchen, dining room and living room, with a large wood dining table serving as additional countertop space and built in sofas that double as beds for guests. Storage drawers under the sofa-beds dold children’s toys, while floor-to-ceiling shelves store books and more.

Insulated walls are faced with reclaimed wood siding, while new floors and wood furniture was manufactured from locally salvaged walnut. A wood-burning stove easily and efficiently heats the small house.

Even the bathroom features a few reclaimed items, with a tub that was salvaged from a friend’s demolition site.

The shared children's bedroom is kitted out with bunk beds, with a pullout bed underneath the bottom bunk for sleepovers. A pull-out closet makes maximum use of the narrow space at the end of the bunk beds. In the bathroom and bedroom, the lower ceiling allows for a sleeping loft accessed by ladder.

The new homeowners have been working towards food self-sufficiency and have built a large greenhouse, planted vegetable gardens and fruit trees, and are also raising chickens for meat and eggs.