Build.com For Pros: Tiny House Interiors

When people close their eyes and picture their dream space, many imagine sprawling homes with thousands of square feet to spare. For other people, tiny homes are becoming popular, creating extra buzz around the idea that less truly is more.

Cost-effective to build and maintain, tiny house interior design is a whole different ball game than working in a larger space. Many tiny home interiors are smaller than undersized apartments, making finding essentials like compact appliances an absolute must.

Use the basics of tiny house interior design to create the undersized space of your client's dreams.

Plan for Furniture Before Buying

Furnishing a tiny house can be a fun project, forcing you to work within the constraints of an undersized living room, bedroom, or family area. In a tiny house space, come up with a gameplan before you start buying to fit all of the essentials and wanted accessories together.

Here are some tips to help you plan what you'll put in a tiny home, starting from early in the process:

• Consider how each space is going to be used. Can a single sectional be used for seating instead of a sofa and loveseat with dead space between? Remember functional objects like a coffee table in seating areas as well. How many people will be eating at the dining table, and will there be room for guests? Functionality comes first when creating usable tiny home interiors.
• Focus on sleep in the bedroom. You may have room for clothing storage in some spaces, but the bed is the primary focus in any tiny home bedroom. Opt for the largest bed size possible when designing bedrooms for adults.
• Avoid using functional accessories. Floor lamps are a mainstay of interior design. They serve a purpose and add style to a space, but in a tiny home, they're taking up precious real estate. Instead, think outside the box and use sconces or lamps that can be mounted to the wall and re-positioned as needed via a flexible arm.
• Leave open space. This can be very challenging in a tiny house design that makes use of every square foot. The problem it presents is that homes change over time, and how people use their tiny house will as well. Give the client a little breathing room to reconfigure without being locked into a single design for the life of the house.

Spend Extra Time in the Kitchen

The kitchen is a high-traffic space in any home. Even if you're building a house for an individual or family without gourmet chef aspirations, it’s important to create a kitchen that's stylish and fully-functional. 

To do that, you'll need to find appliances that fit the space. Depending on the homeowner, you may need to find additional tiny home appliances, but any kitchen space will require the same basic must-haves. 

Here's a list of essentials to focus on during the planning stages:

• Dishwasher. Not all designs require a dishwasher, but many homeowners expect them. In high-end tiny house interior design projects, they're a standard. A range of compact dishwashers allow you to find the size, capacity, and finish that fits your tiny home design.
• Oven. Compact ovens are available for more custom designs that use a separate cooktop and oven configuration. Unique tiny home kitchen ideas and design plans may benefit from mixing and matching individual pieces instead of choosing all-in-one appliances like a full range.
• Range or cooktop. All-in-one compact ranges can provide the homeowner with stovetop burners and an oven. Homeowners that don't require a full range can benefit from gas and electric cooktops. Compact cooktops may help save space in the kitchen for other essentials if a full range is not required. 
• Refrigerator. Compact refrigeration options vary from tall and skinny to low and wide. Tall and skinny styles often work in galley kitchens, while under-counter options may be ideal for ultra-tight spaces. You'll need to pick the right refrigerator configuration for the layout of your kitchen.

Don't Forget Functional Spaces

Tiny house interior design forces you to focus on making a small space livable. In many cases, you'll be designing a space smaller than a Manhattan studio apartment for a family with children. That's going to mean putting function on the same level as form during every aspect of the planning and building phase.

Here are a few tips to help you build function into tiny home interiors:

• Add storage wherever you can. Built-in storage is the best option when working with tiny home interiors. They'll save space over prefab shelving and organizational systems.
• Pay special attention to how you organize storage spaces. Inefficient cabinetry and built-ins won't get you far in a tiny house interior. Create purpose-specific organizational additions when designing storage spaces.
• Create combination spaces. For example, you may want to consider building a compact laundry area near a bathroom so they can share water hookups, or even add an oversized sink. A lot of spaces will need to do double-duty when you're trying to design a tiny home.

Designing a tiny home requires discipline, planning, and adaptability. From tiny home kitchen ideas to storage options, you'll need to get creative when perfecting an undersized home and the rooms within it.