See how a tiny holiday home in Holland was made to work for a family of four

(Image credit: Ewout Huibers)

By Lotte Brouwer 2021-02-19T13:31:01Z

The Property

Surrounded by waterways and nature at the Vinkeveense plassen in Holland is this tiny holiday home.

The tiny modern home sits on an island, with views out over the water. Measuring just 592 square feet (55 m2), the property was built for a family of four, and manages to comfortably fit a living room, a kitchen/dining room, a patio, three bedrooms, one bathroom and two toilets.

Designed by i29 interior architects and Chris Collaris, the layout was developed from the inside-out, maximising every square inch of space. Despite its size, the home has a luxurious interior, plus 360 degree views of the surrounding nature.

Exterior

The tiny house sits right on the water's edge, bringing in the soothing sounds of sloshing water and ducks.

The shape of the house was determined by the orientation of the sun, letting in light from different angles throughout the day.

The structure takes on a different shape and view from every angle, like a piece of sculpture.

The facade has a minimalist design, with window frames embedded within the wood facade.

A bridge crosses the water and leads straight to the front door, which is concealed with the same wood cladding as the rest of the home.

There's an outdoor shower area for rinsing off after a swim.

Open-plan living space, kitchen and dining area

Once inside, the open-plan layout feels surprisingly light and spacious, owed to the light colour palette and change in ceiling heights.

Custom furniture and integrated cabinets make the best use of space and provide ample storage. Cupboard doors slide open neatly to the side (rather than swinging open, infringing into the space), and conceal a TV.

Simple materials like natural oak wooden panels or black stained wood complement the rough pinewood facade. A polished concrete floor adds to the contemporary feel.

Each area benefits from big windows or sliding doors which can be opened completely to fully merge the inside with the outside.

Long sight-lines crossing the outside patio provide a visual connection to the garden and surrounding waterways. By opening up large sliding doors of the patio the volumes of the kitchen and living are physically connected to nature.

Bedrooms

Walls, ceilings and exposed beams are all painted in gloss white to make the house feel more light and spacious. Light woods complement the light colour scheme.

Bedrooms feature clever, space-saving design tricks, like using bedroom storage to create a partition wall to divide up two separate sleeping areas, which feels more spacious than having two separate cramped bedrooms.