How This Cabin Makes The Most Of Its Tiny Footprint
Architecture
KLA has designed a new tiny home for Base Cabin.
The 15-square-metre retreat is the perfect getaway for up to two guests.
The cabin is able to be transported almost anywhere in Australia, even remote locations like Kangaroo Island!
The Passage Kangaroo Island hosts Julia and Tim have used the cabin to create a 5-star Airbnb.
A large picture window fills the space with natural light.
The double bed overlooks gorgeous views of Cuttlefish Bay.
A cosy staycation for solo travellers or couples.
Double-glazed doors slide open to a timber deck.
The owners have taken the cabin to the next level with bespoke landscaping and an outdoor fire pit.
The tiny home aglow in the evening.
‘Even though its only 6 x 2.5 metres, it doesn’t feel small or cramped in any way. Having the oversized windows really brings the expansive views of the island inside,’ Kate says.
This 15-square-metre home designed by Kate Lawrence Architects (KLA) punches well above its tiny footprint.
The compact cabin is the latest addition to Base Cabin’s offering of tiny, prefabricated builds that can be transported by trailer to sit almost anywhere — from a farm to a winery, or as a second dwelling in your backyard.
‘Tiny houses are a great way for people to escape everyday city life and explore and connect with nature, whilst still having a high level of comfort and amenity,’ say Base Cabin co-founder, Ryan McCormack.
‘While Base Cabin now builds for all types of uses, our core business is still focused on the luxury, short stay accommodation market where people want to offer a really interesting piece of architecture in the wilderness, for people to come and experience their corner of Australia.’
For this particular collaboration, Base Cabin’s co-founders approached Kate Lawrence Architects to create a compact, yet supremely comfortable retreat, equipped with everything for an extended weekend away, including a double bed, a kitchenette and lounge with a fireplace, and bathroom.
‘The vision was to make a small space feel big, whilst achieving a luxury architectural aesthetic’. KLA founder and architect Kate Lawrence says.
These limitations were the genesis behind the cabin’s off-centre gabled roof, ensuring it was large enough to fit five solar panels and collect rainwater for those who want to operate the home off-grid.
Inside, this roofline makes way for a soaring ceiling and large windows take in the surrounding scenery — increasing the overall sense of space.
‘We maximised vertical space internally through height, clever storage and vast amounts of natural light and windows that blur the boundaries between the internal/external’ Kate adds.
A raised bed platform and adjoining built-in bench seat conceals drawers below, and the cute kitchenette features a sleek terrazzo bench, fridge, and cooktop.
This tiny home was exactly what Base Cabin clients Julia and Tim were looking for to set up a secluded short-stay accommodation known as The Passage on their working farm in Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia. The KLA x Base Cabin design was chosen for its architectural features, and ease of transportation to the island.
They’ve put their own thoughtful touches to the cabin with the additions of a timber deck, landscaped pathways, an outdoor bathtub and fire pit that encourage activity to extend into the outdoors.
But like any Base Cabin design, the true hero is how these inviting tiny homes celebrate their natural environment — in this case, framing rolling hills and panoramic ocean views!