How to Style Your Tiny House
Use these tips to make a big impact in your little home
Melissa Cowan
22 October 2016
Lover of boho, Scandi and mid-century style. Got a project you think I might like? Get in touch!
Lover of boho, Scandi and mid-century style. Got a project you think I might like?... More
There’s a worldwide fascination with tiny houses at the moment, and the downsizing movement is really starting to take off in Australia. Tiny houses are a reaction to astronomical housing prices, environmental issues and over-consumption, but they can also make for very comfortable and stylish homes. Living in a tiny house is one way to live a simpler and more purposeful life, with less debt, fewer possessions and more flexibility to move.
Apart from the essential construction and design elements, how you style your tiny house makes a big difference to how it feels. Here are some tips to help you create the feel-good, look-good factor in your tiny house, as there’s no reason why a small-scale space should equal small-scale style.
Apart from the essential construction and design elements, how you style your tiny house makes a big difference to how it feels. Here are some tips to help you create the feel-good, look-good factor in your tiny house, as there’s no reason why a small-scale space should equal small-scale style.
Embrace minimalism
There’s a freedom that comes with recognising the difference between our wants and needs. Living in a tiny house skews the focus toward what we actually need: a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, yes. A third living room, maybe not. Make the most of the space you do have by being very intentional in what you bring into your home. Is it functional and used often? Do you enjoy having it in your house? Ideally, everything you have in your tiny house will tick both boxes. If it’s rarely put to use and you don’t enjoy owning it, it might be time to let it go.
There’s a freedom that comes with recognising the difference between our wants and needs. Living in a tiny house skews the focus toward what we actually need: a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, yes. A third living room, maybe not. Make the most of the space you do have by being very intentional in what you bring into your home. Is it functional and used often? Do you enjoy having it in your house? Ideally, everything you have in your tiny house will tick both boxes. If it’s rarely put to use and you don’t enjoy owning it, it might be time to let it go.
Invest in good furniture
When you have fewer items of furniture in your house, you may be able to afford investing more in the ones you do have. Consider getting pieces of furniture (like a sofa) custom made for the space so they fit perfectly and suit the style of the rest of the house.
When you have fewer items of furniture in your house, you may be able to afford investing more in the ones you do have. Consider getting pieces of furniture (like a sofa) custom made for the space so they fit perfectly and suit the style of the rest of the house.
Reduce clutter
A clutter-free tiny house is a happy tiny house. Storage is crucial to a clutter-free house, but simplifying your possessions is the most effective and efficient way. Get honest about how often you’ll really use that jaffle maker, and make your choice about whether to keep it or not accordingly.
Ways to rid surfaces of clutter
A clutter-free tiny house is a happy tiny house. Storage is crucial to a clutter-free house, but simplifying your possessions is the most effective and efficient way. Get honest about how often you’ll really use that jaffle maker, and make your choice about whether to keep it or not accordingly.
Ways to rid surfaces of clutter
Personalise the space
You don’t need to refrain from displaying your personal items just because you’re low on space. If you own books or records that are precious to you, make room for them and allow them to shine. The trick is to only keep items that you absolutely love. So, if they add value to your life, keep them and put them on show.
You don’t need to refrain from displaying your personal items just because you’re low on space. If you own books or records that are precious to you, make room for them and allow them to shine. The trick is to only keep items that you absolutely love. So, if they add value to your life, keep them and put them on show.
Use every nook and cranny
When space is at a premium, you need to be smart about making the most of the space you do have. Open shelving is a good way to both store and display treasured items or plants. Corner shelves are another way to use the space in an efficient way. Just be sure to either secure everything in place on the shelves, or take everything down and store it safely when you’re on the move, so that your lovely things don’t fall off when you drive away.
Step inside this Brisbane tiny house
When space is at a premium, you need to be smart about making the most of the space you do have. Open shelving is a good way to both store and display treasured items or plants. Corner shelves are another way to use the space in an efficient way. Just be sure to either secure everything in place on the shelves, or take everything down and store it safely when you’re on the move, so that your lovely things don’t fall off when you drive away.
Step inside this Brisbane tiny house
Introduce style elements
If you have a particular interior style you love and want to take inspiration from it, introduce the style carefully. In such a small space, overloading each room with elements of a particular look can overwhelm it. Instead, try taking a few aspects you love, like the blues and whitewash furniture in the coastal home pictured.
If you have a particular interior style you love and want to take inspiration from it, introduce the style carefully. In such a small space, overloading each room with elements of a particular look can overwhelm it. Instead, try taking a few aspects you love, like the blues and whitewash furniture in the coastal home pictured.
Stick to a well-planned colour palette
There’s no hard and fast rules, but choosing a reduced colour palette and loosely sticking to it can be useful. Having a colour palette in place gives direction when choosing items for the house. In the room pictured, the navy, blue and white palette is stylish and contrasts well with the timber tones of the walls and ceiling. You can’t go wrong with combining different textures either, like a woven knit with linen and some faux fur for added impact.
There’s no hard and fast rules, but choosing a reduced colour palette and loosely sticking to it can be useful. Having a colour palette in place gives direction when choosing items for the house. In the room pictured, the navy, blue and white palette is stylish and contrasts well with the timber tones of the walls and ceiling. You can’t go wrong with combining different textures either, like a woven knit with linen and some faux fur for added impact.
Or use lighter colours
Lighter colours, especially white, create an illusion of space in any room and will bounce the light around a small space such as a tiny house. Adding white furniture can also help. Once your interiors are pale, you can add interest with pops of colour or a natural material such as this timber staircase.
Lighter colours, especially white, create an illusion of space in any room and will bounce the light around a small space such as a tiny house. Adding white furniture can also help. Once your interiors are pale, you can add interest with pops of colour or a natural material such as this timber staircase.
Get the lighting right
It’s no secret that lighting is a crucial element in creating ambience, but it’s even more important for tiny houses. Each room in your tiny house may have several different uses (like a living/dining/kitchen area), so lighting can help to highlight certain areas to create a sense of separation in the absence of walls. Having large, open windows is ideal to let in plenty of sunlight during the day, while artificial lighting can be broken up into task lighting and ambient lighting.
Task lighting is brighter and is used for specific tasks such as cooking or working. Ambient lighting is a lower level of light that flows throughout the entire space, and should be a third as bright as the task lighting. A combination of these two types should be used in your tiny house.
It’s no secret that lighting is a crucial element in creating ambience, but it’s even more important for tiny houses. Each room in your tiny house may have several different uses (like a living/dining/kitchen area), so lighting can help to highlight certain areas to create a sense of separation in the absence of walls. Having large, open windows is ideal to let in plenty of sunlight during the day, while artificial lighting can be broken up into task lighting and ambient lighting.
Task lighting is brighter and is used for specific tasks such as cooking or working. Ambient lighting is a lower level of light that flows throughout the entire space, and should be a third as bright as the task lighting. A combination of these two types should be used in your tiny house.
Keep the purpose in mind
If you have a specific purpose for your tiny house (like the tiny tea room pictured here), make it the key feature. If working from home is important to you, make an effort to fit in a smart office space. How you choose to purpose the space is up to you – if a tea house or space for yoga is a priority, then allow room for it.
Take a tour of this Japanese-inspired tiny house
If you have a specific purpose for your tiny house (like the tiny tea room pictured here), make it the key feature. If working from home is important to you, make an effort to fit in a smart office space. How you choose to purpose the space is up to you – if a tea house or space for yoga is a priority, then allow room for it.
Take a tour of this Japanese-inspired tiny house
Bring the outdoors in
One of the best things about living in a tiny house is the possibility of surrounding yourself with nature. If your tiny house is on wheels, you may have the option of making various beautiful landscapes your temporary backyard. And let’s face it, it looks a lot more comfortable than camping. Plants are an easy and inexpensive way to solidify this connection to nature. Stick to smaller plant species like succulents and ferns, as larger varieties can overwhelm the small space.
One of the best things about living in a tiny house is the possibility of surrounding yourself with nature. If your tiny house is on wheels, you may have the option of making various beautiful landscapes your temporary backyard. And let’s face it, it looks a lot more comfortable than camping. Plants are an easy and inexpensive way to solidify this connection to nature. Stick to smaller plant species like succulents and ferns, as larger varieties can overwhelm the small space.
Add warmth
Make your tiny house suitable for the cooler seasons by adding warm elements like a faux fur rug, thick woollen throws and plush pillows. Keep seasonally appropriate clothing within easy reach, and store away non-suitable clothes in a cupboard. You could also use some other clever storage feature, such as storage stairs, underfloor compartments or boxes that double as seating, if you don’t have room for a cupboard.
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Make your tiny house suitable for the cooler seasons by adding warm elements like a faux fur rug, thick woollen throws and plush pillows. Keep seasonally appropriate clothing within easy reach, and store away non-suitable clothes in a cupboard. You could also use some other clever storage feature, such as storage stairs, underfloor compartments or boxes that double as seating, if you don’t have room for a cupboard.
TELL US
Do you have a tiny house or a plan to build one? Tell us about it in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more stories about styling and decorating
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Love these.
Love the design & style. Beautifully done.
I'm a bit worried about some of those stairs and mezzanine beds - Without proper balustrades they would be illegal where I live.