Low dreamed of designing a tiny house after watching some videos from the YouTube channel “Living Big In A Tiny House”. He began working from home in July 2020.
“When I learned about container houses at school, I thought it was an innovative way of living,” he said, adding that he’s “not a fan of large spaces” and prefers to “live simply.”
Low life inhabits the valleys of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Appearances will be deceptive – although his home is surrounded by lush, natural landscapes, it is just a 10-minute drive from the town.
The location makes it easy for Low to commute to the town, where he works as a narrative consultant.
Low said he spent about NZ$222,000 ($138,000) on the patio and shell of the home. He spent about NZ$190,000 on the casing and about NZ$30,000 for the deck.
Has this Singaporean company built the smallest house of the long run?
Has this Singaporean company built the smallest house of the long run?
He hired Shaye Boddington, a builder from New Zealand, to construct his house. The finished shell of the home took only two months.
“I asked if he could build a weatherproof shell and then I did the rest,” Low said, adding that he designed the home’s architecture and interiors himself.
“I thought it would be a good time to use my degree,” he continued, referring to his university education in architecture.
Low said acquiring land for his house was one of the crucial difficult parts of the development process.
I had no land and was practically homeless. I lived with my sister
Last January, he finally found a plot of land – where he currently lives – to rent. Although he owns the home, he has an off-the-cuff lease with the landowner.
“I had no land and was practically homeless. I was living with my sister,” Low said, adding that it took two months before he finally worked out an off-the-cuff lease agreement with the landowner.
Just behind Low’s home is a farm and garden where he and his neighbors raise cattle, including chickens, alpacas and goats.
Low said that before the home was built, there was nothing on the land except a chicken coop. In addition to developing the environment, Low also worked on furnishing the home.
“I had to think about how to get electricity, water, sewer and sewage to the house,” Low said, adding that it took a whole lot of troubleshooting and help from friends.
Low said living in a tiny house for the primary time was a challenge, especially since he had to maintain the home functional, which required a whole lot of maintenance.
It took about three months to “speed up” the amenities in his home, he said.
“It was a lot of work. I felt very exhausted. I even thought, “Why am I doing this?” This is crazy,” he said.
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Low’s partner, Stephanie, who lives with him part-time, helps look after the garden and farmland. Low said caring for animals is not one person’s job.
“They seem so nice, but they have quite the personality. They like to escape from the pen and eat everything,” he said, adding that he believed caring for animals was “management” that was “unique.”
One of essentially the most striking things about Low’s house is the spacious outdoor patio.
Low wanted the design of his house to mix in with its surroundings as much as possible. The outdoor patio overlooks vast meadows, making Low feel just like the space is his “own park.”
“I like the accessibility of the environment,” Low said, adding that he enjoys camping and being outdoors.
Parts of the home are equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for nearly panoramic views of the natural landscape. Additionally, there’s an out of doors kitchen on the patio, where Low cooks fragrant Asian dishes.
Low believes in integrating nature into the inside of the home – dozens of plants decorate the partitions.
Low designed a loft above the kitchen space where he can garden indoors. The attic also serves as a lounge where he reads and meditates.
In addition to gardening and meditation, Low is an avid musician. He keeps lots of his instruments in his living space, including 4 guitars and a drum set. Low has been playing guitar for over 20 years and plays his instruments to alleviate stress.
The loft windows open to create a makeshift balcony overlooking the trees.
Low desired to create a house that blended into its surroundings. The house, built from shipping containers, has an iron facade and picket accents.
The plot on which his house stands is one step away from a dense residential development.
“When I come down the hill it looks completely urban,” Low said, adding that Auckland’s landscape is diverse and locations can look rural while still being in the town.
“I hit the jackpot in terms of location,” he said.
Low’s home is tiny – just 330 square feet (about 31 square meters). However, the inside has an open concept, which makes the space seem much larger than it actually is.
He said he wanted the home to have high ceilings so the space would not feel cramped. Despite the small amount of space, its maintenance shouldn’t be as low-cost as some might think.
An elegant, urban studio apartment where even the sunshine switches are luxurious
An elegant, urban studio apartment where even the sunshine switches are luxurious
Unlike the typical small house, Low’s house has modern amenities. For example, the lounge area can also be equipped with a contemporary fireplace by which the fireplace is enclosed and will be lit using a button. Additionally, it comes with a Bosca wood burner, which Low says is flexible and will be used for a wide range of purposes, including cooking.
“There are a lot of hidden costs here and there. I haven’t calculated the final price,” Low said.
Low is a keen cook, so he put a whole lot of thought into designing his dream kitchen.
While spacious kitchens will not be unusual in small homes, cooking is one in every of Low’s best passions. He designed a spacious kitchen equipped with food preparation stations, a four-burner gas burner, an oven and several other sets of kitchen tools.
Low said he shouldn’t be minimalist in relation to the kitchen, unlike other parts of the home.
“I just spend a lot of time cooking and I enjoy it. I’m just enjoying the process. I like the space it creates for me,” Low said, adding that he enjoys preparing food that’s “art I can eat.”
He also designed two compartments on the edges of the refrigerator, where he keeps a well-stocked pantry of vegetables and dozens of spices and sauces.
The Low living area is cozy. It was designed with a fold-out futon and personalized decor that he had collected through the years.
I discovered appreciation for things I took as a right
Low decorates the space with dozens of non-public items, equivalent to tai chi figurines and framed miniature Chinese instruments. He said he had these symptoms since childhood.
“Everything in this house has a story, everything has a story,” Low said, adding that among the items got here from his family.
The living area has a futon that will be transformed right into a bed, a settee and two armchairs. He has mounted a projector screen on the wall where he can show movies during a calming evening.
The bathroom is minimalist but functional and equipped with a wardrobe.
The bathroom is tucked away at the tip of the home. The washbasin cabinet, toilet and shower are designed individually. The toilet is provided with a bidet.
Low said constructing this a part of the home wasn’t easy.
To ensure the house’s toilet worked, Low had to put in a septic tank, a container that helps treat sewage. Some of Fabian’s friends helped install the septic tank.
Low opted for a macerating toilet, which works best in places where plumbing is difficult to keep up.
“Learning plumbing was overwhelming,” Low said. “I found appreciation for things I took for granted. “Maintaining water, sewage and electricity networks in small houses is much more labor-intensive,” he said.
The bedroom is positioned within the attic with a queen-size bed. A low-profile section of the loft’s partitions is to be covered in fur, which he said is a component of his “bear cave” design idea. He said it gives the space a comfy effect, especially with low ceilings.
The room is provided with a heat pump and air con installation. It also has one other projector screen where Low watches movies from the comfort of his bed.
Low said living in a tiny house will not be realistic for everybody. However, he believes in transforming the spaces we live in – irrespective of how big or small – by personalizing them.
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Hong Kong buyers pay more for small apartments with gardens
Although Low found life within the small house difficult at first, he now grew to prefer it.
He admits that living in shipping container homes is just not an option for many individuals, especially those living in high-rise apartments in his native Singapore. However, he believes that this mustn’t stop them from adapting these spaces to their very own needs.
Low added that personalizing your house and making it multi-functional requires a little bit of creativity.
“Let your space express your story. It’s not about size, it’s about how you use the space,” Low said.
