A Pod to Call Home

Anél Lewis unpacks tiny homes to see how less can in fact be more

- By Anel Lewis

Tiny living is gaining impetus globally as people place a greater premium on quality of life than the size of their homes. There are many advantages to having a fully functional home with a smaller square metreage that operates on less energy and with lower household expenses, says Gerhard Kriel of Green Way Interiors.

Depending on the foundation and the finishes, it can take as little as a month to complete. Smaller homes are also easier to build in hard-to-reach areas. As they are constructed from light materials, it’s possible to construct one of these homes just about anywhere. The environmental footprint is also far less than a regular build.

The notion of a tiny home has evolved in recent years. While container homes initially piqued home designers’ interest, timber or steel frame builds that can be constructed onsite or prefabricated and assembled where needed have become increasingly popular.

Wanderlust Co for example offers mobile homes in four styles as well as prefabricated pod homes in two standard sizes – 6.5m x 2.5m and 8m x 2.5m – that are ideal as a first home, studio, office or as guest or rental accommodation.