In Australia, the Brook Tiny Home Proves Small-Living Can Feel Big

Australia loves a tiny house. Much like the dystopian Permanent Camping II cabin by Casey Brown Architecture, the Brook Tiny Home by Melbourne-based design studio Small is an innovative, transforming micro cabin with clever details and a bright interior. Grounded by sustainable principles, the stylish home is built on a trailer foundation, so you can take your home to-go.

The Brook Tiny Home is completely off-grid, powered by a water tank, solar panels, and a compostable toilet. But it's most defining characteristic is the 16-foot high ceiling, a feature unusual in most tiny homes. Inspired in part by the retrofitted warehouses of New York City, the modest dwelling almost takes on the appearance of a Brooklyn loft complete with steel, wood, and a sophisticated black interior.

Small left no stone unturned in optimizing the Brook house for tiny-living. While the double-height ceiling eliminated the need for cramped storage spaces and awkward loft beds, transporting the entire structure on a truck bed proved to be difficult when it hit hanging power lines.

To combat these collisions, the design firm's founders, designer Aaron Shields and carpenter Nick Lane, collaborated on a retractable roof capable of expanding almost four feet via a clever cog system.

Inside, the team also utilized a full suite of space-saving elements. Everything from an over-the-sink drying rack for dishware to a ladder that folds horizontally via a large steering wheel affixed to the wall makes the entire cabin an impressive feat of shape-shifting design. There's even an at-home office, an important space to the Small team, that materializes with a folding table and an inconspicuous floating footrest that hangs above the kitchen.

The first-floor bathroom is a marvel, finished with off-cut bluestone cobble and recycled brass detailing. Large windows in the shower create a luxurious experience, although if more privacy is desired, exterior wooden panels draw shut to protect the openings. Paired with large windows in the living area and local recycled Australian materials like ironbark, volcanic bluestone, and spotted gumwood, the entire interior is surprisingly lush and expansive for its a small footprint.

If you find yourself in Melbourne, AUS looking for an escape, the Brook Tiny Home is available for rent from $250 Aussie dohlla per night.