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As an off-grid lifestyle means completely disconnecting from all services, you’re completely reliant on nature for all your energy resources—think solar panels, septic tanks, and rainwater harvesting. It may seem a little daunting, but this also means you’re in control of everything, including your environmental footprint.
For a slice of secluded bliss, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite small off-grid homes, nestled deep in the heart of Australian nature.
📍The Brook, Victoria
Company: Small Not Tiny. Images: Derek Swalwell
Designed in an iconic New York style, this compact 27sqm/291sqft tiny home gives important significance to the historical land it lightly sits on. Barely touching the land, the transportable home is able to give the impression of never being there once moved. The Brook explores the use of recycled and restored materials throughout its design, such as a concrete slab staircase and hardwood table. By having an expandable roof, there is additional vertical space for an extra bedroom and home office, while having more room in the main living and dining areas.
What we love in the design:
- Expandable roof
- Staggered flooring with a mezzanine level
- Retractable ladder leading up to mezzanine
- Locally sourced or recycled materials
📍Bruny Island Hideaway, Tasmania
Architect: Maguire + Devine Architects. Images: Never Too Small
The only furniture allowed in this 28sqm/3011sqft off-grid cabin was a low table and mattress for the sleeping loft; a place where the necessities of life were considered carefully. With a wood-lined interior, this highly minimalist cabin opens up on two decks on either side that expand the interior, allowing for both sunrise and sunset views. An outdoor bath is cleverly concealed under one of the decks—a beautiful, whimsical touch.
What we love in the design:
- Outdoor bath under removable deck panels
- South-facing angled roof and windows to reduce heat gain
- The whole home as a piece of connected furniture
- Japanese-inspired architecture
📍Mansfield Tiny Home, Victoria
Designer: Robbie Walker. Photos: Anthony Richardson
Two ingeniously transformed shipping containers are combined to create the 30sqm/323sqft tiny home, complete with custom-designed interiors and fold-away furniture. A large custom deck drops down with the help of hydraulics, doubling the interior space while overlooking the picturesque Mt. Buller. The elements of nature are very present in this durable home, easily adapting to the seasons and weather conditions throughout the year.
What we love in the design:
- Custom-made deck expanding the container
- Custom-designed plywood interior
- Fold-away furniture
- Flexible open-plan layout
📍Gawthorne’s Hut, Mudgee
Architect: Cameron Anderson Architects. Photos: Amber Creative
A unique 40sqm/431sqft hut situated in the middle of a 480-acre farm, this beautiful small home looks over lavender fields and rolling hills on the outskirts of Mudgee, NSW. With a striking angled roof of galvanised steel and repurposed materials making up the warm interior, this sustainable home is at once comfortable and intuitive.
What we love in the design:
- Angled galvanised steel roof
- Intuitive design factors such as easy-to-locate switches
- Open-plan interior and expansive windows
- Recycled brick wall
📍Stella The Stargazer, Victoria
Company: Ample. Photos: Never Too Small
Stella—a 19sqm/204sqft love letter to the Victorian rural landscape. Clad in an undeniably Australian tin-shed exterior salvaged from a demolished farm shack, the home has a galley-style kitchen, a clever cooling and heating system, and a moveable dining table that frees up space in the kitchen when needed. At night, the queen-sized sleeping platform can be rolled out under the sky, moving as one with the large window to finish the stargazing setup.
What we love in the design:
- Built with recycled materials
- Queen-sized bed platform that rolls out
- Indoor shower mimicking outdoor shower experience
- Moveable dining table
For more inspirational tiny homes and cabins, check out our website at nevertoosmall.com.
