With 2021 now officially over, YAY! We thought we would take a look back at what we think were some of the top trends, ideas and designs for Tiny Homes in 2021. Tiny Homes have really come a long way in the last 12 months and are being seriously considered by more and more people.
Check out our list below, and let us know what has been the biggest trends or considerations you made on your Tiny Home journey.
Natural Lighting
Tiny Houses have begun to really embrace natural lighting. With such a small space, allowing as much natural light in the home will really make the space seem bigger than it is. Many homes are now being built with large scale windows to achieve this, skylights are also becoming a popular choice.
Not only is this a fantastic design choice, it also is helping provide Tiny Home owners with big energy savings as lightbulbs are only needed at night time.
Recycled Materials
One of the main driving forces behind the Tiny Home movement is to live a more sustainable lifestyle and to reduce our consumption as a society. As such, more and more Tiny Houses are being constructed in part or completely out of recycled materials.
It is estimated that in New Zealand we generate 17.49 million tonnes of waste per year, with 40-50% of this being demolition and construction waste. Materials such as wood pallets and other building scraps can be incorporated into your build instead of being thrown away. There really is no limit to what items can be used for your new Tiny Home, with everything from buses, horse floats and containers being used.
Rooftop Solar Hot Water Systems
Solar energy has been a huge trend for Tiny Homes in 2021. Renewable resources are vital to reducing our universal carbon footprint, and more and more Tiny Home owners are taking advantage of solar energy. In recent years the price of solar equipment has started to come down, making this a far more affordable option for many.
In particular solar hot water roof panels are becoming very prominent, as they are a great way to ensure your carbon footprint is minimised as well as taking up less space than a traditional hot water cylinder. With reduced running costs and water usage, it is a massive bonus to take advantage of the free energy source.