Whether it's mobility, versatility, or just giving up on the dream of living in a great big castle, tiny houses usually mean making sacrifices. But one family — Justin, Jola, and their son Piko — refused to let their tiny house cramp their castle dreams.
The family of three turned an old truck into a transforming tiny house/castle to fulfill all of their dreams at once.
According to tiny house enthusiast website Living Big in a Tiny House, it all started with an old Bedford TK truck-turned-bus, which Justin and Jola planned on living in for a short while as they settled in New Zealand after traveling abroad.
Justin had the fantastic idea to turn the vehicle into the tiny castle of their dreams and sketched out the idea, which looks more or less exactly how the vehicle turned out.
In its compacted state, the truck is completely street legal and meets all the minimum requirements for road travel, according to its owners.
Using a clever array of mechanisms and engineering, the truck unfolds to create an ideal indoor-outdoor home for the family's active lifestyle.
On top is a large roof deck with a hammock, bathtub, and vegetable dehydrator.
Inside, a remarkable amount of space is revealed. A nearly full kitchen occupies the main living space with a mini refrigerator and almost-bay window. Up top is a cozy lofted sleeping area, which has wallpaper made of cut-outs from old songbooks.
Clever storage spaces throughout the truck hide essentials like clothing and kitchen supplies.
The two turrets on the back don't just contribute to the fantasy vibe: one houses the lavatory and composting toilet and the other houses a shower and small washing machine. For a tiny house, there's a "very practical" benefit to separating these facilities from the main house, notes Living Big In a Tiny House.
The entire truck is off the power grid. Its small amount of electric appliances are powered by rooftop solar panels. As for heat and water, there's a wetback stove, gas heating, and rainwater collection system.
Get a closer look at all the bells and whistles in the video below.
SEE ALSO: This colorful tiny home is only 140 square feet — and it can be yours for $48,000
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