Ikea is now in the business of making tiny houses: See inside one

Along with stocking up on affordable furniture and Swedish meatballs, Ikea may soon become a place to shop for uber-affordable real estate. (Yes, you heard that right.) Ikea is now in the business of making tiny houses through their Ikea Tiny Home Project. And luckily for triggered millennial (and non-millennial) furniture owners everywhere, you won’t need that disposable Allen wrench. It’s already built.

Ikea is designing a 187-square-foot abode on a flatbed trailer.The Swedish furniture company partnered with media company Vox Creative & Wisconsin-based tiny home & RV builder Escape to design the tiny dwellings.

While the Ikea Tiny Home Project was revealed last fall, the eco-friendly and transportable structure has been making the rounds on the internet this week — the solar panels, composting toilets and heated water supply powered by the trailer have led some to jokingly propose it as a solution to both the pandemic and the housing crisis.

Unlike the assemble-it-yourself furniture that the Swedish company is known for, these tiny homes come pre-built (thank goodness, no instructions!). They’re constructed on a flatbed trailer, making it easy to tow your digs anywhere. And with on-demand water and solar energy, you can really do some proper social distancing.

Tiny home mods

Escape modified its existing Vista Boho XL model to add renewable, reusable, and recycled materials throughout the inside quarters, including kitchen surfaces that are made from repurposed plastic bottles (you’d never know!) and sustainably grown pine-paneled interiors.

Beyond being low-impact, the design choices inside are intended to be multifunctional. Designers made use of the vertical space for storage and to stash items not in use away to make the space feel larger.

Both the queen-sized bed & couch have built-in storage spaces underneath, for instance. Similarly, the kitchen table works double duty when it is collapsed into a desk, or if you need to free up space, it can be folded down and stored away entirely.

Studies have shown that by nature tiny homes have a smaller environmental footprint than an average house. They need less electricity to power, require fewer materials to build, & take up less land.

Still cute & cozy

The Ikea tiny home takes it a step further with solar panels, composting toilets, light bulbs that use approximately 85 percent less energy, & faucets that are designed to reduce water consumption by nearly half when compared to their traditional counterparts.

Just because the inside space is unfussy and serviceable, it doesn’t mean it’s not cozy — in fact, it oozes all the hygge you’d expect from a Scandinavian home goods company. Designers used neutral colors, blond wood, and minimalistic style accents to craft an inviting Nordic aesthetic.

Escape is currently accepting orders for their Ikea Boho XL model, which starts at $47,500, with other extras for customization available.

Worldwide movement

Downsizing & living in smaller spaces are firmly established trends in Switzerland. Ikea Family Club member Fabienne, who comes from near Solothurn, achieved her dream of moving into her own micro-home last summer.

“I consciously wanted to rid myself of the things I did not need. I only wanted to hang onto the possessions that were genuinely close to my heart,” she explained.

Fabienne constructed the Tiny House with her father. Her new home brings her great joy, and as she describes, “I can also play my small part towards achieving sustainability.”

Fabienne’s permanent home is erected on a plot of land belonging to her parents. However, her Tiny House is on wheels and so could be moved elsewhere. It has electricity & water connections and is heated by an old stove.

To avoid a cramped feel, Fabienne has chosen a base of light, natural colors for inside. These make the space feel larger, while dark colors are used as contrast. She has left some of the walls in their natural wood, helping to create a relaxed & cozy atmosphere.