I first showed you this cabin back in 2014 when I first discovered it. Now it’s 2020 and the design seems very relevant. It’s a Kanga cabin and it’s perfectly designed for a live/work lifestyle. The sort of lifestyle that many of us are now living in because of quarantine and covid-19.
I’m excited to share this 504 sq. ft. modern cabin by Kanga Room Systems with you. I know. It’s not exactly tiny (maybe to some of you) but it’s most certainly small. And I’m not sure about you, but to me, something like this would be an absolutely perfect long-term solution. The home consists of two units with a 10′ covered breezeway/porch/outdoor living area connecting the two units.
A 14’x20′ (280 sq. ft.) unit gives you your living area and kitchen while another 14’x16′ unit (224 sq. ft.) features your bedroom, bathroom, and utility closet. Pretty cool, right? And if you don’t like ladders staircases it’s perfect because there are no sleeping lofts. It’s a one-level design.
If you live and work from home and share your home with loved ones, this is absolutely perfect because you have a separate structure for peace and quiet while your significant other can use the other area as they wish without distracting you during periods of focus and concentration. Please enjoy, let me know how you like it in the comments and re-share below!
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504 Sq. Ft. Two-in-One Modern Cabin by Kanga Perfect for the Live/Work Lifestyle (Great Design If You Work From Home and Lived with Others)
Images © Kanga Room Systems
How about this… A split-design tiny/small house from Kanga!
I don’t know about you, but I love this design concept.
Can you feel my excitement about it???
In this case, one area is the living room and kitchen…
And the other side is the bedroom. But guess what?
The bathroom is accessible from the covered porch.
See the door on the right there? That’s your bathroom.
So in some ways, it’s almost kind of like an outhouse, but it’s comfortably close.
What do you think, would you be okay with that? Do you like it? Dislike it?
You can take this design concept, and basically customize it to your own needs… How would you do it to make it work for you?
It’s 504-sq.-ft. Tiny to some, small to others, gargantuan to some.
The two units are combined by a 10-ft covered breezeway/porch with dining table.
The laundry-unit is located outside and is accessible outside. You can always build a deck to make this more comfortable to access.
Beautiful gutters.
It has a beautiful modern-style doesn’t it?
Cozy-hammock to relax on.
Do we get to go inside yet, though?
Super-cozy cabin look and feel.
Here it is, in all its glory, being enjoyed.
My head is exploding because of how much I would enjoy doing dishes here.
Beautiful kitchen and living area.
Indoor dining space. I love the windows!
Wow, this Kanga cabin is beautiful!
They do a wonderful job, don’t they?
The cabinets and appliances look top-notch to me.
This area is 14′ x 20′ with 280-sq.-ft. of interior space.
This side, over here, is 14′ x 16′, approximately 224-sq.-ft.
This is where your bedroom is.
As well as your washer/dryer area, and your bathroom, which is accessible from outside.
How are you liking this arrangement?
May not be ideal for all, especially because of potential weather conditions.
Sure is interesting and beautiful, though. The bathroom has a full shower, flush toilet, and vanity with storage.
The walls, ceiling, and floors, wood, with tiled shower.
Towel hooks on the walls too.
504-sq.-ft. modern cabin…!
Available from Kanga Room Systems.
How would you configure yours?
Floor plan/layout
Images © Kanga Room Systems
What do you think?
Wouldn’t this be the perfect scenario if you live/work from home? Or something similar to it, maybe. Anyway, KANGA probably has the perfect solution for you if you want to get in touch with them here.
Learn more: http://kangaroomsystems.com/
Related: Two Poolside Tiny Houses: High-End Humble Living?
Also: 480 Sq. Ft. Lofted Kanga Cabin with Screened in Porch
If you enjoyed this 504 sq. ft. modern cabin by Kanga you’ll absolutely LOVE our free daily tiny house newsletter with even more! Thank you!
And: 280 Sq. Ft. Kanga Tiny Home in the City
Alex
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Love this place. The clean lines are restful to the eye – I can imagine being there and loving it. Hope the family living there is experiencing pure joy being there.
interesting design with the separated bed/bath and living/kitchen with a breezeway between. its very unique.
I think it would be just about perfect for me! There is nothing I don’t like about it. Also, it’s especially nice not having to worry about climbing into a loft to sleep.
Me too, thanks Martha!
So… lets see, the toilet/bathroom is off the bedroom. To get to it you have to go OUTSIDE to go into the darned thing. There is wall space in the bedroom that would allow access without having to brave the elements. Imagine in stormy weather going to bed at night wind howling through the deck area that separates the bedroom from the kitchen/lounge/dining area.
Sorry, but for me that is Epic Fail.
I agree with you! In the right place going outside to go to the lav is not a bad idea. My problem is that I am chicken and would not like to wander around half asleep to go to the lav at night. But this space is well designed, unique, and beautiful.
I love this floorplan except for the bathroom. I get up too many times during the night to have to go outside to get to the bathroom. I’ve already made changes to the floorplan in my mind. I could so easily live there with my 3 dogs. Currently have 1,553 sq ft which is huge for me.
Could the open area be glassed in or walled. that would take care of the bathroom and offer more space. The washer dryer could be entered from the bed room.
Lovely, well-thought out design! Congrats to the architect/designer. It reminds me of the old “dog trot” houses in the South before the days of air-conditioning, of which not many remain. My late grandmother and grandfather had a dog trot house in east Arkansas when they were newly weds back approx 1920. Granny said… and it seems to me… that these houses work best when the climate is comfy year round with few mosquitos. (And in east Arkansas during the summer to sit outside open to the oppressive heat and swarms of insects is pure hell, believe me.) I like Lou’s comment above: if the central open space had some form of opening/closing doors/windows on both sides so that the inner open chamber could be “walled in” during nights or inclement weather, the otherwise lovely house would work far better. These comments are respectfully submitted. Stephan of Arkansas
OMG, I have wondered why I had not see this concept of two small spaces that connected. Though…I was more interested in a his~n~hers set up! lol
I would live here in a heartbeat, it is STUNNING!!
I would too, Paula, glad you like it as much as I do!
Not bad. I’d put doors into the bedroom from the bath and utility closet, though. I detest dragging clothes around. From the pic, you’d need a stepstool just to use the dryer. I also hate getting up in the middle of the night and having to go thru 2 doors to go to the bathroom.
What kind of climate is this in? Can you actually do an open breezeway year round?
Good point on the utility closet. I’d want to do the same. It’s in Texas.
OK, so west Texas. Or the edge between Hill Country and the west.
The design is called a dog trot, and was very common in the South. The purpose was to keep the kitchen area away from the rest of the house because of fires. There are several of these log dog trots still standing in my rural area. Any kind of breeze was welcome in the south, and people then had to go outside to tend animals, no matter how cold or inconvenient , or the outhouse. Nowadays we at least have the luxury of screen and air conditioning.
Overall this is a clumsy plan for modern day living. I’ve seen this redone by Southern Living Architects, with a two full living spaces running lengthwise, to accommodate couples wanting to share an attached home for tax purposes. The square footage was about 1100 sq. ft.
While historically inspiring, no one lives fulltime in the one we have. It’s only for visitors.
I like this but would enclose the breezeway. Why waste that space. Build a small porch or deck outside with a cover.
Enclosure would be great but for me I like the separation because of noise if two people are sharing the home. But I can see the beauty in enclosing it and adding a porch/deck with cover separately as well. Thanks Noreen!
I would screen in the breezeway to keep pesky mosquitoes etc.. out. other than that it is perfect. I have seen old hunter cabins of similar design.
I like this a lot. Since it appears to have one bedroom it’s good for a couple or single. I would live in this with a few changes: make entry to bathroom from bedroom, but first move the laundry area towards the dog walk with accessibility from the dog walk. Close in the dog walk with glass and add a small wood fire stove.
There are some great clean lines in the building but design had no part of it. What stood out to me was the lack of design. Nothing flows in the house. Even to use the bathroom requires you to leave the bedroom or living area and venture into the covered breezeway. Its really not a house as such, rather a work space with facilities. I cant believe it was designed as a house.
Thanks for sharing and cheers from Australia.
The lack of storage, especially a decent closet, makes this a poor choice for most people. The bathroom problem is, also, a BIG problem especially for a retiree that might have to access that room several times per night. Making the breezeway more of a liveable room for most climates would help…and put some built in benches or cupboards in there to store extra stuff. My husband and I could live in it with the modifications.
I love it. we have a property in CA and are looking at building a little “get out of the snow” cabin. This is ideal, especially with the breeze way dining area. However, I would add a tiny bunk room for the kids.
I think it’s adorable! I’d need a second bedroom though, for the kiddos.
I like the basic concept but not this particular layout or dimensions. I’d prefer to use the central area as a living space with full walls of doors and windows (instead of the open sides) that could be fully opened, fully closed or any mode in between, also with screens, to be completely useful all year round in all climates. One small “busy” structure (kitchen, bathroom, laundry,crafts, whatever) and one small “quiet” structure (sleeping, meditating, whatever) All plumbing in one area.
Completely agree with Alice. Running separate plumbing lines makes no sense, and using the breezeway as a 4 season room is a much better idea. An a hard no to going outside to do the laundry–seriously not designed by someone who handles the domestic chores.
I think I love this more than any others. I would only make small changes, how about a smaller shower, and make it a bath/utility room? Using it from outside doesn’t sound good to me. I love the covered room in the middle, I would probably put a bed there and sleep there all but the coldest nights. 😉 . I would also rather have a sliding door into the bathroom as well from the bedroom– for those coldest nights. I would also not mind no front porch and bigger middle one. I’m getting a better idea of what I would like from looking at all these houses. Thanks for sharing!
I love this place. With a few little tweeks (retractable screens on the porch, for example, and some clever storage ideas) it could be perfect, especially for a warm climate. I lived in England for a few years, my washer was in the kitchen and dryer in the detached garage at the bottom of the garden. It worked remarkably well, so having your washer and dryer outside makes sense to me. (Here again, another tweek: a pad for standing on and a washing line strung up right off the house there.) I love the quality of the finishes and the fact that there is a proper bedroom. The tiny house loft bedrooms which provide barely enough space to sit up in bed strike me as something that only someone under the age of 10 would like for more than a week. Small is beautiful, but only when its elegant: truly ingenious and simple.
Combine the bath and laundry and make the entrance off the bedroom and/or central porch (which could have glass doors that slide totally open in good weather or protect from the elements).
I had thought about something like this plan. I would also enclose with floor to ceiling glass, sliding glass doors on both sides for the central porch area and probably put a fireplace there as well. That would be my living area. That way, I could have an adaptable space for dining near the kitchen and add closets everywhere!!! Love this plan because I could entertain modestly. Does the owner have a “finished” cost? Just curious.And are these trains or were they built?
Me encantó toda !! Felicitaciones ! Gracias por permitirme soñar y admirar todo lo que nos muestras ! Te admiro ! Un abrazo desde Argentina.
Make It A 2 Bdrm, & Add A 1/2 Bath. Make The Laundry Accessible From The Inside. In The Full Bath…A Tub/Shower Combo Would Be Ideal..Especially For Those That May Have Disabilities. Other Why Not Make The Breezeway With An Enclosure For Inclement Weather. Who Wants To Go Outside When It’s Cold/Raining/Snowing Etc To Utilize The Bathroom, Or Go To Bed. Just My Honest Opinion. 🙂
Personally I really like the design, but not the layout. There are definitely some things I would do different to customize it for my own use. In my humble opinion the side of the dwelling where the entertainment is done should have at least a half bathroom. A U shaped kitchen along the back wall seems more practical, it would allow more cabinets since there isn’t any storage elsewhere. I’d also combine the porches to create one large covered dining area, which would be better for entertaining. The covered patio could be enclosed with glass to allow for year round use, the additional dining table indoors wouldn’t be necessary. The utility and bathroom would be combined having access from the bedroom.
This design could also be used to create 2 studio apartments that would share the covered patio. Now with aging parents and adult children moving in it could be an option for some.
Hi Alex! Very good kV 504…. ft. modern cabins, Kanga Room Systems, the only thing I changed is the location of the washing machine and toilet together, and added, bidet. Where can I buy this wonderful house? Thank you very much!
It has some interesting ideas. The color scheme and interior design seem clean, but there are some impractical things for most parts of the world. I see this type of house where there are no bugs or snowy weather, unless people are used to the outside for work. If there were ever two people, or one person who needed an office, this space would work well. I have seen some homes on coastal Florida where there is a space for outdoor sleeping with mosquito nets, but those were right on the ocean front, and only used when temps were in the 50-60s at night.
This is a design I have been looking for. I could never live in something smaller,since I have 6 small dogs,but they are not chihuahuas. One think I would change is to add sliding glass doors to each side of the covered patio,so that it would become another room. I think that would be possible.
Brilliant design with the split floor plan. Perhaps Glassing in the open porch as long as that does not bring in the county Inspector. Location looks amazing. peace, quiet and Nature all ’round.
I really like this lay out .. kitchen is awesome.. thanks for sharing
great would put up window in the center that would open up or sliding panels of windows so it can be enclosed when its cold
The breezeway needs to be enclosed and doesn’t need to be so big unless you bring the washer dryer in side and place them somewhere in there. The bathroom is too small which can also be enlarged by making the breezeway smaller.
Overall, I really like this place, the clean lines, and the minimalist aspect to it, but the layout isn’t practical, especially in northern climates. To have to walk outside to go the bathroom at night and during storms is a non-starter. The same applies to the utility room If the breezeway were walled/glassed in, it would be more inviting.
I love outdoor spaces like breeze ways and porches. Most houses don’t have enough outdoor rooms if any. It isn’t hard to get up and go inside when I want. Of course this house is for a warm climate. There are a lot of good ideas for different climates and I hope to see more of a trend toward building homes that are sustainable and designed for the areas in which they’re built.
The layout of this home is great except for the bathroom and laundry situation. I agree with other comments above and do not think going outside to the bathroom is a good idea. A pocket door from the bedroom side would make more sense. Maybe increasing the kitchen area to include the washer & dryer, and enclosing the breezeway and make it the living room would be an alternate choice. I could live in this home, but it would be inconvenient as is.
We have seen this a number of times before and each time a new element sort of shows itself having been missed before. I think their concept is great, in this particular plan most everything is a miss in that it is not conducive to “normal” living — the mid section needs to be closed in, the bathroom accessable from the bedroom, the laundry room needs to be accessable from inside the structure — the overall concept of these homes is great and I think one can make changes and they would work great at a lower expense than conventional homes. I believe the model with the loft offers the best overall living concept. Always fun to see. Thanks Alex for the “shares”. Many good ideas to be derived from each and everyone to incorporate in what we want for ourselves.
Did I see this home recently featured on a tv commercial? I remember a woman standing in the breezeway between the two rooms, but I don’t recall what the ad was for. Sure looked like this place.
I would think this could easily be converted to a pool house…take the patio that sits off the side and make it an outdoor shower, move the washer/drier to a utility closet off the center breeze way. I would also add an outdoor grill and counter space to the breeze way as well. All in all a nice layout with beautiful materials!!!
Oh great ideas, Santos!
How can I get plans to build the 504 sq. ft. kanga-modern-cabin-with-breezeway? Thanks
Reminds me of the old-fashioned dog-trot houses with the open porch in the center. I love that you can walk around the bed to make it. I’ve yet to figure out how you make a bed you can’t walk around, as so many are squished into a space with walls on three sides. Young folks can climb up to the lofts, but older folks can’t hazard a fall, so I always prefer homes with a bed that’s accessible on the first floor. This is very pleasing and relaxing in a superb setting with fabulous views.
Agreed. I refuse to climb a ladder, steep stairs or stairs that do not have bars and fall prevention on both sides. I also refuse to have a bed in which I’m essentially sleeping on the floor, again, as it’s too hard to get up to a standing position. Nothing is more annoying than having to crawl around on my knees to make a bed. As for beds shoved in a corner and having access blocked on one to four sides by walls, side tables and couches? All you can do with that is toss a sleeping bag on top of the mattress.
I’d add pocket doors to access the laundry room and bathroom from the bedroom. However, bathroom access from the deck is a nice touch when having gatherings. I’d remove the dining table from the main living area. No sense eating indoors when you have a lovely view and a nice, covered deck. If mosquitoes or other bugs are a concern, you can install roll down curtains to be used as needed. Finally, I’d enlarge all the windows. I like lots of big windows!
Hi
My partner and I love this design. We would like to know how we can obtain the plans so we could build our own home in Australia
Thanks, Rhonda
I really like this….I like having the bathroom away from the kitchen! It has the feeling of roominess, which is nice, as well!
I would love too have some much as shipping, assembling, other things needed, I am truly interestered.
I guess you could work from the table on the breezeway. But, there isn’t a defined office or studio space. I don’t think it’s live/work for more than one person. Unless, of course, one person is confined to the bedroom or living area during the day while the other works at a desk in one of those areas.
I love the looks of this little home! However, I would have to enclose the porch. I live in Maine!
That would be wonderful!
What is the price?
It’s about $120,000 plus the site work
I like the idea a lot, but it is so empty of personality, personal affects. It possibly might be a rental? It’s just a bit harsh for me. But I admire the idea.
I love this. Great for my river front place. Lots of views for easy living. Screen in the porch and I’m good to go.
Sounds awesome!
The only thing I would add would be sliding glass walls that can enclose the middle covered porch during bad weather be it too much heat or too much rainy cold. That would make it usable all year, every day. Otherwise, a lovely home.
Good idea!
I believe I would enclose the center open area. In the Northeast it would not be a good idea to go outside to get to the bathroom or the washer,dryer . The size would be just right with the living room between the Kitchen and the bedroom.
I’m not ordinarily fond of tiny homes, but this is an exception. I think I would enclose the breeze way with telescoping doors though that can be opened for al fresco dining. Love it!
Turn the bed on long wall, enter the utility room & bathroom from bedroom with sliding doors & put closet in right corner of bedroom. Glass in breeze way, screen in side porch. That creates an additional living area. Half of utility closet could be storage. I could live here easily. Heat and electric would be economical, love the style of the house. Efficient, neat, easy to care for. Great for 2 people. Especially retirees.
I would enclose the open area and make it another bedroom/rec room or guest room and put a futon in the living kitchen area
Very nice. I would modify it to allow all the plumbing to stack in one area for economy and ease of installation, but that might not be possible for the exact same effect of living transition. I always have a eye towards economics of building, as that is many times the goal of small and off grid housing.
I love the updated version of the classic dog-trot house, that was so popular across the southern US, in the days before electricity. The breezeway creates a natural venturi, to keep you cool in the summer. I would, however, add sliding privacy screens across that breezeway, which would also eliminate that wind tunnel in winter.