This is the Pinafore tiny house on wheels by Abel Zimmerman Zyl of Zyl Vardos. He builds some of the most high quality, amazing, one-of-a-kind, artistic tiny homes. As you’ll see now.
Zyl Vardos is a tiny house construction company in Olympia, Washington. And they deliver. When you look at this little house you can tell that just about everything is custom-made by hand. I think you’ll love it. Please enjoy, talk about it in the comments, and re-share below.
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Zyl Vardos Pinafore Tiny House on Wheels
Images © Zyl Vardos
Images © Zyl Vardos
Abel delivered this tiny home to the client and clocked in 2,997 miles on his odometer after making it home. If you’re curious, something similar to this (it’s one-of-a-kind) would cost about $59k to have built for you. (source)
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This is one of the better ones shown . I like that outside whimsical look about it. Steps instead of a ladder to the loft is a plus. Nice large closet space.. and standard apartment size stove with oven. Who could ask for anything more . Very well done..
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this tiny house. It is a work of art! The only thing I would change is a bigger refrigerator.
LOVE< Love< LOVE this tiny home!!! Beautiful craftsmanship! Lovely finishes. I agree with you, Jean; bigger fridge absolutely necessary and I want at least a 2 burner stove/oven in mine.
But I'm in love with this beautiful home!
Kudos to the designer/builder! Wonderful!
I am a BIG fan of vardos. I even have a small 6×10 sitting in my side yard now. But THIS… all I have to say is wow, Wow! WOW!!! The only change I would make would be to have the treads of the staircase be flip-top and the step itself be a storage box. Other than that… what a dream come true! Love the copper roof, love the stairs, love the big loft (for significant others that are 6’2″ tall,) and LOVE the casement windows; a rare treat!
PS and I totally agree with Resa Pickel when he says that Mr. Zyl isn’t just a builder, he’s an artist and craftsman…extraordinaire!
Or how about drawers in half the stairs alternating with shadow boxes to display a few favorite chachkas? the shadow boxes wouldn’t have to extend the full length of the stair, so your flip-up box lid would work beautifully in this alternative, as well.
Great idea, Two Crows! Thank you for the suggestion! 😀
I was thinking about a split: have half the steps (the sides facing the room) open as bookcases (just deep enough for books) and the area between the bookcase back and the exterior wall be either lift-top storage boxes, or (preferably) drawers that pull out from under the stair-treads.
I do like the one under-step storage space that’s accessed from the under-stairs closet: good spot for things like hats & such…
I agree about the steps instead of dowels for reaching the loft…the windows are really interesting and all the cubbies!! Seems to have a lot to say for it.
This is fantastic! A little concerning about the prices creeping up & up on the Tiny’s…in my area, a nice 3-4 bedroom (standard) home can be had for $70k. I want to get into a tiny, and hope I can afford one soon. Not that this home isn’t worth every cent!
Well, you probably couldn’t get a house with this amount of custom craftsmanship for $70k. Zyl’s tiny houses are definitely the high quality end, and you wouldn’t expect him to build for free
something similar to this (it’s one-of-a-kind) would cost about $59k to have built
Oh My. THIS gem looks like it came right from the pages of a Fairy Tale…all it needs is a turret for completion of a Dream Home.
I’m giving this amazing structure 99.99% approval rating for design, materials, and execution. The only teeny-tiny thing that I would have changed is the incongruity of that weird triangular shaped window in the arched front door. It looks odd and underwhelming. Two types of windows that are emblematic of this type of arched door are either a wrought-iron encased rectangle with a cool, hinged wrought iron grid covering it…or, a leaded glass arch of clear glass that mirrors the design structure of the door.
Other than that design *blib*, I shall go to sleep tonight, dreaming of calling this place my Fairy Tale Home Away From Home. <4
I agree, I thought the triangle window was an eye-sore, I wish the roof matched the house better, a tar coating would probably fix that and the little circle that holds up the closet rod in front of the arch shelf-space looks out of place because it doesn’t curve with the arch. It looks like the door opens out, this is not a good idea, there are reasons doors open inward into houses, etc. It is fantastically made otherwise. I’d still give it 8.5/10.
Hi, Michael. Thanks for agreeing about the odd eye-sore of the too undersized and oddly placed triangular window. Even if it had been a diamond shaped window, it would have been more harmonious in the design.
The farm town that I visited when we went into town to the co-op was built in the early 1900’s-1920’s and had a substantial amount of those beautiful brick Fairy Tale Homes with arches, turrets, high gabled entries, etc. I was SO enraptured by them because they were SO different than a White Clapboard Farm House, which is all I saw, in the Country. Because I adored and envied those homes, I’m hyper aware of each detail that went into them, including the wee windows that went into the doors. That’s the only reason why the odd door window popped out at me. But, if a person ordered this custom home for themselves, that would be an easy change out.
I agree with your statement about the curtain rod circle and the roof treatment, too. 😀
Well, the triangle has a story. First, i got those amazing strap hinges… So no room for a round or diamond window in the usual placement. Then, when i was at the local stained glass wizard’s shop… I saw this gorgeous scrap of glass. He gave it to me, then told me it was 120 years old. There is no glass made like that anymore. All the other peices are in a monastery in Olympia, Wa. I was compelled to fit it into the door, triangular or no!
“Compelled”, you say, Abel?! Bwhahahahaaaa….behold the POWER of 120 year old glass! 😀
Well, at least there’s a cool story behind the triangle. LOL I hope, Abel, that you also noticed my praise of your creation, too!
A monastery in Olympia? I used to live in Olympia and I don’t remember any monastery there. But it has been long enough since I lived there, it wouldn’t help to tell me where it is. Or was.
Beautiful house! I wouldn’t change a thing, except to move in. How would this home do in a windy climate like Wyoming or Nebraska?
It’s a work of art!
DANG!!! Every time I think my design is locked down something like this comes along and sends me off in a whole new direction. The copper roof, oooohhh! Zyl Vardos are always an inspiration.
Oh Mr. Vardos – how I adore your work! Each one is so much more than a home – it is a work of art – My personal favorite is The Little Bird House – While I personally cannot handle a wood stove due to allergies, and would prefer underfloor heating – the rest of the house is just perfect! If only I had the funds – but we can dream….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTrgM1SzlW8
I hope it’s ok to paste the link to the video of The Little Bird House as it is now. The owner has done a wonderful job of surrounding it with decking, plants and trellis that compliment the materials used in the construction of her wonderful tiny home. The amount of light streaming in, and all the ceder has to be invigorating to the senses – I am positively green with envy!
YES WOW absolutly..charm and function..Is it posible to build smaller.. with no electric or pluming ??lighten the weight a bit.Just great tho.
Eileen( PA)
ahhh…. I think I have a favorite and then another shows up. This one just asks for a rainwater catchment… I LOVE the style. Yes Mr. Vardos you are indeed an artist.
REALLY nice work ! Well designed, and well executed.
Erm. I’ve googled all over, gone to the website and the facebook page and I CANNOT find the square footage of this house. Any ideas where to look for it?
Thanks in advance.
172 sq ft, not counting the loft.
This isn’t “Good Workmanship” This is “Real Craftmanship” & Artwork all rolled into one. Stunning & High Quality work like this is something that is rarely seen today and it shows the passion that Zyl has for his “creations”. If only I had that talent, the time & budget to do it like he does.
I feel the exact same way you do.
Wouldn’t it be so much fun to work on a project like this every day? It would be hard to walk away and turn out the lights to get some sleep.
Truly a work of art with such attention to detail. Beautiful!
happiest little house I’ve ever seen 🙂
This is a beauty!!! I’m so jealous of it’s new owner! I can only imagine how amazing the copper roof will patina. Very cool. I want one for sure.
We are wondering where you got your windows? Love the portholes!
I made all the windows for this house. FYI: the screens aren’t on in this photoshoot, but many of the windows have screens too.
What a beautiful work of art!!! I could live in this simply because of that and it’s whimsy!!! The price is nothing compared to what I imagine is the amount of thought and time that went into it. How I would love to see a picture again in 10 years when the roof and shingle have mellowed with time.
This article also shows how many people will never be satisfied, and just how EASY it is to be negative.
FANTASTIC on so many levels …
just needs a 2-acre plot deep in a forest …
…with a Hobbit, puffing on his pipe in the living room…
Ok, I am all about this piece of art. I love the copper roof, listening to it rain inside would be divine! I simply love the windows, all are creative and unusual. I think the triangle in the door helps make the door fabulous. The triangle glass history is the butter on my bread! I am dying to grab a BIG book and sit by the loft’s cathedral window. Heaven. The cedar shakes are beautiful yet so practical! Did I say I love the windows and roof?? Oh, and the best is all the angles in the roof – ceiling. I love architectural details and you are THE man. Such beautiful workmanship. I am in awe. You are an artist of the highest calling. Hats off to you (and lucky owners of said tiny house!!)
you guys, his last name is ZYL, NOT VARDO.
a vardo is a gypsy/romani wagon!
🙂
I am so in love with this home! What I would like to know is the size, does it need state to state permits to move, weight & balance (being a logistics engineer), Is it considered a mobile home, an RV, how is it listed for licensing & insurance?
the roof of this little beauty would be fabulous for use with a water collection system. Funnels it perfectly. Excellent design.
How munch for this one?
How munch for the one in the above photo?
It is exactly what I am looking for, please email me how to order one sometime in the next 12-18 months for delivery to Ak. Any and all pictures with info on options etc., even though I love all of what I have seen here. It is a cross between the tiny house/home and the enchanted cottage with outstanding craftsmanship. REALLY REALLY Great job !!! SAS
Truly a work of art!
You’ve done it again! I like it very much, but still love Little Bird the best. To actually live in Little Bird I’d have to make some modifications, but nice, nice job on both of these!
What is the square footage on this little masterpiece?
I really enjoyed veiwing this wee house; if I lived in this building my life would become as enchanting as this home. It fires the imagination to all possibilities of the magic of life. Thankyou for sharing.
Love it. Great closet, staircase, and bath. Kitchen is in need of cabinets and one of the windows need to be adaptable to a 110 air conditioner. Living in the deep south you have got to have air. An Amish heater and you are all set. Looking for something just like this.
Thank you!
He does the most amazing things with wood! This house is spectacular…I love the windows in the kitchen and the beautiful shelves above them. So much attenion to detail! That is the cutest composting toilet ever…and the front door and roofline…just incredible! I love this house! It is so practical and soooooo beautiful!
Great house, design thought interior etc…but I would hate to see the roof after a hail storm! Maybe not so great in the nations midsection. But overall 9/10. 🙂
Royce, is that you??
Incidentally, one could always pull this into a barn in the “nation’s midsection.” Just sayin.
Incredible talent, I want to learn more.
It is beautiful! However, why do you put the bathroom right next to the kitchen? Have seen that in other plans and HATE it.
This is great its what my wife and I want to do but not on wheels we travel but we have property we are only there now and then so we thought of va small house
Sweetness personified! I would so very much love to have a tiny house just like this; it is perfection on a small scale, and it’s everything I could ever want 🙂
I agree totally.
What a stunner!!!
Just wondering if anyone else has been having computer problems from accessing the tiny house newsletters links? I have seen using the have the hard drive failing in one laptop and now believe the hard drive is in serious trouble with my desk top. I have noticed while accessing the web links that the hard drive and/or fan makes a lot of noise while on this visiting these sites. Just wondering if there is some malware that has attached itself to the tiny house newsletter site? BTW, I do have good security programs on my computers. Any comments from anyone?
Be sure using latest version of browser, try using another browser, run your antivirus/malware programs. I have noted this sometimes on my work computer, which runs an older version of IE – have to just shut it completely down and let it cool off and then reboot. I have not had any problems with accessing the links at home or at work recently.
My poor little hard drive fan is wheezing like a grampus the whole time I’m on this site. I wondered about that too. Not trying to download anything or view videos – it’s graphic-heavy but so are many sites I visit. Don’t know what might be up with this, but I better end this comment because my fan is about to launch itself into orbit!
Just a friendly warning….you really should have a hard drive diagnostic test done before your computer goes dead. A friend of mine had the same problem and hers died, so I hotfooted it down to Geek Squad and, yes, my hard drive is failing. At least I have time to download all my documents and photos before.
No. I have never had any problems what-so-ever with this site.
This is gorgeous! Love it!
Just love this little house! Inspirational…spiritual!
Love all the custom details…windows, doors…the roof, cubbies. I could be happy in such a place and have fun adding the final touches.
Oh, and old world charm!!
Stunning! Quality workmanship. Wouldn’t I just love living in this.
As many times as I have seen this build, I still find myself mentally moving in and decorating it. I’d love to have this house deep in a forest so I could listen to the rain on the roof and watch it fall outside the windows. Always a treat. 🙂
Gorgeous!!!! I could live here easily. This is a high end tiny house. Thank you so much for sharing.
Love all the woodwork!
Love all the wood. Zyl is my new favorite designer/builder.
This is one of my favorites, I love how it is built on top of the wheels so they can be removed when it reaches its location. It also lets the builder use all 8 1/2 feet to build on.
The best tiny house yet!
Great work, stair way, loft large eough for a real bed and space for a composting toilet upstairs. I still don’t care for sleeping lofts tho. However the outside ‘fairy taleish’ design just puts me off.
I love the windows, wood, and design, very creative! I wish it was me who gets to decorate it to the max to complete the fanciful theme… and is that a copper roof? Too cool – I like it very much!
Guillaume of Tinyhousegiantjourney has taken some absolutely wonderful interior photos of the Pinafore, and put up a really nice video tour… https://youtu.be/yGomaVCVYfM
I think you’ll like them.
This home oozes with character, charm, and beauty. The builder is an ANIMAL with the exterior and interior designs. Wonderful workmanship!!
I’ve seen it before. Great door, nice woodwork, the steps have an actual hand rail, the loft looks like it is actually tall enough to stand up in. The cubby holes in the stairs, no way, dustcatchers, way better to have drawers, or the top of the steps hinged. The outsides look good, however will require yearly maintenance. The roof, I would much prefer a gambrel, easier, faster, less expensive to build, provide more interior loft space, and I think look better. The custom windows are OK, but I would say added a heap to the price.
It doesn’t mention how many square feet?
spectacular… 100% no nit picking an absolute joy love the copper roof. a hand rail!!!! kisses
GORGEOUS! Copper roof is stunning. Would it turn green? Hope not. Woodwork amazing. Windows wonderful especially the leaded glass ones. Each is different which would bother me except they are all unique and lovely. If I ever get the 60k might enrich the kitchen.
I too love his little bird home. This is a cute home. The only thing is I hate composting toilets and I have to have a sink in bathroom. His prices are high,but you get what you pay for,craftsman ship. I would love one of his homes,if only I had the money to buy one.
Love, Love, Love!! I have the wooded property next to a river in Canada, how about passing on your trade to my two sons and doing a “build” workshop session? You are a true craftsman! Talent like this is to be recognized and carried on to the next generation! A Sincere thank-you for posting!!
Just gorgeous! I am in love with these tiny homes!!!
I Love these Artistic Forms, strange unpredictable. This is the Art of Architecture!
You see this name and can be assured you are in for a treat!!! Every single home I have seen that he has built has be amazing!!! I am pretty sure I have seen them all!! Just look on his webpage lol!!
Simply stunning!! I’m a fan of your designs Mr. Vardos. This one takes the cake!! Perfect for retirement! With a cat of course!
Just give me a real toilet and I’d move right in. Well, if I had the money to buy it, of course. Just love this one!
Guess I am gonna be the odd-ball here..I appreciate the quality of the build but I’d prefer many many other styles shown here, made well also and cheaper.
Pinafore is my favorite design of the Zyl Vardos Tiny Houses. I would not have a composting toilet, however. Just my personal preference. And, I could not climb the stairs, but they are very nice, have a railing and storage. The loft is lovely. All the artistic touches are grand. I would have him build in a sectional in the living area with storage. It is such a delightful house and priced reasonably.
It’s a super duper spot!
Abel Zyl, you have created a joyous work of art! How I envy the new owners!
Wish you were on the East Coast.
Can’t wait to see your next commission.
He always does an excellent job!
Suspended between fairytale and gothic , the cover evokes a soft Silk-woven drift the wind in a photographic shot, but it is above all a perfect union of soul -forming art work with reason.
Each home I’ve seen built by Abel Zyl is more beautiful than the last and this one is the cherry on top! If I was ever able to buy a tiny, one very like this by Mr Zyl would be my ONLY choice!!! And all that artistry is less expensive than a LOT of the other tinies. And I’ll bet there are stories like the triangle window glass for a lot of his materials used. Who couldn’t be happy in a fairy tail house imbued with all that love and creative energy?
My hat’s off to you yet again, Mr. Zyl. 🙂