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The Baltic is a two-story off-grid treehouse in Ontario’s Haliburton Highlands built by Cam, a woodworker and furniture builder who studied sustainable treehouse construction at Yestermorrow in Vermont. Together with his wife Lauren, he founded Fort Treehouse Co. and built this structure using techniques that protect the host trees while supporting the building.

The platform is supported by two live maple trees using custom treehouse hardware, plus three steel posts—a hybrid approach that works with the available trees on the property. The treehouse features cob floors (sand, clay, and straw), a sleeping loft with king-size bed, heat recovery ventilation, and floor-to-ceiling forest views.

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Exterior with Hybrid Tree and Post Support System

Modern two-story treehouse built among trees in a forest setting.

Image © Exploring Alternatives

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The Shiship is a really cool tiny cabin that was designed and built by Repère Boréal in Quebec, Canada.

It’s a simple structure made with a single high-cube shipping container and it measures 31′ long x 8′ wide, and 9’6″ tall.  On the exterior, you can still see most of the original shipping container with lots of exposed corrugated steel and massive cargo doors at one end.  It’s an interesting visual reminder that the shell of this cabin had another life before it was repurposed.

The cedar accents balance out the more industrial look of the container and make it feel more welcoming, and the massive wooden window frame at the other end is a dramatic feature that defines the outside of the structure and makes it pretty unique.

Shiship Repere Boreal - Outside - Exploring Alternatives

Image © Exploring Alternatives

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Hope you’re not afraid of heights because this tiny A-frame cabin is perched 40 feet in the air!  The exterior is all windows and angles, including a diamond shape on one side, but the interior is full of curved details and has a cozy ambiance to soften the feel of the space.  It was designed and built by the team at Repère Boréal in Charlevoix, Quebec, and they call it The Uhu.

Getting up into the cabin is a pretty cool experience: you climb an enclosed spiral staircase and once you reach the top, you cross a 20-foot bridge to get to the cabin’s front door.

Uhu Repere Boreal Tree House - Outside - Exploring Alternatives

Image © Exploring Alternatives

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This 1969 International short school bus was converted into the Old School B&B in British Columbia, Canada — a retro-styled tiny house built almost entirely from locally salvaged materials and decorated with thrifted vintage finds from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. A full roof structure was built above the bus to protect it from the weather and to cover the outdoor bathroom, porch, and whimsical garden areas surrounding it.

1969 International school bus converted into a retro tiny house with protective roof in British Columbia

Image courtesy of Exploring Alternatives

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Prefab homes have had a negative reputation in the past for being mass-produced and poorly made but  Hewing Haus is one of several amazing companies that are challenging this stereotype by building prefab homes with quality materials and attention to detail.

They have a series of small home designs ranging in size from 200 ftto 600 ft2 and we had the chance to tour the smallest model at their warehouse in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

These tiny homes are not built on trailers.  Instead, they can be transported on a regular transport truck and craned into place onto a variety of foundations, including helical piles.  They can be used as cabins, bunkies, retreats, rentals, accessory dwelling units, and laneway houses to name just a few options, and they can be set up almost anywhere (be sure to check out the video below to see a bunkie being installed on top of a cliff with a helicopter!).

Modern Prefab Tiny House by Hewing Haus

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Jake & Kiva started building their 20-foot long tiny house in 2014 and they’ve been living in it full-time with their cat and dog for 4 years now!

They came up with some brilliant solutions and designs to maximize the small space and make it as functional as possible, and the build cost $36K CAD.

Don’t miss other really interesting stories like this, join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more! 

Jake & Kiva’s 20-ft. Self-Built Tiny Home

Tiny Nest Tiny House Outside - Exploring Alternatives

Image © Exploring Alternatives

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This is a stunning DIY conversion of an ambulance into a camper van, built by Amanda and her dad over the course of 7 months.

The vehicle is a 2006 Ford E-350 cutaway that used to be an emergency response vehicle for the US Navy. Amanda bought it for $10,000 CAD and the conversion cost an additional $10,000 CAD.

Don’t miss other awesome stories like this, join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more! 

She Built It With Her Dad In 7 Months

Ambulance Camper Van Conversion - Exploring Alternatives

Image © Amanda Lemay

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This beautiful and unique tiny house has an intricately curved gable roof.

It also features a hand-carved barrel door, two spacious lofts, two unique space-saving ladders, a large fireplace, AND a full bathroom with a cleverly hidden storage shelf.

Don’t miss other super-interesting tiny house stories like this, join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more! 

Incredible Tiny House With Curved Gable Roof

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This is Tal and Nao’s Rainforest Yurt!

It’s a 32 ft traditional canvas yurt that has been modified for the West Coast climate by adding a shingled roof, wooden siding, and extra insulation.

Don’t miss other super-interesting tiny house stories like this, join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more! 

Tal and Nao’s Rainforest Wooden-Yurt

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