Dwell

Inquire About The Escher

"The Solar-Powered Orchid Tiny House Has a Gorgeous, Light-Filled Interior" - Dwell

Built in Nashville and delivered to an artist living in Los Angeles, the 20-foot-long Orchid Tiny House is a stunning example of small-space architecture. New Frontier Homes used engineered lumber to bolster the framing and ridge beam of the stick-framed house. A steel beam installed along the cantilevered roof provides additional support and stability.

"The roof, which we refer to as a ‘self-stick modified rolled roof,’ and which works like a rain screen, is built with the same dimensional cedar as the siding. This was incredibly challenging. All of the cedar pieces for the roof were raised off the siding and separated by three-quarter inch, so they look as if they are floating," says New Frontier Tiny Homes founder David Latimer.

Exterior, Prefab Building Type, Wood Siding Material, Tiny Home Building Type, Cabin Building Type, House Building Type, and Gable RoofLine To protect against water penetration, the walls and roof are assembled with three-quarter inch pressure-treated OSB sheathing, Typar housewrap, an ice and water shield, asphalt paper, furring strips, and stained penofin cedar.
To protect against water penetration, the walls and roof are assembled with three-quarter inch pressure-treated OSB sheathing, Typar housewrap, an ice and water shield, asphalt paper, furring strips, and stained penofin cedar.Photo Categories: exterior, prefab building type, wood siding material, tiny home building type, cabin building type, house building type, gable rooflineCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes
Exterior, Tiny Home Building Type, Gable RoofLine, Wood Siding Material, Cabin Building Type, House Building Type, and Prefab Building Type They tiny house connects to the outdoors with clerestory windows, floor-to-ceiling windows, skylights, and a garage door that opens up an entire wall.
They tiny house connects to the outdoors with clerestory windows, floor-to-ceiling windows, skylights, and a garage door that opens up an entire wall.Courtesy of New Frontier Tiny HomesPhoto Categories: exterior, tiny home building type, gable roofline, wood siding material, cabin building type, house building type, prefab building type

We pay a visit to the Oakland, California, home and studio of rising artist Aleksandra Zee, who shares how warm, natural hues and pieces by local makers spark her own creative process. For the full article, click here: https://www.dwell.com/article/oakland-woodworking-aleksandra-zee-home-tour-f18b841d Video by Stef Sequeira: http://stefsequeira.com/ Music by Tauwoo: https://www.tauwoo.com/

0 seconds of 4 minutes, 32 secondsVolume 0%

Exterior, Tiny Home Building Type, Wood Siding Material, and Gable RoofLine The house is powered by solar panels.
The house is powered by solar panels.Courtesy of New Frontier Tiny HomesPhoto Categories: exterior, tiny home building type, wood siding material, gable roofline
Exterior, Wood Siding Material, Gable RoofLine, Tiny Home Building Type, Prefab Building Type, House Building Type, and Cabin Building Type The entrance to the Orchid Tiny House.
The entrance to the Orchid Tiny House.Photo Categories: exterior, wood siding material, gable roofline, tiny home building type, prefab building type, house building type, cabin building typeCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes

The house has an open floor plan, and the main living lounge doubles as a second bedroom at the front of the house. The kitchen and dining table are located on a raised platform in the middle of the house, and the back of the house features a bathroom and a main closet topped with a lofted sleeping area.

Doors, Metal, Exterior, Swing Door Type, and Sliding Door Type Ladder steps lead up to the living area.
Ladder steps lead up to the living area.Photo Categories: doors, metal, exterior, swing door type, sliding door typeCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes
Living Room, Sofa, Bench, Medium Hardwood Floor, Accent Lighting, Track Lighting, Chair, Table, and Shelves The interior walls and ceiling are clad in three-quarter inch maple plywood.
The interior walls and ceiling are clad in three-quarter inch maple plywood.Photo Categories: living room, sofa, bench, medium hardwood floors, accent lighting, track lighting, chair, table, shelvesCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes

Latimer says that his designs are heavily influenced by Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics. "Both of these traditions use very clean lines, and elegant open spaces, uncluttered by cabinetry and shelving and knick-knacks. The use of texturally nice natural materials gives spaces a warm, inviting, and homely feel."

Living Room, Bench, Sofa, End Tables, Medium Hardwood Floor, Wall Lighting, Ceiling Lighting, and Accent Lighting The furniture, the hand rail, the ladder, the HVAC box, and the sofa/bed combo are made of walnut.
The furniture, the hand rail, the ladder, the HVAC box, and the sofa/bed combo are made of walnut.Photo Categories: living room, bench, sofa, end tables, medium hardwood floors, wall lighting, ceiling lighting, accent lightingCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes
Dining Room, Table, Chair, Ceiling Lighting, Wall Lighting, Accent Lighting, and Medium Hardwood Floor The kitchen table and chairs are from West Elm.
The kitchen table and chairs are from West Elm.Photo Categories: dining room, table, chair, ceiling lighting, wall lighting, accent lighting, medium hardwood floorsCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes

What really makes the Orchid stand out from other tiny homes is its LED valance lighting. "I’m obsessed with light," says Latimer. "I focus a lot of energy on maximizing natural light and really making a unique, functional, completely controllable lighting design program."

Living Room, Wall Lighting, Accent Lighting, Sofa, and Medium Hardwood Floor Many of the furnishings were custom designed and built by New Frontier Tiny Homes.
Many of the furnishings were custom designed and built by New Frontier Tiny Homes.Courtesy of New Frontier Tiny HomesPhoto Categories: living room, wall lighting, accent lighting, sofa, medium hardwood floors
Bedroom, Medium Hardwood Floor, Ceiling Lighting, Bed, Bench, Chair, Wall Lighting, and Accent Lighting "Lighting design is really important. There is something about valance lighting that creates a feeling of expansiveness. Not only is it beautiful and sexy, but it kind of tricks the mind into a feeling of more space," says Latimer.
"Lighting design is really important. There is something about valance lighting that creates a feeling of expansiveness. Not only is it beautiful and sexy, but it kind of tricks the mind into a feeling of more space," says Latimer.Courtesy of New Frontier Tiny HomesPhoto Categories: bedroom, medium hardwood floors, ceiling lighting, bed, bench, chair, wall lighting, accent lighting

Inspired by his experience during the 2017 solar eclipse, Latimer installed valance LED strips on the cantilevered front porch and almost every interior area of the house. Each light has an individual dimmer switch, so residents can create different moods and make the interiors as bright or dim as they like. "With LED valance lighting, the source of the light is not visible, which gives the interiors a soft, sensual glow," says Latimer.

Kitchen, Refrigerator, Cooktops, Medium Hardwood Floor, Accent Lighting, Engineered Quartz Counter, Wall Lighting, Colorful Cabinet, Drop In Sink, and Ceiling Lighting The kitchen and dining area is located on a raised platform in between the bathroom, bedroom, and living lounge.
The kitchen and dining area is located on a raised platform in between the bathroom, bedroom, and living lounge.Courtesy of New Frontier Tiny HomesPhoto Categories: kitchen, refrigerator, cooktops, medium hardwood floors, accent lighting, engineered quartz counters, wall lighting, colorful cabinets, drop in sinks, ceiling lighting
Storage Room and Closet Storage Type All of the storage is hidden. 
All of the storage is hidden. Photo Categories: storage room, closet storage typeCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes

Latimer custom designed and built a sofa bench, with storage space underneath, that can be pulled out to reveal a bed. A HVAC cabinet in the living space doubles up as an armoire.

Bedroom, Ceiling Lighting, Light Hardwood Floor, and Bed A king-sized bed fits snugly in the loft.
A king-sized bed fits snugly in the loft.Courtesy of New Frontier Tiny HomesPhoto Categories: bedroom, ceiling lighting, light hardwood floors, bed
Storage Room and Closet Storage Type The air conditioning unit is concealed within a closet.
The air conditioning unit is concealed within a closet.Courtesy of New Frontier Tiny HomesPhoto Categories: storage room, closet storage type
Bath Room, Porcelain Tile Wall, Full Shower, Enclosed Shower, Vessel Sink, Accent Lighting, Porcelain Tile Floor, One Piece Toilet, Ceiling Lighting, and Drop In Sink The owner sought an elegant toilet solution, so the team opted for a Cinderella incinerator toilet—a product Latimer refers to as the "Rolls Royce of non-flushable toilets."
The owner sought an elegant toilet solution, so the team opted for a Cinderella incinerator toilet—a product Latimer refers to as the "Rolls Royce of non-flushable toilets."Photo Categories: bath room, porcelain tile walls, full showers, enclosed showers, vessel sinks, accent lighting, porcelain tile floors, one piece toilets, ceiling lighting, drop in sinksCourtesy of New Frontier Tiny Homes

"A lot of tiny house designers/builders try to cram a bunch of shelves and high cabinetry for added storage. This closes off an already small space. I like clean lines, and I don’t want to see clutter. I want to see the beautiful shape of the home, the finishes, the lighting, and I want it to look and feel clean," says Latimer.

Outdoor, Front Yard, Wood Fences, Wall, Landscape Lighting, Small Patio, Porch, Deck, Wood Patio, Porch, Deck, Decking Patio, Porch, Deck, and Horizontal Fences, Wall David Latimer, CEO and founder of New Frontier Tiny Homes
David Latimer, CEO and founder of New Frontier Tiny Homes

Read the Original Article...
Explore Tiny Homes

More Press Articles

See More Press Articles...

Ready to get started?

Let’s dream together.
Get in touch with us below and tell us more about your project.

Get In Touch with David