The smallest pre-made tiny house opens to public at Federation Square

If you can’t quite get your head around tiny house living, be sure to visit this innovative home on display at Federation Square.

Lifestyle movement The New Joneses is offering enthusiasts a first-hand look at a tiny house as part of the Sustainable Living Festival.

At just 12.5 square metres, this particular home created by The Sociable Weaver is the smallest known pre-made tiny house in Australia.

The unique design maximises the deliberately limited available space, with rollout doors connecting to outdoor decking, and dual function built-in furniture. It can sleep up to four people at a time, made possible via a double bed that functions as a desk when folded away, along with a separate loft double bed/lounge area.

There’s also a European style laundry, storage space and a fully plumbed bathroom and kitchen.

This innovative home currently on display at Federation Square, Melbourne. Photo: Sustainable Living Festival

Founder of The New Joneses, Tamara DiMattina, says the tiny house display is all about promoting the benefits associated with downsizing from both an environmental and financial perspective.

“People gain a lot more financial independence, they gain freedom, and they gain the opportunity to do the work they want to do because they don’t necessarily have a massive mortgage…It means having the money to spend on the things that really matter,” DiMattina says.

A double bed functions as a desk when folded away. Photo: Sustainable Living Festival

She says the tiny house movement is opening up a new discussion as to how Australia can combat longstanding issues surrounding housing affordability.

“For such a long time, the majority of the housing affordability story was bad news if you were trying to get into the market, but now, there are these people thinking differently, and it’s opening up other avenues,” DiMattina says.

“You can live in a great space and it doesn’t mean that you didn’t ‘make it’ because you don’t have a big house with a picket fence – it’s a lifestyle choice that’s really beautiful.”

The innovative design includes storage space and a fully plumbed bathroom and kitchen. Photo: Sustainable Living Festival

Following the pop-up, this tiny house will be available for sale for about $120,000.

Overall, DiMattina says the response to the tiny house display has already been “overwhelming positive”, particularly among the baby boomer cohort.

“I’ve been really surprised by that demographic. They don’t necessarily have enough super, so they’re looking at how they can downsize and still have a beautiful life,” DiMattina says.

The tiny house will be available for sale for about $120,000. Photo: Sustainable Living Festival

To the few naysayers who call tiny houses “glorified caravans”, DiMattina says that’s in fact part of the movement’s glory.

“I would not want to live in a caravan, but I would happily live in this space. What’s wrong with making a tiny space gorgeous?

“It’s a sexy caravan that opens you up to all these new possibilities.”

The New Joneses’ tiny house will be on display at Federation Square from 12pm-6pm on weekdays, and 12pm- 4pm on weekends until February 25.

The tiny house movement could be a way to combat issues surrounding housing affordability. Photo: Sustainable Living Festival