45-FT Tannehill is a monster of a tiny house with the most elegant terrace

Tiny living began to gain traction as a viable housing option in the early 2000s, fueled primarily by environmental concerns. Eco-warriors unable to change local and national policies or make a noticeable difference in terms of climate change now had the option of downsizing to a tiny home and thereby reducing their daily carbon footprint. It might not have tipped the scales in favor of humanity, but it was better than nothing.

Tiny living has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, and as you may have heard, it has less to do with environmental concerns and more to do with the desire to find affordable housing and, if possible, reduce monthly expenses. Tiny homes can do this while also offering the relative freedom to move around the country without having to pack up your belongings because you can simply tow your house wherever you want to go.

Of course, the downside to living in a tiny home is that it is… tiny. A trailer home, a unit built on a single- or dual-axle trailer, is a combination of all these great things, but it’s also very compact, offering room for only the most basic of creature comforts.

Photo: Clayton Park Models

Here are the park model houses. They are the beefier, bigger, meaner cousins ​​of the compact tinies, with dimensions that prevent them from traveling on public roads without special moving permits. Because of their size, park tinies are not supposed to move all that often either. But they still have wheels, which is more than can be said for brick and mortar houses.

Park tiny homes are very popular in countries like North America, New Zealand and Canada. Clayton Park Models is an Alabama-based builder that promises units that bring “outdoor adventure and indoor comfort outside,” and the Tannehill model does just that.

It also extends the concept of “living in miniature” to the maximum, being built on a huge five-axle trailer that is 45 feet (13.7 meters) long and 12 feet (3.6 meters) wide.

Photo: Clayton Park Models

The Tannehill offers 399 square feet (37 square meters) of total living space, sleeping six, and family-friendly features that include a cozy living room, laundry space, and the most elegant deck you could ever expect to find in a tiny home. Unless that tiny home is the Overlook Cottage from Movable Roots, which ups the deck game with a rooftop deck over the patio kitchen.

Tannehill is designed more like a standard home, with home finishes that walk the line between aesthetics and functionality. It is not a tiny luxury like the aforementioned Overlook Cottage, but rather a family home reduced to its original dimensions, and transplanted onto a trailer, with only one luxury feature.

The layout features an integrated open deck that is designed as an outdoor living and entertaining space. There is a large kitchen island in the center, which offers everything you need to host the perfect party, from hanging hooks to a medium-sized refrigerator and a sink with running water.

Photo: Clayton Park Models

The interior is spacious, with well-defined living areas, which, again, is not something you typically see in smaller homes. There's a living room with a (surprisingly small) breakfast bar and an open-concept kitchen with residential-sized Frigidaire appliances.

There is also a dedicated laundry station with stackable washer and dryer and extra storage space, and a full bathroom with flush toilet, vanity sink, and a lovely, charming shower room.

On the way to the master bedroom at the end of the trailer, you come across what could be described as a camper-like setup: two bunk beds on one side and a storage closet on the other. The surprise here is that there is a ladder that leads to two lofts, which can accommodate two or even three more people. The lofts are standard in that they have no standing height and no furniture, but there is a small walkway nearby that connects them that could be used for this.

Photo: Clayton Park Models

The master bedroom has a height of 180 cm and is the only room in the house with a door, apart from the bathroom. It also has a deep wardrobe with two hanging rails and even some space for a recliner.

Tannehill is insulated and rated for all-season use. It connects to the mains for electricity and water and is designed exclusively as an on-grid unit. Features also include a tankless water heater and two mini-split units for air conditioning and heating. The builder offers a variety of materials and colors to choose from, but that’s Tannehill’s customization.

There is no mention of price in the official description of this model. For reference, park tubs typically start around $120,000, and that seems to be the case here, based on old Clayton Park Models listings. It's still cheaper than a house, but it's still a house on a trailer. Whether the tradeoff is worth it is entirely up to the buyer.