Photo: EKSADO (Composite)
Since tiny homes are still very popular, you could go small, or large, depending on how you want and how much you can afford if you are serious about making the move to a more mobile lifestyle. But you would also be spoiled for choice in terms of style, beyond rustic, minimalist, or luxurious.
Tiny houses have certainly come a long way since their inception, and not just in terms of miles driven. Going back to the Vardo wagons, tiny houses first emerged on the radar as a viable housing option in the early 2000s as a means of combating climate change on an individual level by reducing one’s daily carbon footprint.
Over the past decade, tiny houses have gained popularity as more than just eco-friendly homes. Today, they’re touted as the all-in-one solution that offers affordable housing, lower monthly costs, extra mobility, greater sustainability, and less stressful, more intentional living. Their popularity has also translated into a wider range of options in terms of size, features, and autonomy.
The bottom line is that today, if you want to move to a miniature life, you will surely find the house of your dreams, according to your precise needs and lifestyle, and within your budget. But what if you are a fan of classical Roman architecture?
Photo: EKSADO
Apparently, you can get that, too. Technically, with a fully custom build, which means a fairly large budget, you could get any style you wanted, be it “magical fairy castle” or “underground castle.” But this builder has created a model that is directly inspired by Roman architecture and can be further customized.
It's called The Roma and it's a very compact interpretation of the miniature living concept by Turkish manufacturer EKSADO, whose name stands for “Ecological, robust, natural” in the Turkish alphabet. The Roma's size and striking style make it more suitable as a (very eccentric) rental than as a full-time residence, but the latter depends entirely on who you're moving into and the compromises you're willing to make.
The Roma sits on a twin-axle trailer and is just 7 metres (23 feet) long and 2.55 metres (8.3 feet) wide. Its total living area is just 23.7 square metres (255 square feet), but thanks to a single-loft layout, it can sleep up to three people: two in the double loft and another on the fold-out sofa in the living room.
Photo: EKSADO
In terms of layout, The Roma doesn't really stand out, in the sense that it doesn't try to reinvent the wheel. But where it does try to do so is in the choice of materials and the overall style of the unit. While most small units will use contrasting wood and metal siding on the exterior and paneling, vinyl, and maybe marble (if we're talking about a deluxe unit) on the interior, The Roma goes all out… old.
EKSADO doesn’t mention the exact materials used in The Roma, presumably because you can change them all, from the cladding to the interior walls. But they all try to replicate the texture, color and style of building stone, throwing in a few Roman-inspired motifs for good measure.
You might think that such a pretentious style would make it impossible to fit in everyday appliances and accessories, but The Roma somehow manages to make it work. Between the stone walls, patterns, and arched windows, the builder places functional, modern appliances and a considerable amount of storage options. It’s not enough for everyday living, but it could still work for longer stays.
Photo: EKSADO
There's even a washer/dryer built into the bathroom cabinet, an electric cooktop in the kitchen, and a wall-mounted TV in the living room.
Perhaps more importantly, despite its overly complicated styling and compact size, the Roma doesn’t feel cramped. Needless to say, this could also be due to the wide-angle shots or the total lack of personal belongings.
EKSADO is a relatively young builder that started with prefabs and A-frame log cabins. They started in 2017 and are still doing so, but have recently added tiny houses to their lineup. All of their tiny house designs are more like buyer's guidelines and are fully customizable, which is why there is no mention of pricing for The Roma.
Photo: EKSADO
That's a long-winded way of saying that you should contact the manufacturer if you like what you see. However, since EKSADO only ships to Turkey, the price may not even be relevant.
So, we’ll use The Roma as an example that tiny living has yet to reach its peak in terms of creativity, which results in unexpected designs that leave room for great aesthetics and added functionality, although sometimes not at the same time. Even with the high number of new tiny houses coming out every week, we can still find something that surprises us. Whether we like the surprise or not is, well, another story for another time.