Tiny houses of all kinds intrigue me. I love seeing how people pare things down to the essentials to make them work.
You wouldn’t know by looking at it, but this 400 square-foot “ESCAPE Cabin” was designed by architect Kelly Davis with a major feature that most don’t have: It’s mobile.
It’s considered a “Park Model RV,” which means you can take it wherever you want and, you know, park it like a camper.
“Designed for quick installation, ESCAPE has single drops (for water and sewer), plus a very simple electrical connection,” its website explains. “Just plug and play.”
No foundation is needed, and there’s no property tax to pay: “You can get the already assembled ESCAPE cabin delivered to you, and the cabin is designed to travel anywhere on the road.”
Kelly Davis from SALA Architects, who had experience designing “normal” cabins and cottages in the past, paid attention to every detail that went into creating the ESCAPE, from cedar lap siding on the outside to recyclable and sustainable materials inside.
The website explains another advantage it has over traditional cabins: “By law it is considered an RV. Therefore you can easily finance it at any bank in the same way you would finance a car or RV…much easier than obtaining a mortgage and much quicker.”
You can move it like you would a mobile home (it requires a mobile home-type of moving truck).
The website explains, “Park Models are mobile but are generally parked in one location for extended periods of time…hence the term Park Model.”
This model is parked at Canoe Bay in Northwestern Wisconsin, surrounded by trees.
“Become one with nature with virtually no carbon footprint: The ESCAPE is an incredibly green and environmentally friendly living solution. It is constructed entirely of recyclable or sustainable growth materials and consumes very little power.”
They’re calling the response to the introduction of this new cabin “overwhelming” so far. I can see why! Thanks to them for telling us about it.
Visit the Canoe Bay ESCAPE website for more photos and information.
That is one of the coolest things I have seen in a LONG time! I love your idea of using it as a guest house or studio/office too. Endless possibilities! What a brilliant concept!
I shall take this to sunny southern Florida next November, + we shall live in it until the end of April. Then + only then will I return to Chiberia (our new nickname for Chicago!) That little cabin is adorable!
Very neat! This is about the size of my little log cabin/cottage, but mine isn’t nearly this slick and has a higher roof. What a wonderful alternative to the normal mobile home! It would be perfect as a temporary dwelling while building a permanent home. After moving into the permanent house, you could use it for all kinds of things, as you suggested, Julia. This will sell like gangbusters. Small homes are gaining in popularity all the time, and with the environmental bonuses associated with this, it’s even more appealing. Thanks for sharing this! 🙂
Love it! What a great idea. Saw it awhile back and would love for some friends/family to have one nearby in the mountains. Only problem would be getting it up the hairpin turns on our mountain roads. It would be a great valley house, though. Wonderful way to have that getaway now, and then use as a guest house later if you wanted to build your forever or retirement home on your land someday.
I love tumbleweed homes.
I do, too, Tamika! If anyone wants to see what those are like, I wrote about them here:
https://hookedonhouses.net/2008/08/22/living-small-tumbleweed-tiny-houses/
OMG – I WANT THAT!
I want one too!! But from the floorplan it looks like it’s maybe lacking some closet/storage space. I love the idea of “living small”, but I love all my shoes too! LOL
i love when someone is this innovative. Well done.
Wow! Very cool and thoughtfully designed. I like the idea of financing it like an RV. Now…I just need to save up money for a lot in the woods!
I’m totally entralled with this whole concept. Gives new meaning to the term ‘Glamping’!!!
AUGH ! I meant to say ‘enthralled’!
Glad I saw this post. I did a post about it too and just love it for how incredibly beautiful they made it with little space and how it is easily financed like a car. This one is a great tiny house idea. Plus, now it reminds me of last week’s American Dream Builders little houses they designed. Happy Easter
Yes! I loved that episode where they decorated the tiny houses. Thanks, Sue!
Like you, I am fascinated by the tiny home movement. I just love the thought of having something like this to escape to! I would be in heaven.
Why wouldn’t it cost property tax? This looks really nice for a mobile cabin, btw. I really love the open patio.
Because you don’t pay property tax on RVs, so this saves you some money.
Very well done! I have been entertaining the idea of downsizing, and this would be perfect. I wouldn’t need it to be mobile though. This would be the home we come home to in between our travels. Love it!
Julia, that is an adorable home for the size! I love the small homes you’ve featured on your blog since it’s my passion to live this way. My hubby and I downsized a year ago into a 710 SF “penthouse” and we love it! Thought you might like to take a look on my blog since you said small space homes intrigue you. We just painted our little dining nook lavender for a little spring spruce-up.
What a great concept. I love the idea of having this place to escape to when you need some alone time and I do need time to myself occasionally.
Stunning. I want one.
And here I thought I didn’t care for camping. What was I thinking??!! So perfect 🙂
I’m not much for roughing it myself, so this would be my idea of camping, for sure! 🙂
Lovely. It looks to me like there is a really useful ledge for storage around the ceiling of many of the rooms. I’m imagining rows of beautiful storage boxes.
And I forgot to say that screened porch is to die for!
I love your ideas. What a brilliant thought. That little cabin is gorgeous! What a great alternative to the normal mobile home! It would be perfect as a temporary dwelling while building a permanent home.
Love it, but I think they could take some storage lessons from RVs to perfect it.
I’d park it near the beach!