Dragonfly Tiny House

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Design: Robinson Residential Design

I used to not be a fan of stark modern dwellings. Perhaps I’ve scanned too many issues of Dwell in airport lobbies or watched too many TV shows pushing this look, but now I’m somewhat head over heels for it (with a dash of punk-rock art chaos, mind you!). The key is to keep it clean and light without making it feel sterile and uncomfortable. Well, lucky for you and me, the Robinson brothers have nailed this look not only with the large residential homes they design but also with their first tiny house offering, the Dragonfly — named for its opposing decks that fold down like wings.

And how cool is this place?! Though only 20 feet long (and 160 square feet overall), it has a heck of an array of not-so-crammed-in features. These include a galley-style kitchen (counters on both sides), built-in shelving by a love seat near the entryway, tasteful open kitchen storage, and an ultra-ingenious kitchen table that pulls out from under the counters to provide additional dining and prep space. Finally, there’s the artful touch of three stained glass windows — depicting dragonflies, of course.

Inspiration: “Open space and a connection with the outdoors, while incorporating innovation.”

Deek’s Takeaways

The slide-out table, while incredibly clever, blocks off one entire patio door — but, of course, the Dragonfly has another patio door to spare. Much like David Latimer’s Alpha house, the outdoor world is so present in this home that it almost seems to meld into the interior space. The fold-down decks are great, too.

I’m also a fan of the two-toned siding, which is less monotonous than using a single type of standard siding. By using more expensive siding (cedar, for example) in only key places, you can give your house a fancier look without spending the money to upgrade all of the siding. In the case of the Robinsons’ house, they’ve pulled it off beautifully, while also adding some decorative wall and roof work.

Dragonfly Tiny House Stats

Dimensions: 20' long × 8'2" wide × 13'6" tall

Square Footage: Main area: 160; loft: 30

Budget: $52,500

Heating/Cooling: Dickinson Marine Newport P1200 Propane Fireplace; there is natural cooling thanks to windows and high insulation value (by way of structural insulated panels, or SIPs)

Bathroom: Nature’s Head composting toilet; shower

Power: Grid-tied 110-volt outlet setup; some lights are 12-volt, as are the heater and toilet fan

Hot Water: Tank-style electric water heater (under the kitchen cabinets)

In Retrospect: “I think we would include a washer/dryer, since that seems to be a sticking point for some people — they don’t want to do without one, even though it takes up a lot of space and requires additional power. This unit is very airtight, so in some climates an air-to-air heat exchanger would be good for bringing in fresh air and exhausting moisture.”