This Tiny House in Batangas is the Perfect Hideaway
While small houses push you to rethink your priorities and consider how you'll make the most of every square inch of space, an increasing number of individuals see them as a way to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
One of the things we've seen as we've followed the tiny home movement over the years is that popular versions have slowly become larger and more opulent—forget the cliché of a cramped hut on wheels; some of them are more like little mansions.
With that in mind, let's have a peek inside Julius and Smile Garcia's beautiful luxury tiny home in Batangas.
La Casita Garcia: The up-side of down-sizing
“Wala pa kaming sariling bahay before, it was two or three years ago when we decided to acquire a subdivision lot in Lipa City. However, during the pandemic lockdown we came across youtube videos with regards to tiny houses, doon kami na-inspire,” Julius told Summit OG.
The couple acquired the property in a subdivision in Lipa City, Batangas. However, to stay within their housing budget and timeline, they chose to build a tiny house on a readily accessible property in Padre Garcia, Batangas instead.
“Nagsabi rin kasi ako [kay Smile] na on her 40th birthday, doon kami mag-celebrate ng birthday niya sa sarili na naming bahay,” shared Julius.
Julius emphasized how there are many small houses in the Philippines, but they made it their goal to build a unique tiny house that doesn’t feel so small and cramped.
“Nag start ang construction at end of July 2020, it finished mga December 2020. And we moved in ng January 2021,” Smile stated.
Julius and Smile's tiny home, La Casita Garcia, does have an unusual layout and has been uniquely modified to match the couple's needs.
“Sa materials namin we used concrete and wood. And then for those areas na may water, like the toilet, bathroom, and kitchen we used concrete, and for the rest of the house, we used wood framing para magaan lang siya and lightweight. And then for the walls, we used a long span na makapal na yero. Custom na siya, ganoon din 'yung aking roof,” Julius said when talking about the tiny house framing and its similarities to a container van.
The bottom floor features 27 square meters of space, while the second storey has 18 square meters of space, including the lofts. Every room is 3 × 3 meters in size, with one living space on the first level, a kitchen, a full bathroom, two lofts upstairs, and one bedroom directly facing the entertainment area on the second level.
One of the nicest aspects is the large open area in the center of their home, which creates the impression of a high ceiling and makes the space feel more expansive. “Itong tiny house namin dinesign na maliit lang yung space pero functional lahat,” Julius added. “Tapos yung dining area marami kang pwedeng gawing arrangement to accommodate different situations… Iyon yung favorite part ko.”
The couple made sure that the home they were building may be tiny but it's sure to be comfortable enough to stay in.
Are you considering constructing your own tiny house? Watch OG's latest video to learn more about Julius and Smile's home:
